History Theatre / Carrie

* NotSoDifferent: Highlighted during “Do Me a Favor.” Good girl Sue and bad girl Chris both use their sexuality to coerce their respective boyfriends into doing their bidding.

* NotSoDifferent: Highlighted during “Do Me a Favor.” Good girl Sue and bad girl Chris both use their sexuality to coerce their respective boyfriends into doing their bidding.

* AdaptationPersonalityChange: Margaret. While she's still an insane, {{abusive|parents}}, and [[TheFundamentalist fundamentalist]], she's shown to genuinely love and want what's best for Carrie, and is even self aware of the pain she causes her daughter. Not only that, she feels ''guilty''! While she's definitely a villain, she comes off more as a WellIntentionedExtremist, maybe even an emotionally complex WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds.

The musical adaptation of Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'', about a friendless, bullied teenage girl named Carrie, who learns that she has telekinetic powers and uses them to take revenge on her classmates after a cruel prank.

* AdaptationAmalgamation: The musical uses the parts of both [[Film/Carrie1976 the 1976 film]] and [[Literature/{{Carrie}} the novel]] as it wishes. For instance, Margaret dies the same way as her book counterpart (via a stopped heart), it returns the frame story of Sue's interrogation from the book, and Carrie [[DiedInYourArmsTonight dying in Sue's arms]] but takes Sue going to see Tommy and Carrie at the prom from the film and surviving because Miss Gardner threw her out, and the massacre being limited to the school gym rather than destroying the town.

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: In the revival, Margaret is ''far'' less abusive and cruel than in the original story. It's clear she really ''does'' love Carrie and even apologizes for locking Carrie in the closet at one point. When Carrie complains about her pimples, Margaret [[PetTheDog tells her a nice Bible verse about how inner beauty is the important thing]], as opposed to some nonsense about how [[InsaneTrollLogic "pimples are the Lord's way of chastising you"]]. When she forbids Carrie to go to the prom, it seems to be more out of a (not unreasonable) fear that Carrie will get her heart broken than because she [[FunHatingVillain thinks proms are evil]], as Carrie's conception started after Margaret's prom date raped her. While she still [[spoiler:kills Carrie at the end]], her song makes it clear she does so with a heavy heart and [[IDidWhatIHadToDo feels that she has no other choice]].

* BrainBleach: In "Epilogue", the destruction that Sue has seen by the end of the musical:

* CastingGag: In the original run, Margaret was played by Betty Buckley, who'd played Miss Collins in the 1976 film.
* DramaticIrony: "A Night We'll Never Forget", sung as the students are preparing for prom, is full of it, from the title down.

* DoomedByCanon: The prom attendees, which accounts for the ironic "A Night We'll Never Forget."
* DoYouThinkICantFeel: In contrast to the film and book, where Tommy and Miss Gardner/Desjardin ask the girls this about Carrie after their first prank, Carrie sings this about this during the 80s version of "The Destruction".
* ItsAllAboutMe: During “When There’s No One”, Margaret sings only about how ''she'' would be affected by her daughter’s death.
* LighterAndSofter: To both the [[Literature/{{Carrie}} novel]] and the [[Film/Carrie1976 film]], although it's still not ''light'' by any stretch of the imagination. In addition to keeping the novel's toned down version of Margaret's death (Carrie stops her heart rather than impaling her with knives), the musical also follows the film in keeping Carrie's massacre limited to the school gym.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[LovableAlphaBitch Sue Snell]] feels guilty for humiliating Carrie along with the other girls, and apologizes to her. However, in this version, Carrie rejects the apology, feeling it's not genuine (and in a way, it isn't, as Sue's just trying to relieve her conscience). This forces Sue to realize how horrible she's been to Carrie over the years, and how much pain Carrie's been through as a result, prompting this reaction from Sue, who then becomes TheAtoner. Best expressed in the song "Once You See".

