Carrie (rock opera)

Carrie is a rock opera loosely based upon Stephen King's 1974 novel of the same name.

Prologue
In colonial Massachusetts, in the early 1690s, there is hysteria in the village of Salem; young women are being pursued by the law because they were denounced to be possessed by Satan, and therefore accused of witchcraft. Until then, one by one, these victims get captured by officials, and were later executed. This is called the Salem Witch Trials (“Overture: Salem Witch Trials”).

Act 1
In the present, a high school guidance counselor, Susan “Sue” Snell, is interviewed in a talk show (possibly a “Charlie Rose” talk show), where she presents a diary book (published by her best friend, Carrie White) which she recovered as evidence before going to her best friend’s trial. She begins reading Carrie’s diaries (through flashback), and that story opens at Salem High School, a place where Sue attends as a hall monitor; among Sue who attend this school were a varsity-athlete jock Tommy Ross, the spoiled-rotten popular girl Christine “Chris” Hargensen, her dumb boyfriend Billy Nolan, and perennial misfit Carrie White ("Prologue: In").

One day, while students of the girls’ gym class (run by a young gym teacher named Rita Gardner) are showering, they ask Chris about the date of the upcoming senior prom, but Chris tells them to stop worrying about the future, since whatever will happen is determined by the school’s staff (“What’s the Buzz?”). Meanwhile, Carrie experiences her first menstrual period in the shower and, not understanding what is happening, naively thinks she is bleeding to death. The other girls, led by Chris (who is also a longtime bully to Carrie), gleefully respond to this by pelting her with tampons, laughing and chanting "Plug it up! Plug it up!". Sue soon races in to Carrie's rescue, but a light bulb mysteriously breaks as Carrie reaches the height of her panic. Finally, Sue disperses the other girls, and then brings Carrie to Ms. Gardner, who explains menstruation. Although her life is safe for now, Carrie has already grown tired of being bullied at every turn, but dreams of being vindicated and gaining respect from her peers ("Carrie").

Later, Ms. Gardner has a parent-teacher discussion with Carrie’s religious and overprotective mother, in the form of a Jewish nun named Sister Margaret White, who informs the gym teacher to steer clear of her daughter, refusing to let Carrie go to school ever. Once she brings her daughter home, Margaret discourages Carrie from going to school, but when Carrie refuses to listen, Margaret whips her with her belt, and locks her in a small specially decorated “prayer closet” as a punishment, refusing to let her out until she prays for forgiveness ("And Eve Was Weak").

Meanwhile, Sue finds Chris showing to her friends a video of that day's incident with Carrie in the locker room, which is recorded from her smartphone and uploaded to YouTube, with its views and subscriptions rapidly increasing ("The World According to Chris"). Angered by this, Sue reprimands Chris that Carrie is now paranoid because of her, and unless she changes her ways, she should not judge the character of others. Sue then curses everyone else for being Chris’s accomplices, utterly declaring that further harassment to Carrie is only punishable by detention.

Back at the White household, Carrie is still locked in her prayer closet surrounded by religious icons. Margaret, meanwhile, pleads for her own divine guidance. As Carrie puzzles over this new sensation she's been feeling, she grows more agitated. Suddenly, a little figurine of Jesus levitates, leaving Carrie to wonder if this strange power might possibly be coming from within her. Margaret immediately releases her from the closet and tearfully apologizes for her actions, praying for the strength to help her daughter while Carrie, depressed, questions God's love for her. The two find solace in each other's goodnight embrace ("Evening Prayers").

The next day, after receiving a call from Sue, Ms. Gardner informs her class they will endure boot camp-style detention for the rest of the week for their reckless mistreatment of Carrie unless they apologize to her. The class complies, but Chris who instead hurls a vicious invective at Carrie. This is Chris’s last official act as student of Salem High School before filing a lawsuit against the gym teacher for violently shaking and slapping her.

Meanwhile, sneaking into the library after school, Carrie reads about telekinesis from an old book. Then, a librarian asks Carrie to reorganize his library for her, upon revealing that he knows everything about telekinesis, which is one of these magic tricks passed from parent to child. Concentrating intensely, she succeeds in moving chairs and books across the room (until everything is reorganized) without touching them, astonishing herself with this newfound power. In retrospect, the exploding light bulb in the shower and the levitating Jesus figurine start to make sense. While Carrie learns more about magic, the librarian advises her that one day, when Carrie grows up, she will emerge into the outside world and become an illusionist, just like her father ("Anything’s Possible").

