By Elena Mulready
From the moment the curtain spread and the cast came charging onto the stage for the first number, I could tell Carrie: The Musical was going to be a very entertaining and well produced show. All cast members, except two, are part of Baldwin Wallace University’s Musical Theatre Program, and every single student performed as well as any equity actor.
The triple-threat students (singing, acting, dancing) brought an outstanding amount of energy to the numerous dance numbers, following the intense choreography of Gregory Daniels, and combined it with perfect acting and sensational voices. Caitlin Houlahan portrayed the lead role of Carrie expertly and performed many memorable songs along with the rest of the exceptional cast.
The show follows the story of Carrie White, an outsider in high school who is relentlessly teased and bullied for her uncommon, conservative & religious ways. The musical sends a great message while watching Sue Snell, an ordinary high schooler, stand up for Carrie, even when Sue’s own friends don’t agree with her actions.
Scary supernatural things start happening around Carrie and when the students decide to play an evil trick on her, matters get out of hand, leading to a great climax scene showcasing spectacular special effects that really add to the theatricality of the show.
Based on the original Stephen King novel, Carrie, which was turned into a horror movie, the show does an excellent job portraying this horror as well as adding in some comedic aspects for an overall enjoyable mood. Director Victoria Bussert, head of the Musical Theatre Department at Baldwin Wallace University, does an amazing job building scenes together and using a single set of a school gymnasium for the entire show, with only a few benches and the pure creativity of the actors on stage to make the show come to life.
Being in high school myself, the show was relatable for me, and fitting for any teenager or adult. Although the actions of students in the story were somewhat over-exaggerated from normal high school life, main themes shine through and make an enjoyable show for the audience.
[Pictured, from left to right: Livvy Marcus, Mickey Ryan, Genna-Paige Kanago, Callee Bradley, Caitlin Houlahan, Sam Wolf, Isabel Plana, and Malik Victorian. Credit: Ben Meadors Photography.]
Elena Mulready is 15 years old and currently a freshman at Lakewood High School. She enjoys reading and writing, and has always been interested in musical theater. Along with this, she is involved in many sports including soccer, volleyball, and track. Elena has participated in the Beck Center’s Youth Theatre program, the oldest such program in the United States.