You were warned never to push Carrie to the limits. Now you must pay the consequences.
Thankfully, one group on DePaul’s campus is ready for the challenge. Equipped with red spotlights and buckets of blood, Blue Demon Theatre prepares to recount the tale of a tragic blood-soaked telepath in this October’s “Carrie: The Musical.”
Before a couple movie reboots but after the premiere of the original film, “Carrie: The Musical” was released in 1988, complete with original songs and a retelling of the classic Steven King short story. The original musical had an unfortunately short two-week run on Broadway, before building a cult following in the succeeding decades and spawning several revivals that have been performed throughout the 21st century.
The upcoming adaptation from Blue Demon Theatre will be co-directed by DePaul students Gael Rojas and Anna Maria D’Ortenzio, two long-running members of the group. The two have set out to make their adaptation emphasize the importance of family and acceptance.
Rojas and D’Ortenzio plan to build up an authentic 1970s environment, delving into the roots of director Brian De Palma’s 1976 film adaptation as groundwork for the project.
“Carrie: The Musical” and its costumes will be designed by the same team behind “Heathers” — Blue Demon Theatre’s musical adaptation from last fall. The musical will feature 1970s inspired outfits and focus on technological unrest in an untried era of electrical advancements.
Blue Demon Theatre also prepares to launch their cabaret, a showcase of songs and performances based around a particular theme. This November, the works of composer Stephen Sondheim will be on full display. Pieces from four of the lyricist’s most iconic works — “Into The Woods,” “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street,” “Company” and “One For The Girls” — will be included in the showcase.
Gabi Petrin and Eddie Nicholson, director and music director of the Sondheim Cabaret respectively, want the quality of the performance to take priority over the quality of singing. The Sondheim Cabaret occurs once a year, typically in the autumn quarter.
The group’s recent information fair shined light on all aspects of their team. Leaders from the club board laid out their schedule for the fall quarter and its events, as well as their budding plans prepared for the winter quarter.
“There’s a wide range of things that we do,” board leader and actor from Blue Demon Theatre Delilah Johnson said. “Usually in the fall, it’s a lot of musicals, but in the winter, we do an original play and another play, … and then in the spring, we have play festivals as well.”
Blue Demon Theatre is not a closed door club. Conceived in 2020, the organization is dedicated to giving theatrical students a chance to perform and showcase their musical and acting talents, without having to be enrolled in DePaul’s Theatre School.
“For me and a lot of other people (working with Blue Demon Theatre), it’s the majority of what I can learn at DePaul, it’s not just studying and stuff,” the music director for “Carrie” Dominic Rincker said. “It’s taught me to teach a lot of people music, and work with a lot of different majors.”
Free, non-exclusive events and walk-up auditions are the group’s way of conveying that they are a welcoming and supportive gathering of theatre lovers. The group prides itself on their kickball and karaoke events as ways of bonding and building friendships.
“With Blue Demon Theatre, even with the people who are in the theater school, they’re so accepting, willing to talk about theater or anything,” stage manager Ella Blanton said. “And it’s such an easy way for me to make friends.”
Upcoming displays and original works like “Speakeasy” run by Mads Wren and Juliet Aquino, “24 Hour Show” and the “10-Minute Play Festival” will be held throughout the rest of the school year.
This winter will be marked by the premiere of “Johnny Cobweb,” an original theatrical comedy written by DePaul student Jason Fennell. The show follows two rivaling funeral homes and a string of mysterious murders.
With all the upcoming projects, Blue Demon Theatre is always on the lookout for fellow students to get involved, whether it be on stage performing or backstage running the show. Videographers and photographers are in high demand as a means of immortalizing the group’s many performances throughout the school year.
“Carrie: The Musical” will be performed in the Greenhouse Theater Center and will run for four performances from Oct. 25 to 27. The Sondheim Cabaret will be performed at Cortelyou Commons, running for two performances on Nov. 8 and 9. Student discounts of up to 50% off will be offered for both productions.
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