* PopularityCycle: This is the thesis of "The World According to Chris", which theorizes that someone is "on top" and someone is below and you have to maintain it.
* ScreenToStageAdaptation: Of ''Film/{{Carrie|1976}}'' (1976).
* TheSocialDarwinist: Chris is this based on [[https://youtu.be/m2yWXRsesmM "The World According to Chris"]]. She [[VirtueIsWeakness thinks the whole idea of being a kind person as laughable,]] and thinks Carrie deserves to be treated badly just for being lower on the pecking order.
* SongOfPrayer: A lot of the songs have Carrie and/or Margaret praying. From the '88 version, Carrie has [[https://youtu.be/08iVbPOuZ1U "Dear Lord"]] (a prayer for strength). Both versions have [[https://youtu.be/-sCxtWQolHI "Open Yo]][[https://youtu.be/XdN6bXncFvg ur Heart"]], which begins with Margaret praying then incorporates both Carrie and Margaret's prayers, and [[https://youtu.be/DcWaSEroOdE "And Eve Was Weak"]], in which Margaret's last verse is a prayer about Carrie's powers, and [[https://youtu.be/7b5iTM1ri3Y "Evening]][[https://youtu.be/wvaW4sg_WFU Prayers"]], which has both Carrie and Margaret's prayers to God (as well as dialogue between them).
* SoundtrackDissonance: [[https://youtu.be/njkPS_COJqc "When There's]][[https://youtu.be/XtL-9pRzBNc No One"]], sang by Margaret, has a beautiful and soothing melody, but the lyrics are about a mother contemplating the murder of her own daughter.

** Chris and Billy sing [[https://youtu.be/L07j4qcvc9s "Do Me]][[https://youtu.be/GyQjIow04KQ a Favor"]] with Sue and Tommy, their share being Chris talking him into helping her. They also have a brief part in [[https://youtu.be/TnAnjP-X9Bg "A Night We'll Never Forget"]], in which they plot to get even with Carrie at the dance.
** Margaret has [[ "And Eve Was Weak"]], where she warns her daughter about the "curse of blood" when she gets her period (this song also serves as a MoodWhiplash from Margaret's sweet, motherly demeanor, and is meant to show just how AxCrazy she can get when snapped). "When There's No One", another solo, could also qualify, given the fact that it's the moment she realizes that she must [[spoiler:kill Carrie in order to save her from damnation]].
** The notorious bomb of the 1988 production had a much more straightforward example with [[https://youtu.be/tk-0P4V9IeY "Out for Blood]]", which opened Act 2 with Chris talking about her vengeful personality and the plan to humiliate Carrie at the prom.

The musical adaptation of Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'', about a friendless, bullied teenage girl called Carrie who learns that she has telekinetic powers and uses them to take revenge on her classmates after a cruel prank.

It premiered with the Creator/RoyalShakespeareCompany in 1988. After a TroubledProduction, including the near-death of the lead actress, it opened in the Virginia Theater on Broadway. Reviews were overwhelmingly negative and the production closed after just 16 previews and 5 regular shows. The name has been considered so synonymous with spectacular failure that theatre critic Ken Mandelbaum named his 1991 book about musical flops, ''Not Since Carrie'', after it.

However, in TheNewTens, the production became somewhat VindicatedByHistory. Having been revised by the original scriptwriter and composer, it opened in 2012 and received positive reviews during an Off West End revival in 2015. It also received a ColbertBump by being adapted as one of ''Series/{{Riverdale}}'''s musicals, in [[Recap/RiverdaleS2E18Chapter31ANightToRemember Season 2.]]

* AdaptationAmalgamation: The musical keeps the parts of both ''Film/Carrie1976'' and [[Literature/{{Carrie}} the book]] as it wishes. For instance, Margaret dies the same way as her book counterpart (via a stopped heart), it returns the frame story of Sue's interrogation from the book, and Carrie [[DiedInYourArmsTonight dying in Sue's arms]] but takes Sue going to see Tommy and Carrie at the prom from [[Film/Carrie1976 the film]] and surviving because Miss Gardner threw her out, and the massacre being limited to the school gym rather than destroying the town.

