Review | Carrie The Musical
This review contains spoilers for a story published in 1974, before this reviewer was born. The plot of Carrie is considered to be part of the cultural consciousness, so I am not shying away from story elements considered to be “spoilers.”
Overall, I was impressed with Moon Phase Theatrical’s production of Carrie: The Musical, playing at Stone Circle Theatre. Despite a few technical glitches, the performance was an incredible showcase of community theater talent, with standout moments in choreography, vocal performances, and direction. This adaptation of Stephen King’s classic story about a telekinetic teenager transcends its modest venue, delivering an emotionally charged experience that is both entertaining and riveting.
Choreography and Ensemble Performance
The choreography, crafted by Evelyn Johnson, was near-perfect in its execution and imagination. Every movement serves both story and space, with dancers utilizing every inch of the thrust-stage setting to create an immersive experience. The opening number immediately establishes the production’s dynamic energy, as the ensemble weaves through the space with precision and purpose. Johnson’s work shines particularly bright in the high school sequences, where choreographed chaos feels both natural and narratively driven. Even in the show’s quieter moments, subtle movement patterns help guide the audience’s focus and enhance the emotional undertones of each scene.
The vocal strength of this ensemble proves exceptional, particularly impressive given community theater’s typical challenges with consistent vocal quality. Each cast member demonstrates impressive individual technique, but it’s their collective sound that truly stands out. From the powerful group numbers to the intricate backing vocals during solo moments, the ensemble maintains professional-level pitch and tone throughout. The harmonies in numbers like “In” and “The World According to Chris” showcase the depth of talent within this cast, with each vocal part crystal clear yet perfectly balanced.
What’s most remarkable is how seamlessly the choreography and vocals blend together. While many community theater productions might sacrifice one element for the other, this cast maintains both with apparent ease. During complex dance sequences, the vocal quality never wavers; during challenging harmonic passages, the movement remains sharp and focused. This is particularly evident in the high-energy school scenes, where the ensemble must navigate both intricate dance steps and demanding vocal arrangements simultaneously. The result is a rare synergy where neither element overshadows the other, creating production numbers that feel both polished and effortlessly natural.
Standout Performances
The cast’s performances were truly memorable.
Maria Lane brings a haunting vulnerability to Carrie White, crafting a nuanced portrayal that evolves from a shrinking violet to a force of nature. Her transformation feels organic, making the character’s tragic arc all the more devastating. The awkward mannerisms and hesitant body language of early scenes give way to moments of hopeful blossoming, only to shatter spectacularly in the production’s climactic moments. Lane’s voice perfectly mirrors this evolution – initially quiet and unsure during “Carrie,” growing in confidence through “Why Not Me?,” and finally exploding with raw power in the prom scene. Her ability to shift between Carrie’s yearning for acceptance and her telekinetic rage is masterful, particularly in moments where both emotions exist simultaneously. Even in Carrie’s most violent scenes, Lane maintains traces of the character’s underlying vulnerability, reminding us that beneath the supernatural terror lies a deeply hurt young girl who just wanted to belong.
Bryan Chan’s Tommy Ross emerges as more than just the typical “nice guy” character, crafting a portrayal that adds unexpected depth to what could have been a one-dimensional role. Chan imbues Tommy with genuine warmth and vulnerability, particularly in moments where he shares his own dreams of becoming a writer. His voice, clear and warm throughout, especially shines in “Dreamer in Disguise,” where Tommy’s kindness toward Carrie feels authentic rather than plot-driven. Chan shows us a young man who’s secure enough in himself to be genuinely kind, making Tommy’s decision to take Carrie to prom feel like a natural extension of his character rather than mere plot necessity. His chemistry with Lane’s Carrie adds crucial believability to their scenes together, their voices blending with a tentative sweetness that makes their growing friendship both touching and tragic. It’s a performance that makes Tommy’s fate all the more devastating – we’re not just losing the “nice jock,” we’re losing someone on the cusp of discovering his full potential.
Chani Bentabou’s Margaret White isn’t just a performance – it’s a masterclass in musical theater character work. Her vocal prowess is immediately apparent, but it’s her ability to weaponize that incredible voice in service of the character that truly sets her apart. During “And Eve Was Weak,” Bentabou’s voice rings with religious fervor and maternal terror, her pitch-perfect high notes cutting through the theater like a prophet’s warnings. But it’s in “When There’s No One” where she truly soars, delivering one of the production’s finest musical moments. Here, Bentabou peels back Margaret’s zealotry to reveal the frightened, damaged woman beneath, her voice shifting from powerful to vulnerable whisper with heartbreaking precision. The technical control required to navigate these emotional extremes is impressive enough, but Bentabou makes it seem effortless, never letting technique overshadow truth.
What’s particularly remarkable is how she modulates her powerful instrument in duets with Maria Lane’s Carrie. During their confrontational numbers, Bentabou’s voice takes on an almost operatic intensity, yet in quieter moments, she finds a tender, wounded quality that suggests the love buried beneath Margaret’s religious mania. Her ability to maintain vocal clarity even in moments of highest dramatic intensity – especially during the climactic “Mama’s Here” – demonstrates the kind of technical excellence that would be impressive on any stage, let alone in community theater. Every note Bentabou sings carries both musical power and dramatic intention, creating a portrait of Margaret White that thrilled me every time she was in the spotlight.
