"Carrie: The Musical" in Seattle
"Carrie: The Musical" in Seattle
#1"Carrie: The Musical" in Seattle
Posted: 6/11/13 at 3:14am
Since the Seattle message board is kinda a wasteland (basically the only posts are reviews of shows), I thought I would post here.
One of the local smaller theater companies in town, the Balagan Theater, is producing the revised version of "Carrie: The Musical" from Oct 11-26. They just had their season preview party tonight, and (along with a couple of songs performed by Jinkx Monsoon), the highlight was a performance by Alice Ripley, who seems to be in fine voice again. It was also announced that Alice that she will be playing Margaret White in the Seattle production. Kendra Kassebaum will be playing Miss Gardner, and Keaton Whittaker (seen on Broadway as Fredrika Armfeldt in the recent revival of "A Little Night Music") will take the title role of Carrie.
With this announcement, I think that this might be the highlight of my Seattle theater season.
Xanadu! Can't cry on cue!
#2Carrie
Posted: 6/11/13 at 3:57amAlice as Mrs White, perfect casting.
Well I didn't want to get into it, but he's a Satanist.
Every full moon he sacrifices 4 puppies to the Dark Lord and smears their blood on his paino.
This should help you understand the score for Wicked a little bit more.
Tazber's: Reply to
Is Stephen Schwartz a Practicing Christian
PlayItAgain
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/8/11
#3Carrie
Posted: 6/11/13 at 4:14am
Granted, she might be doing this because Louis Hobson (Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine in Next to Normal) just recently took over as the Artistic Director of the Balagan theater. (He was also Raul Esparza's understudy in "Leap of Faith" with Kendra, so there's that connection too.)
I just thought it was interesting because Marin Mazzie originated Margaret in the off-broadway revisal after replacing Alice in N2N, and now Alice is taking her part.
And I think the time off of doing less strenuous stuff after N2N on Broadway and on tour really helped her voice. It is a lot stronger than when I saw her on the N2N tour in Seattle.
Xanadu! Can't cry on cue!
#5Carrie
Posted: 6/11/13 at 8:26am
Wow it would be extremely interesting to see Alice Ripley play Margaret. She'd be closer sounding to Buckley than Mazzie, if her voice can hold out. I imagine she would take "Eve Was Weak" and "When There's No One" in very interesting places. Can you just imagine her staring at Carrie without saying a word before "Eve Was Weak"? It gives me chills to think about. Mazzie did "When There's No One" touchingly sadly, but Ripley could do it psychopathically.
Not to take anything away from Mazzie, the contrast between her powerful belt in "Eve Was Weak/How Those Boys Could Dance" and the moments of her legit Soprano in "Open Your Heart", "Evening Prayers" and "When There's No One" are not going to be matched by Ripley. The only person I can think of who might be able to one-up her in this regard is Carolee Carmello.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Updated On: 6/11/13 at 08:26 AM
#6Carrie
Posted: 6/11/13 at 8:49am
Ripley took quite a bit of time away from Broadway in-between doing Rocky Horror and Next to Normal as well...I'm sure she could work on Broadway if she wanted to, but she seems to choose her projects carefully. From things she's said in the past, it seems she's had some negative experiences on Broadway and is happier doing small off-Broadway and regional gigs. If she can make enough money doing that, more power to her.
Also, if it's true that her voice is back, then she is indeed perfect for Margaret White...she was my first choice back when the revisal was first announced for MCC.
Updated On: 6/11/13 at 08:49 AM
Borstalboy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/9/04
#7Carrie
Posted: 6/11/13 at 11:17amShe was in A CIVIL WAR CHRISTMAS not six months ago.
"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
~ Muhammad Ali
showchoirguy
Broadway Star Joined: 7/14/10
#9Carrie
Posted: 6/11/13 at 12:11pm
I think its fantastic. Everyone who loves the show has wondered what Alice Ripley would be like as Margaret and now she gets a shot at the role in a very short run that won't kill her voice in doing so.
And kudos to Louis Hobson for making a splash in his first season as Artistic Director. It's a real coup for him to get this level of talent for the production. And though the Balagan may be a small regional company, the production website states the show is actually going to be staged at the Moore Theatre which is huge -- over 1100 seats (and gorgeous!).