*Spoiler Alert!*

LCSC’s theatre department put on a magnificent rendition of Carrie the Musical on the weekend of Oct. 20, 2017. Based upon Stephen King’s infamous novel Carrie, the play was written by Lawrence D. Cohen, and directed by LCSC professor Shea King, and music directed by Sarah Graham.

The musical features nine dramatic songs sung by a variety of people within the cast. Carrie White, played by Kameron Nichols, is a telepathic and sheltered girl who endures high school bullies as she’s discovering her powers.

The play is narrated by the character Sue Snell, played by Alexa Lamers, who was one of Carrie’s bullies but still feels remorse for her. Snell’s boyfriend Tommy Ross, played by Walker Berry, is Carrie’s crush within the play, and she eventually goes to her very first prom with him.

But it isn’t a hop-skip and a boat ride away to prom. Carrie’s mother Margaret White, played by Kelsey Chapman, is a cynical Catholic who believes that basically every ounce of air Carrie breathes is coming straight out of Satan’s lungs. Carrie eventually uses her new powers to punish her mother and let her go to prom.

Though she is the craziest, Margaret isn’t the main antagonist. Chris Hargensen, played by Hayley Calvert, and her not-so-smart boyfriend, Billy Nolan, played by Damon Preuninger, taunt Carrie the most, to the point of spilling pig’s blood all over her at prom. With Carrie’s emotional state, she believes that everyone that was at the prom turned against her as her mother said they would. This includes some teachers and other students who are played by: Andrew Yoder, Harmoney Jordan, John Michael and Nathan Loomer.

In a telepathic rage, Carrie kills everyone and everything at prom. Then she runs all the way to her home, destroying every little thing in her way. When she arrives at her home, she cries for her mother, singing a song that recurs throughout the whole play that whenever she is in distress. In a panic, as she holds Carrie, Margaret stabs her in the back… literally. The only person who had ever supported Carrie in some sort of manner — crazy or not — kills her daughter.

Unfortunately before she passes, Carrie strangles her mother with her mind and Nichols’ acting here was magnificent. Sue, the only girl not at prom, finds Carrie and holds her as she passes.

The entire play was utterly brilliant. The set was odd, with low lighting and an odd stage design, but this played into the scary aura of the play. The only thing that was on target was that whenever Carrie moved something with her mind, it was obvious that another actor was moving it from lifting a crucifix to throwing a chair. But, student plays are always on a budget, and the audience was more focused on the amazing story unfolding in front of them rather than the little things. With this, the production deserves a strong 9/10.