“Carrie White… eats… shit…”

but we actually love it. Michael Gore’s 1980s Horror-Thriller-Musical-Flop receives a new breath of life in the 2012 revival of the cultiest of cult musicals. May she rest in peace, Marin Mazzie delivers a stunning performance as the conversative mother who just can’t stop her daughter from going to prom. There is jaw dropping quality that Betty Buckley deliveres in the original 1988 Broadway cast and Mazzie takes that energy and places a strong silver in the Scary Mother Vibrato Olympics.

Highlights from this studio recording are:

In – The opening number showcases the transition from 80s Pop to 00s Alt Rock in mood. The original In is easy to make fun of for being so corny. The creepy lady gym teacher rap (keep those muscles tight… keep that body thin…) is removed and the singers don’t have to sing over ridiculous cheerleading and tumbling moves. Compares to the leotarded original pop vibe, this feels more like my high school emotional experience.

Carrie – The beat is bumpy and the vocals are belty. It’s the title song and Michael Gore keeps the audience and Carrie on our toes as to whether the time signature is odd or even. That’s not her naaaaaame!

Open Your Heart – My favorite song from this show. A simple prayer sung between mother and daughter but somehow it reaches very deep into my heart. The song is short and in this newer version, more upbeat and soulful. Mazzie’s verbrato shines over the chorus singing praise to Jesus who can hopefully save this broken family from the cursed demon child.

I Remember How Those Boys Could Dance – A mother’s sorrowful reminiscing of boys and the trouble that they bring. A hauntingly beautiful and also terrifying number.

Carrie 2012 teaches us that bad musicals can be good under the right conditions. Gore just needed to wait for alternative rock and grunge pop to be invented for his creation to make sense to general audiences. I see Carrie 2012 as a great success in musical theater artistry. And as someone who enjoys Broadway flops as an entire genre in itself, this 2012 album is a great listen for me.

Listen to full album here:


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