Angelique Rodriguez’s portrayal of Sue Snell carries perhaps the heaviest burden of the show – that of the sole survivor. Not only does her character provide the crucial framing device that helps ground the story’s supernatural elements in emotional reality, Rodriguez masterfully conveys the crushing weight of survivor’s guilt, particularly in the show’s final moments. Her performance is a study in accumulated grief; Sue’s survival isn’t triumphant – it’s a cruel twist of fate that forces her to bear witness to the destruction of everything and everyone she holds dear. Rodriguez makes us feel the arbitrary nature of Sue’s survival; she lives not through any cosmic justice or narrative necessity, but simply because she wasn’t in the gymnasium that fateful night. When she leads the final reprise of “Carrie,” Rodriguez’s voice carries not just her own character’s pain, but serves as an elegy for an entire community lost to tragedy. Her performance transforms Sue from a mere narrator into a Greek chorus of one, forever haunted by the ghosts of what could have been.
Direction and Technical Elements
The minimalist set design worked well for a community theater production, putting the focus on the actors and the story. The directing choices by Annalys Ramirez and Angel Rafael Tavarez were thoughtful and effective, especially in a thrust-stage setup, which created an immersive experience for the audience. The iconic blood-dumping scene was handled excellently with practical effects that were impactful without being overly graphic (though as you might have gathered from previous reviews, I like a bloody story and a splash zone). Carrie’s telekinetic rampage was staged creatively, with ensemble members contorting into positions that looked both dramatic and painful, adding to the realism of the scene.
Emotional Impact and Favorite Musical Numbers
Several musical numbers left a lasting impression, particularly “Dreamer in Disguise,” where Tommy and Carrie’s duet was tender and heartfelt. “When There’s No One,” Margaret’s solo, was another highlight and might have been my favorite song of the show. Bentabou’s delivery of this haunting piece was simply unforgettable.
The production’s musical prowess, under Saúl M. Nache’s direction, stands as one of its greatest strengths. The ensemble work deserves special mention – rather than the common community theater pitfall of having a few strong voices carry the group numbers, this cast demonstrates remarkable cohesion. Each voice contributes to a rich tapestry of sound that fills the space beautifully, even during complex harmonies. Because the choreography was dynamic and kept the ensemble moving in most pieces, I had the opportunity to hear all members of the cast up-close as they danced or moved by. All sounded amazing.
The second act’s opening number, “A Night We’ll Never Forget,” serves as both a example in ensemble performance and a brilliant piece of dramatic irony. The entire cast attacks this high-energy celebration with infectious enthusiasm, their voices and movements capturing all the giddy anticipation of teenagers on the brink of what they believe will be their perfect night. Johnson’s choreography particularly shines here, as students rush about with prom preparations, all while weaving seamlessly through the performance space. The number builds with the kind of electric excitement that makes audience members grin despite knowing the tragedy that looms ahead. Each character gets their moment to shine – from the popular kids’ confident swagger to the quieter students’ nervous joy – creating a tapestry of authentic teenage experiences that feels both specific and universal. The song’s driving rhythm and overlapping vocal lines perfectly capture the controlled chaos of pre-prom excitement, while subtle hints in the orchestration remind us of the darkness to come. It’s a bittersweet triumph of staging and performance that makes the eventual tragedy all the more devastating – these are just kids, after all, planning what should have been one of their brightest memories.
The show band, led on piano by musical director Nache, was extremely talented, but I must highlight Hannah Burke’s exceptional performance on cello. Her brilliant playing was integral in creating that eerie, Stephen King-like atmosphere, especially as Carrie’s control over her powers begins to unravel. The cello’s haunting drones and sharp, jarring attacks in the prom scene are particularly striking, intensifying the staging to craft a deeply unsettling atmosphere that skillfully bridges psychological thriller with supernatural horror.
Final Thoughts
This production brought out the underlying humor and tragedy in Carrie: The Musical, making it both entertaining and emotionally resonant. The “Carrie” reprise, added a sense of reflection and closure, and the ensemble’s unified sound in the final moments was powerful. The entire cast and crew deserve high praise for bringing this story to life with such dedication and skill. There were minor technical glitches involving microphone cues but they were foregetable and did not take me out of the moment.
While working within obvious budget constraints, the company has created something special that deserves to be seen. With just one performancee remaining through November 3rd, local theater enthusiasts would do well to secure their tickets quickly.
This production serves as a powerful reminder of why supporting local theater matters. It’s in venues like Stone Circle Theatre where tomorrow’s theatrical talents are cutting their teeth, where ambitious creative choices can be tested, and where communities can gather to experience the raw power of live performance. I look forward to seeing future productions from members of this creative team, now that they are on my radar. Bravo!
For tickets and information, visit stonecircletheatre.org.