Later, at the courthouse, a civil trial consisting of Chris's father, Sheriff John Hargensen, and Ms. Gardner has begun. Sherff Hargensen, exasperated that the gym teacher has hurt his daughter, showing the explicit video of Carrie, as recorded by Chris ("The Hargensens vs. Ms. Gardner"). The court sustains the angry sheriff’s claim to have Ms. Gardner fired from her job unless she pays the fine of $250 for her act against at Chris, who will then be allowed to attend the prom. However, Ms. Gardner, still shaken by Chris indefinitely dropping out of school, tells the court, “Your words, not mine.” At that moment, Carrie miraculously appears into the courtroom as her gym teacher’s defense attorney, asking to let bygones be bygones. This triggers Ms. Gardner to eventually win the civil case by a landslide. Thanking Carrie for defending her, Ms. Gardner gives her a reward—a ticket to the prom, where she will meet her "Prince Charming", assuring her that things can change for her ("Unsuspecting Hearts"). At first, she is too nervous to go, but she is overjoyed to deserve this reward and quickly agrees to take Chris’s place in the prom. With that done, the plan is passed over to Sue, who hires Tommy to bring Carrie to the prom in order to make her life feel better. That way, she can meet her there later on. At the same time, Chris is upset that her father lost the civil trial case to Ms. Gardner, so she gets her boyfriend, Billy, to help her family plan revenge, for she knows a perfect person to help – Margaret White ("Do Me A Favor").

Back home, during dinner, Carrie excitedly reveals to her mother of her prom invitation, triggering Margaret's own tortured reverie ("I Remember How Those Boys Could Dance"). Repeatedly, Margaret forbids Carrie to go to the prom, and Carrie begs and tries to make her see her reason, but when Margaret threatens to disown her if she goes to the prom, Carrie reveals her power to her mother. Margaret thinks Carrie's powers come from the Devil, but Carrie explains her advanced telekinesis and how she isn't the only one, and that she wants things to change, meaning no more abuse or closet time. Angered by Carrie’s lack of obedience, Margaret sends Carrie to her room with no dissert.

Act 2
While preparations for the prom are underway (with the news that Tommy's taking Carrie preoccupy everyone at school), Ms. Gardner advises Sue to keep an eye on Chris, because if she ever trespass on the school grounds during her suspension, she will answer to the principal, and Sue accepts this task ("A Night We'll Never Forget"). Finally, it’s Prom Night, and the kids are electric with nervous excitement, and Carrie, no less anxious, resolves to make the most of the evening. A talented seamstress, she makes her own gorgeous sequined gown in silver sequin (“Nothing Short of Wonderful”). As she heads for the front door, she was stopped by a distraught Margaret, who tries to undermine Carrie's confidence. Carrie calmly stands up to Margaret, and reveals their former life together; she explains that Margaret only scolds her because she wants Carrie to be the best she can be according to Jewish customs, fearing that she won’t be ready for the responsibilities life will soon put upon her. Underneath it all, Carrie also concludes that she is still loved by her mother dearly, hoping they will always be forever together ever since Carrie was born. Once Tommy arrives in his car, Carrie says her goodbye to her mother before departing in his limo. Betrayed by her own daughter, Margaret regrets her past (“When There Was No One”) until Chris and Billy came to her house for help. The villains of the show share their problems over what they have learned about Carrie and her growing movement, which consists of former bullies redeeming themselves for Carrie’s mistreatment, yet they believe that Carrie may be seen as a threat to Salem, including Margaret’s integrity; if Salem’s officials retaliate, many people will suffer, even those who mistreat Carrie many years ago. Margaret then concludes that there could be great bloodshed at this rate, hence the stakes are so high, there is no way back. So, for the greater good, she suggests they destroy Carrie for good; Chris and Billy agree to follow Margaret’s plan ("This Carrie Must Die").

At the gym, the psyched kids show off their Prom finery and pose for yearbook photos ("Wotta Night"). Tommy enters with Carrie, and the crowd's reaction to her stunning transformation turns from initially hostile to unexpectedly welcoming. Miss Gardner, surprised and delighted by Carrie's new self-assurance, congratulates Sue for bringing her here, and shares her own recollection of Prom, and teacher and student trade notes on this timeless high school ritual. Carrie is nervous about dancing with Tommy, but he finally convinces her to go out on the dance floor with him ("Heaven").

With votes tabulated, Sue and Ms. Gardner announce Tommy and Carrie as Prom King and Queen, and the assembled salute them with the school song ("Alma Mater"). In the rafters, Margaret, Chris, and Billy sneak into the gymnasium with a bucket of blood (from a pig which they slaughtered in a nearby farm) to create a diversion. As Margaret spots Carrie on the stage, she demands the staff to call off the prom, but Tommy vouches for them, happily saying that calling off the prom would be futile, and therefore it won't change nothing. Once the situation reaches its breaking point, Margaret gives the signal, and a rope is yanked to tip the bucket, causing a wave of blood to fall onto Carrie. Then, Chris's shower video appears on large screens above the stage, inciting prom-goers, except for Sue, Ms. Gardner, and Tommy (who take off to arrest Margaret, Chris, and Billy for trespassing after spotting them), from stunned silence turns to derisive laughter. Enraged, Carrie takes her revenge telekinetically on friend and foe alike, and telekinetic mayhem ensues, destroying the school completely before disappearing, and causing everyone to evacuate ("The Destruction").