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: In the 2012 version, Margaret White is ''far'' less abusive and cruel than in the original story. It's clear she really does love Carrie and even apologizes for locking Carrie in the closet at one point. When Carrie complains about her pimples, Margaret [[PetTheDog tells her a nice Bible verse about how inner beauty is the important thing,]] as opposed to some nonsense about how [[InsaneTrollLogic "Pimples are the Lord's way of chastising you."]] When she forbids Carrie to go to the prom, it seems to be more out of a (not unreasonable) fear that Carrie will get her heart broken than because she [[FunHatingVillain thinks proms are evil.]] While she still [[spoiler: kills Carrie at the end,]] her song makes it clear she does so with a heavy heart and [[IDidWhatIHadToDo feels that she has no other choice.]]
* AdaptationPersonalityChange: Margaret White. While she's still an insane, {{Abusive|Parents}}, and [[TheFundamentalist Fundamentalist]], she's shown to genuinely love and want what's best for Carrie, and is even self aware of the pain she causes her daughter. Not only that, she feels ''guilty''! While she's definitely a villain, she comes off more as a WellIntentionedExtremist, maybe even an emotionally complex WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds.
* AdaptationalVillainy: Although it may be an ImagineSpot, the Stratford production has Carrie's classmates dancing around her, mocking her, and even physically pushing her around after Chris and Billy run up to her and pour the pig's blood over her, as opposed to "just" laughing.

* BrainBleach: In "Epilogue", The destruction that Sue has seen by the end of the musical:
--> '''Sue:''' [[MeaningfulEcho I felt as though/This girl revealed herself to me/And now, I know/That once you see, you can't unsee.]]

* DramaticIrony: "A Night We'll Never Forget", sung as the students are getting ready for prom, is full of it, from the title down.

* DoYouThinkICantFeel: In contrast to the film and book, where Tommy and Miss Gardner/Desjardin ask the girls this about Carrie after their first prank, Carrie sings this about this during "The Destruction" (1980s version).
* ItsAllAboutMe: During “When There’s No One,” Margaret sings only about how ''she'' would be affected by her daughter’s death.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[LovableAlphaBitch Sue Snell]] feels guilty for humiliating Carrie along with the other girls, and apologizes to her. However, in this version, Carrie rejects the apology, feeling it's not genuine (and in a way, it isn't, as Sue's just trying to relieve her conscience). This forces Sue to realize how horrible she's been to Carrie all these years, and how much pain Carrie's been through as a result, prompting this reaction from Sue, who then becomes TheAtoner. Best expressed in the song "Once You See".

* ScreenToStageAdaptation: Of ''Film/Carrie1976''.
* TheSocialDarwinist: Chris is this based on "The World According To Chris". She [[VirtueIsWeakness thinks the whole idea of being a kind person as laughable,]] and thinks Carrie deserves to be treated badly just for being lower on the pecking order.
* SongOfPrayer: A lot of the songs have Carrie and/or Margaret praying. From the '88 version, Carrie has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncosN6wssxo "Dear Lord"]] (which is all a prayer for strength). Both the 2012 and '88 versions have [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdN6bXncFvg "Open Your Heart"]], which begins with Margaret praying then incorporates both Carrie and Margaret's prayers, and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNmHeLmpjOA "And Eve Was Weak"]], in which Margaret's last verse is a prayer about Carrie's powers, and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvaW4sg_WFU "Evening Prayers"]], which has both Carrie and Margaret's prayers to God (as well as dialogue between them).
* SoundtrackDissonance: “When There’s No One,” sang by Margaret White, has a beautiful and soothing melody, but the lyrics are about a mother contemplating the murder of her own daughter.

