The outside gaze that condemns is the subject of Festival Playhouse of Kalamazoo College’s spring term production of CARRIE the musical.

“Almost the very first lyrics concern the horror of going to high school every day and the pain of trying to fit in–‘Every Day, I Just Pray Every Move I Make is Right,’” said Ed Menta, the James A. B. Stone College Professor of Theatre Arts, and the director of CARRIE the Musical. “Through song, choreography, social media, light scenery, and costumes, we hope to make this musical a fun and interactive experience for our audience that also explores one of the major social issues of our time: bullying,” he added.

Gabrielle Holme-Miller ’17, who plays the lead role of Carrie, emphasizes the need for the focus on aggression: “Almost everyone in their adolescence will find themselves a victim, aggressor, or witness to bullying in some form. Carrie’s suffering and torment is symbolic of the unacknowledged bullying many young people face.”

Festival Playhouse and the Kalamazoo College Department of Music will collaborate on the May production. The play opens Thursday, May 14, at 7:30 p.m., and continues Friday and Saturday, May 15 and 16, at 8 p.m., and on Sunday, May 17, with a matinee at 2 p.m. Additional performances occur Thursday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m. and Friday, May 22 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students, $10 for seniors, and $15 for other adults. For reservations call 269.337.7333. For more information visit the Festival Playhouse website.

The performance features Professor of Music James Turner, vocal director; Jack Brooks, conductor; Kate Yancho, choreographer; Lanford J. Potts, scenic designer; Katie Anderson ’15, lighting designer; and Lindsay Worthington ’15, sound designer. CARRIE the musical is based on the novel, Carrie, by Stephen King and the book by Lawrence D. Cohen. Michael Gore scored the music; Dean Pitchford wrote the lyrics.