These are frightening times, and we all must take necessary precautions as we social distance and self-isolate. That being said, you deserve a break every now and then. Welcome to Playbill's Daily Distraction.
Day 56: How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall? Pray.
Though it lasted only a couple weeks on Broadway, the infamous Carrie musical has enticed, entertained, and perhaps perplexed theatre aficionados for decades. What's not to love about a musical featuring telekinesis, head-to-toe spandex bodysuits, and the pure might of Betty Buckley's voice?
The musical opened on this date in 1988 (and closed three days later), and we're commemorating it not with a clip from that ill-fated run, but rather with a performance that occurred eight years later.
Tony winner Buckley revisited the role of the evangelical mother Margaret White in her 1996 Carnegie Hall show. As Playbill Senior News Editor and Buckley enthusiast Andrew Gans can attest, the evening featured the Broadway star committing to the fullest—from full, onstage costume changes to countless ovation-worthy interpretations of her many staples.
For Carrie's "And Eve Was Weak," Buckley (dressed in Margaret's austere gown and wig, of course) welcomed her Carrie co-star and onstage daughter Linzi Hateley, and immediately brought the audience into the terrifying scene.Buckley's vocals are pristine, and even in a concert setting, she's game to put on a singular show. Has anyone else ever slapped someone with a bible and shoved them under a grand piano on the Carnegie Hall stage? Didn't think so.
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