** AlphaBitch Chris Hargensen gets the solo "The World According to Chris" in the revival, in which she sings about her "whip or get whipped" view of the world.
** Chris and her boyfriend Billy sing "Do Me a Favor" with Sue and Tommy, their share being Chris talking him into helping her. They also have a brief part in "A Night We'll Never Forget", in which they plot to get even with Carrie at the dance.
** Margaret gets "And Eve Was Weak", where she warns her daughter about the "curse of blood" when she gets her period (this song also serves as a MoodWhiplash from Margaret's sweet, motherly demeanor, and is meant to show just how AxCrazy she can get when snapped). "When There's No One", another solo, could also qualify, given the fact that it's the moment she realizes that she must [[spoiler:kill Carrie in order to save her from damnation]].
** The notorious bomb of the 1988 production had a much more straightforward example with "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMbk2nB999E Out for Blood]]", which opened Act 2 with Chris talking about her vengeful ways and the plan to humiliate Carrie at the prom.

* LighterAndSofter: To both the [[Literature/{{Carrie}} novel]] and the [[Film/Carrie1976 film]], although it's still not ''light'' by any stretch of the imagination. In addition to keeping the novel's toned down version of Margaret's death (Carrie stops her heart rather than impaling her on knives), the novel follows the film in keeping Carrie's massacre limited to the school gym.

* AdaptationNameChange: "Miss Dejardin" in the book becomes "Miss Gardner"[[note]]"Des Jardins" is French for "of the gardens"[[/note]] in the musical.

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: Margaret White is ''far'' less abusive and cruel than in the original story. It's clear she really does love Carrie and even apologizes for locking Carrie in the closet at one point. When Carrie complains about her pimples, Margaret [[PetTheDog tells her a nice bible verse about how inner beauty is the important thing,]] as opposed to some nonsense about how [[InsaneTrollLogic "Pimples are the Lord's way of chastising you."]] When she forbids Carrie to go to the prom, it seems to be more out of a (not unreasonable) fear that Carrie will get her heart broken than because she [[FunHatingVillain thinks proms are evil.]] While she still [[spoiler: kills Carrie at the end,]] her song makes it clear she does so with a heavy heart and [[IDidWhatIHadToDo feels that she has no other choice.]]

---> ''... and as the lights dim to black, boos ring out from the upper balcony while below, others begin an ovation.'' ... ''Carrie has become an instant legend.''
---> ''As the audience files out, some appear thrilled, others appalled; the word most frequently bandied about is "unbelievable". ... The ad copy, which read [[TemptingFate "There's Never Been a Musical Like Her,"]] has proved oddly prophetic.''

* SoundtrackDissonance: “When There’s No One,” sang by Margaret White, has the beautiful and soothing melody, but the lyrics are about a mother contemplating the murder of her own daughter.

SoundtrackDissonance: “When There’s No One,” sang by Margaret White, has the beautiful and soothing melody, but the lyrics are about a mother contemplating the murder of her own daughter.

** "I have seen your sinning just beginning."

* ArcWords: "And Eve was weak."

* AdaptationAmalgamation: The musical keeps the parts of both Film/Carrie1976 and [[Literature/{{Carrie}} the book]] as it wishes. For instance, Margaret dies the same way as her book counterpart (via a stopped heart), it returns the frame story of Sue's interrogation from the book, and Carrie [[DiedInYourArmsTonight dying in Sue's arms]] but takes Sue going to see Tommy and Carrie at the prom from [[Film/Carrie1976 the film]] and surviving because Miss Gardner threw her out, and the massacre being limited to the school gym rather than destroying the town.

* VillainSong: "The World According to Chris."

* LighterAndSofter: To both the [[Literature/{{Carrie}} novel]] and the [[Film/Carrie1976 film[], although it's still not ''light'' by any stretch of the imagination. In addition to keeping the novel's toned down version of Margaret's death (Carrie stops her heart rather than impaling her on knives), the novel follows the film in keeping Carrie's massacre limited to the school gym.

!! Tropes associated with the musical:

However, in TheNew10s, the production became somewhat VindicatedByHistory. Having been revised by the original scriptwriter and composer, it opened in 2012 and received positive reviews during an Off West End revival in 2015. It also received a ColbertBump by being adapted as one of ''Series/{{Riverdale}}'''s musicals, in [[Recap/RiverdaleS2E18Chapter31ANightToRemember Season 2.]]