“They’re all gonna laugh at you!” was Margaret White’s hectoring refrain to her ill-fated daughter in Brian De Palma’s classic 1976 film based on Stephen King’s novel. But when that bucket of blood ruins Carrie’s prom dress in Brat Productions’ new adaptation, the laughs will be intentional.
Brat follows up last year’s acclaimed “Haunted Poe” with its second Halloween-themed show, playwright Erik Jackson’s King-approved black comedy take on the infamous best-seller. The lead is played by drag performer Erik Ransom.
While not as wholly immersive as the walkthrough “Haunted Poe,” “Carrie” promises plenty of surprises for audiences, who will step directly into a 1979 high school crafted from lockers and curtains salvaged from the genuine article. The show also doesn’t skimp on the story’s FX-heavy high points.
“The script includes the stage direction, ‘Car flips and burns,’” director Michael Alltop says. “And then there’s an aside that reads, ‘That’s not too much to ask for, is it?’”