After Salem High School has been destroyed, an angry mob has formed (armed with torches, firearms, clubs, pitchforks, etc.) inspired by Margaret’s and the sheriff’s new testimony against Carrie (“March of the Witch Hunters”). Sue, exasperated that their plan didn’t go well as much, is now worried that Carrie would get killed, but Tommy suggests that they have enough chance left to vouch for Carrie, so they head to his car to recover Carrie’s diary.

As soon as the drenched Carrie returned home, she washes herself up of blood in the bathroom, where she finally snaps back to herself but cannot remember what has just happened ("Evening Prayers" (reprise)); suddenly, the mob, led by Margaret, ambushes her inside the house, blocking any paths of escape. Carrie is then arrested and put on trial for mass destruction of Salem High School ("Salem High School vs. Carrie White"). Sue and Tommy make a stand at the case as Carrie’s defense attorneys, but the final verdict is obvious from the beginning – the mob demands no trial, and therefore Carrie should be put under summary execution. Judge John Mulcahey, who presides over this case (since the civil case of Mr. Hangersen vs. Ms. Gardner), recognizes Carrie from the video recorded by Chris. The Judge decides to give Carrie a life sentence at a mental asylum instead, but his guts think she deserves to die. The Judge demands that the gallery (the mob itself) should give him a reason to prove Carrie is guilty, and the crowd breaks into a pep-rally-style cheer, testifying that Carrie is a descendant of those accused of witchcraft in the 1690s. Outraged, the Judge criticizes the mob of wrongfully accusing Carrie, as he knows they hate the Eighth Amendment (which prohibits cruel and unusual punishments). Even so, the Judge decides to satisfy their bloodlust by having Carrie be placed in a ducking stool while the Judge counts 39 plunges. Judge Mulcahey, clearly disturbed by this mistrial, begs Carrie say anything other than “guilty”, but a nearly drowned Carrie recites “1 Corinthians 15:10” from the bible. This enrages the mob more as they still call for Carrie’s death, informing the Judge that they are truly descendants of colonial Salem’s population and it is their duty to keep the peace. Finally, the Judge reluctantly agrees to execute Carrie to keep the crowd from getting violent against her, signing her death warrant much to the gallery’s thunderous applause.

Found guilty by the court, Carrie is finally sentenced to death, and everybody rejoices over the avengement of Salem High School ("Monster") while Carrie is taken to the gallows to be hanged. After reciting the last words, "It is a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done—It is a far, far better rest I go to than I have ever known." (from Charles Dickens’ the Tale of Two Cities), she is hanged to death in front of a cheering crowd, with her death sentence in full circle. In the end, as Sue, Tommy, and Ms. Gardner mourn the death of Carrie, they realize the consequence of being her accomplices ("Epilogue").

Act 1

 * 1) "Overture: Salem Witch Trials" - Orchestra
 * 2) "Prologue: In" - Students
 * 3) "What's the Buzz" - Chris, Billy, and Students
 * 4) "Carrie" - Carrie
 * 5) "And Eve Was Weak" - Margaret and Carrie
 * 6) "The World According to Chris" - Chris, Billy, Sue, Tommy and Students
 * 7) "Evening Prayers" - Carrie and Margaret
 * 8) "Anything's Possible" - Carrie, Mr. Stephens and Ensemble
 * 9) "The Hargensens vs. Ms. Gardner" - Judge, Sheriff, Chris, Ms. Gardner Carrie, and Ensemble
 * 10) "Unsuspecting Hearts" - Ms. Gardner and Carrie
 * 11) "Do Me A Favor" - Sue, Tommy, Chris, Billy, and Ensemble
 * 12) "I Remember How Those Boys Could Dance" - Margaret and Carrie

Act 2

 * 1) "A Night We'll Never Forget" - Ms. Gardner, Sue, and Students
 * 2) "Nothing Short of Wonderful" - Carrie
 * 3) "When There Was No One" - Carrie and Margaret
 * 4) "This Carrie Must Die" - Billy, Chris, and Margaret
 * 5) "Wotta Night" - Students
 * 6) "Heaven" - Tommy and Students
 * 7) "Alma Mater" - Ensemble, Margaret, and Tommy
 * 8) "The Destruction" - Carrie
 * 9) "March of the Witch Hunters" - Sheriff and Angry Mob
 * 10) "Evening Prayers" (reprise) - Carrie
 * 11) "Salem High School vs. Carrie White" - Angry Mob, Bailiff, Judge, Sue, Margaret, and Carrie
 * 12) "Monster" - Carrie and Ensemble
 * 13) "Epilogue" - Orchestra
 * 14) "Bohemian Rhapsody" - Carrie and Company †

† - Curtain call encore

Script
"Your script here."

Recordings
TBA

Awards and nominations
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