R&H, which also licenses the Rodgers and Hammerstein catalogue, in addition to such new musicals as In the Heights and The Light in the Piazza, did not announce a release date for the live theatrical rights, though the organization is eager to have Carrie on the market in the near future. Visit RNH.com to sign up for e-mail alerts on Carrie's availability.
In addition, a piano vocal selections book from Carrie, to be published by Imagem Music/Hal Leonard, is due later this year.
The original 1988 writing team of Academy Award-winning composer Michael Gore ("Fame," "Terms of Endearment"), Academy Award-winning lyricist Dean Pitchford ("Fame," "Footloose") and "Carrie" film screenwriter Lawrence D. Cohen returned to work on Carrie, which was shaped by director Stafford Arima (Altar Boyz, Tin Pan Alley Rag, London's Ragtime) as a more intimate tale of parental control, bullying and school politics.
Carrie began Off-Broadway previews Jan. 31 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre and officially opened March 1. A four-week extension through April 22 was announced in late February, but MCC Theater cut the extension short to April 8.
"We couldn't be happier that our new version of Carrie will at last be sent out into the world to continue its adventure and journey of resurrection," the writers said in a statement. "We're especially proud that our musical of Stephen King's iconic fable – with its emotionally driven narrative and strong contemporary resonances – will be a part of a stellar catalog alongside the classics of Rodgers and Hammerstein." The announcement from R&H Theatricals comes 24-years to the date that the Broadway production of Carrie shuttered after a troubled, 21-performance run at the Virginia Theatre on May 15, 1988. While various theatre companies expressed interested in staging the property since that time, the authors did not release the rights and chose to put the musical to rest until the recent MCC run.
Less so than the infamous 1988 Broadway outing (a mix of spectacle, camp and emotional drama), the recent MCC Theater revival of Carrie also left critics divided on the new, more palatable take on the musical tale of a bullied telekinetic teen who destroys her prom. The press singled out stars Tony Award nominee Marin Mazzie (Next to Normal, Passion, Ragtime) and Molly Ranson (Jerusalem, August: Osage County) for their performances as Margaret and Carrie, respectively.
The Off-Broadway revival preserved much of the short-lived original 1988 Broadway musical material penned for the characters of Carrie and Margaret, while a handful of new songs were added for the ensemble and supporting characters.
Ghostlight Records will release a cast album of Carrie in the coming months.
Click here to see the Playbill Vault feature on the original production of Carrie.
The Playbill for the revised Off-Broadway production lists the following songs:
Act I
"In"
"Carrie"
"Open Your Heart"
"And Eve Was Weak"
"The World According to Chris"
"Evening Prayers"
"Dreamer In Disguise"
"Once You See"
"Unsuspecting Hearts"
"Do Me a Favor"
"I Remember How Those Boys Could Dance"
Act II
"A Night We'll Never Forget"
"You Shine"
"Why Not Me?"
"Stay Here Instead"
"When There's No One"
"The Prom"
"Carrie" (reprise)
Epilogue
