For many of us, the story of Carietta White is not an unfamiliar one. There have been several adaptations of Stephen King’s 1974 novel Carrie throughout the years, the first being a film directed by Brian de Palma in 1976. Palma’s take received critical acclaim, with Sissy Spacek (Carrie White) being nominated for Best Actress, and Piper Laurie (Margaret White) for Best Supporting Actress in the 49th Academy Awards. In 2013, Kimberly Peirce directed the novel’s second film adaptation, starring Chloë Moretz as the titular character.
On their 27th season, the Ateneo Blue Repertory (blueREP) presents their take on Lawrence D. Cohen’s 1988 Broadway musical adaptation of Carrie. Directed by Jill Peña, with musical direction by Peter Romero and Lulay Santiago, and choreography by Lance Bahia, CARRIE: The Musical is this year’s powerful newbie production.
The play is set in Chamberlain High as prom night draws near. Carrie White (Nyla Festejo; understudy Thea Astley) is the school’s peculiar outcast with a gift that she is only beginning to understand. Of the many students who taunt and tease her, Chris Hargensen (Eunice Tanilon; understudy Julia Santiago) is undeniably the most cruel. Chris’ best friend, Sue Snell (alternates Thea Astley and Camille Banawa), feels guilty for how they’ve treated Carrie, and tries to make up for it with the help of her love interest, Tommy Ross (alternates Anton Vergel de Dios and Davy Narciso).
Meanwhile, Carrie’s overly religious mother, Margaret White (alternates Reg Claravall and Lix Sumilong), is severely restrictive, and from the onset, we are given an idea of both their worlds. As the story digs deeper into their mother-daughter relationship, we see how Carrie is forced to navigate through the tensions—love versus abuse—within their relationship
The effort and creativity used to portray Carrie’s gift is noteworthy, especially with the special effects or production constraints of theatre. From the spotlights and harsh shadows that created an eerie mood, to the flashing red lights and loud sound effects that indicated chaos, blueREP was able to transcend limitations to illustrate this gift. The uncluttered set, with a cracked brick wall standing as the lone backdrop, also allowed the audience to focus their attention on the acts, especially the song numbers.
The play offers a range of these numbers - from stunning group performances to compelling solos. At the beginning of the musical, the audience is introduced to Carrie and Margaret White with “Carrie” and “And Eve Was Weak” respectively. Both actresses performed their first solos with a fervor that immediately impressed the audience. They stayed in character—from their facial expressions to body language—even throughout the difficult notes. “Do Me A Favor?” brings us into the steamy and intimate world of Chamberlain High’s teenagers, and we see the contrast in couple dynamics between Sue Snell-Tommy Ross and Chris Hargensen-Billy Nolan (alternates Davy Narciso and Xavi Fernando). “A Night We’ll Never Forget,” one of the more upbeat numbers in the play, fills the stage with bigger, louder movements than most of the other performances, as the students prepare for prom.
With the production, the newbies of blueREP deliver a strong portrayal of the social and familial struggles that Carrie goes through—it isn’t difficult to forget that this is a newbie production. However, it’s also almost too easy to forget that this is a horror story, as more could have been done to evoke feelings of fear and terror. Some scenes felt too immaculate in the sense that things felt normal, and the unsettling atmosphere was no longer present.
As for the performances, the actors could get messy during the group numbers, with them occasionally bumping into each other. Despite this, their vocals remained clear and steady; they listened to each other, were sure of themselves, and it showed. However, a few supporting actors could have been more natural—it seemed as if some of them were trying too hard to fit into their characters’ stereotypes.
There was no moment in the play where it felt as though the performers lacked heart. Most notable were the leads, particularly Festejo and Claravall, who shined all throughout - graceful and telling in their performances.
Festejo does justice to the role of Carrie, perfectly capturing how Carrie is indeed different, but is also still a teenager trying to find her way in the world. Festejo is, without a doubt, Carrie from beginning to end, maintaining her character’s vulnerability and intensity all throughout. Matching (or even exceeding) Festejo’s intensity is Claravall, who plays Margaret White, and is an experienced performer. Claravall beautifully portrays how Carrie’s anxious mother is not of bad intentions, just of unsound mind. Tanilon and Astley, who play Chris Hargensen and Sue Snell respectively, were refined and fluid in acting their roles in never giving too much or too little. The two, along with, Anton Vergel de Dios (Tommy Ross), are promising talents. It is evident that they are still feeling their way out on stage, but once they grow more certain of themselves, they are sure to be even better performers.
blueREP succeeds in taking a popular narrative and making it their own. With CARRIE: The Musical, we are immersed in the world of Chamberlain High’s students, a world where the usual teenager experience is coated with the bizarreness of Carrie White’s power. This is a play that unsparingly displays the dangers of being cruel, and we are left feeling for Carrie White, long after her night to never forget.