“When did you first meet Carrie White?”
This is the first line of “Carrie,” which is playing at Theatre Intime on Thursday Feb. 27, Friday Feb. 28, and Saturday Mar. 1. A disembodied voice asks the question from above, and although it is directed toward the stage, from your seat, you feel pressure to have an answer.
Taking center stage, Sue Snell (Emma Schrier ’27) introduces the blood-soaked mystery of one fateful night.
Although we weren’t classmates with Carrie White back in ’79, many of us in the audience are familiar with her story. For some of us, we first met “Carrie” on her prom night at Chamberlain High School, either in the 1974 Stephen King book or in its 1979 film rendition. Through stained prom dresses (costume designed by Clara Bloom ’26) and in-depth immersion, Theater Intime breaks beyond TV screens and faded pages to retell the horror classic.
The setup and execution are only one of many examples of the careful consideration the director, Chloe Webster ’25, takes in bringing this production to life at Theatre Intime.
Returning to Sue’s cross-examination, the live music (directed by Jenia Marquez ’25) and lighting cue into the opening number. The tension swells and builds, and the ensemble breaks out into their first number, filling the stage with powerful vocals and dynamic interactions. A personal highlight first introduced here is the attention to each character’s vocal dynamic, as each sung word compliments and clashes with the other.
As the gym teacher Ms. Gardner (Kristen Tan ’26) scolds her students for not getting to class, first impressions define each character’s archetype. From the lovebird couple of Tommy Ross (David Getz ’28) and Sue Snell to the more rebellious personalities of Chris Hargensen (Zoë Nadal ’28) and Billy Nolan (Jared Smith ’28), each persona uses their brief encounters to define themselves for the rest of the show.
Nadal dominated her scenes unabashedly, as her captivating sultry, rounded pitch matched her entitled nature. Supported by her, Smith’s backing vocals and bad boy super-senior attitude ground the audience into the production’s high-school-level humor. Schrier’s more empathetic and determined spirit weaves effortlessly with airy singing, creating an interesting contrast to her in-character best friend Chris. Returning to the first introductions, hidden among the snarky remarks and innocent high school flirting, our mysterious main character is finally introduced by name: Carrie White (Christie Davis ’27).
Devoid of a showy or dramatic cue to mark her introduction, Carrie rushes offstage, a fleeting presence at this moment in the play. We follow Carrie as she struggles with ostracization from peers at school and the harsh religious torment her mother weighs over her at home, all the while a growing force festers inside her. Watching as she shifts from a timid and naive teenage girl into a telekinetic vessel of vengeance is haunting and alluring. Followed by torment on all sides from the very start of her story, Carrie cuts the tension through a well-executed demonstration of her unknown abilities.
This striking introduction doesn’t lose its power as the story continues, thanks to the committed performances from the cast. Balancing heavy language while tormenting Carrie with theatrical playground drama, each character brings something new to the play. From Carrie’s continuous subtle fidgeting to the stern and rigid frame of her mother, Margaret (Alison Silldorf ’25), each actor takes both grand and subtle moments to flesh out their character, with all of the rewards and challenges that this comes with.
One of these challenges falls on Davis’s shoulders, as she stresses the delicacy of acting the heavier, more physically taxing scenes between her and Silldorf. Davis emphasized the need to dissect what triggers this religious trauma in the piece and the necessary care and foresight to curate that image successfully.
On the opposite end of intense melodramatic dialogue, Schrier described her role as someone who should “embody kindness” and ask the question, “What does it cost to be kind?” To Schrier’s character, the due is paid through an attempt at forgiveness, using her boyfriend Tommy as a prom date for Carrie. Getz comfortably defines Tommy Ross as a confident and compassionate character who seeks to adapt to his partner's wishes, no matter the cost.
Both pairs of scene partners, whether displayed in antagonizing power dynamics or intimate confessions of innocent love, are played expertly and attentively, making the show more immersive than the film and book.
The dialogue isn’t the only element that contributes to the show’s uneasy build-up. Every bit of design that went into the making of the production — from sound to lighting — perfectly accents the action on stage, drawing the audience further into the halls of Chamberlain High.
Stage set and lighting for Theatre Intime's production of 'Carrie.'
Amanda Hugas / The Daily Princetonian
While Margaret shames Carrie’s interest in prom, she exerts authority over her in Bible quotes and destructive body language, emphasized through expertly placed spotlights. While the fight plays out unrelentingly before us, the walls fill the space with violence as the shadows struggle against each other. The shadows of their scuffle overwhelm the space, forcing us to confront the abuse playing out on the stage.
And as dedicated as the show’s lighting and design is, the tech teams were as dedicated to one of horror media’s most iconic moments: the blood bucket scene. At the climax of the story, we finally witness the fateful night referenced during Sue’s opening interrogation.
Watching the blood pour violently as it seeps into Carrie’s pink prom dress and stains the floor of Chamberlain High, the stillness of the suspense leaves you paralyzed in your seat. The story of “Carrie” may be familiar, but nothing can prepare you for the way this production brings it to life — bloody, brutal, and unforgettable.
But beware: Once you see it, the final moments may stain your mind forever.
Amanda Hugas is a member of the Class of 2027 and a staff writer for The Prospect. She can be reached by her email at ah0942@princeton.edu.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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