Carrie Lines

HELPHELPHELPHELP

G: Hit the showers, girls! Go change up!

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

N: What the hell?

Help me! Please help me!

S: She's hurt.

I'm bleeding! (1st time)

C: Yuck, get away from me!

I'm DYING!

S: For God's sake, Carrie - you've just got your period!

What…?

C: Carrie's got the curse! Carrie's got the curse!

I'm bleeding! (2nd time)

Girls: (chanting) Carrie! Carrie! CARRIE!

Stop!

G: Carrie? Hey, what's going on?

It… hurts. My stomach…

Kids: Scary White, Scary White (etc)

(sung) That's not my name… etc.

M: (sung) Till I finally join you forever…

Hello, Momma.

M: Ah, Carrie, there's my sweet girl.

(sung) Lord, I will see choirs… etc.

Choir: Open your heart, let Jesus in

I love you, Momma.

M: I love you, Carrie. Now go wash your hands, please. I have a lot of work to finish.

Momma?

M: Just as the tailor was about to close, Eleanor Snell brought in some last-minute alterations. I think the Snells are having a graduation party for Sue. She's in your class, isn't she?

Momma, listen -

M: Anyway, Eleanor said she'd pay double, so I'll be up all night trying to get it all done. Heaven knows, we can use the extra money.

Momma, please - something happened at school today. Something terrible.

M: Terrible things are the Lord's way of testing us, Carrie.

I know, but the other girls -

M: You're not like the other girls.

But I am, Momma - I am. I never thought so, but -

M: You're not, Carrie - you're special. Special.

You're not listening to me, Momma.

M: I've heard all I want to hear. Now go wash your hands.

Momma, in the shower -

M: What have I told you about showering with the other girls?

I know, but -

M: What have I told you?

Sin. It's a sin.

M: And as such, it is forbidden.

But Momma -

M: Forbidden.

I started to bleed! (space)

Momma, I started to bleed, and the other girls, they laughed at me and called me names, and I was so scared. (space)

Momma, why are you looking at me like that?

M: The Curse of Blood…

Momma, you're frightening me.

M: Bow your head and pray, woman.

Momma -

M: "And God made Eve from the rib of Adam. And Eve was weak, and loosed the raven on the world."

Momma, it wasn't my fault!

M: "And the raven was called Sin. So God visited Eve with a Curse, and the Curse was the Curse of Blood." Say it, woman! (sung) And God made Eve from Adam's rib, and Eve was weak.

Momma, how could I know?

M: (sung) And Eve was weak; And Eve was weak.

Why didn't you tell me?

M: (sung) And God made Eve to bear the Curse, the Curse of Blood (top of song)

It's not a curse, Miss Gardner said it's something all girls go through!

M: (sung) The Curse of Blood; The Curse of Blood

You should have told me!

C: (sung) Nobody dies from a scar… and that's the way things are.

(Start of Evening Prayers, sung) Jesus watches from the wall, etc.

S: Make everything better?

(sung) Momma sees inside my soul, but her face is cold as stone (…)

It's churning, shifting! Bending!

(spoken) What's happening to me?

M: You can go to bed now.

Yes, Momma. (1st time)

M: You must forget what happened today.

Yes, Momma. (2nd time)

M: God will protect you.

Yes, Momma. (3rd time)

M: God will forgive us.

Yes, Momma. (4th time)

M: It's getting late. Say your prayers.

Now I lay me down to sleep,

Pray the Lord my soul to keep.

If I die before I wake,

Pray the Lord my soul to take.

M: (sung) Can you forgive what I've done?

(sung) Momma, you don't need forgiveness from me,

Oh, I know that you do what you have to, etc.

Mr. S: Thank you, Tommy. Alright, class - comments?… Well, don't all raise your hands at once. Come on, anyone - anyone at all?

Beautiful.

Mr. S: Carrie White? Speak up, please, Carrie, and share your thoughts with the class.

It was beautiful. Just beautiful.

Mr. S: Go on, Carrie. How did the poem speak to you?

I think… I think it says that just because something - or somebody - seems one way, it doesn't mean it is that way.

S: Hi, Carrie.

That was nice - really nice - what you said about Tommy's poem. I thought it was beautiful, too.

Look, um… about yesterday - you know, what happened. I don't know, things just sort of got out of control, and I just wanted you to know -

Haven't you had enough? Do you think you can just go on tricking me forever?

G: We're waiting, Chris. I can't hear you.

Please, it's okay…

C: Carrie - Carrie, I -

You don't have to do this!

G: Carrie? Oh, Carrie, if I'd had any idea it was going to turn out like this, I'd never-

Miss Gardner, you've got to let Chris go. You've just got to!

G: What are you talking about?

Prom. It's very important to her.

G: And what's right is important to me.

But Prom is everything to those girls. It's the one night they get all dressed up… and they look beautiful. It's like a dream - a perfect dream.

G: And what about you?

Me? Oh, no, I'm not going. I'm different.

G: Not that different.

Yes, I am. They've all got someone.

G: So will you. One day, you'll see. Things change.

I'll tell you what. Let's pretend -

Oh, Miss Gardner -

G: Just for a minute - pretend that the right someone comes up to you and says, "Carrie, will you be my date for Prom?"

Well, what would you say?

No.

G: Carrie?! Why not?

I'm… not pretty.

G: (sung) That's how it starts… two unsuspecting hearts.

Oh, I don't know, Miss Gardner.

G: And you never will if you don't give it a chance. Now, listen to me: you are a beautiful young woman.

Me?

G: Yes, you, silly - you! Look at those eyes… and with the right shade of lipstick -

Lipstick? But my mother would never -

All: (sung) If you really love me, well, then, baby, baby, please… do me a favor!

"Telekinesis: the ability to move objects by sheer force of the mind alone. Scientifically unproven, the phenomenon is thought to be electrochemical in nature…

Numerous incidents have been reported of individuals possessing such an ability. They are termed 'anomalies'."

Anomaly…

I can do this.

Concentrate…

T: All right… Hi, Carrie.

What are you doing here?

T: So… this is where you live? Aren't you going to ask me in?

Momma - Momma's resting. What do you want?

T: Wow, right to the point, huh?

Okay… if you don't have a date, would you like to go to Prom with me?

Prom? It's this Saturday, and I know it's late notice, but -

I don't like to be tricked.

T: Oh, c'mon, Carrie -

I know who you hang around with.

T: I don't hang with anyone I don't want to.

Why are you doing this?

T: Cuz I want to.

No, you're not.

T: I don't know… maybe cuz you liked my poem? Come on, Carrie - say yes.

I can't!

M: (o.s.) Carrie? Supper!

In a minute, Momma.

You'd better go.

T: Not till you say yes.

I'd love to.

M: (o.s.) Whatever are you doing out there?

Please… if she finds you here -

T: Say yes and I'll go.

Yes.

T: Yes?

Yes - okay? Yes.

T: Good.

You knew I would.

T: No. But now I do. I'll pick you up at eight.

Fine… Thank you!

M: I don't know what you've been dreaming about tonight, Carrie. You hardly touched your supper. Now, have some pie.

It makes me have pimples, Momma.

M: Nonsense! As Peter says, the only beauty that matters is the precious light that comes from within.

(sung) Momma, don't you think it's time

I should try to get along?

M: Whatever are you going on about, Carrie? Being different is the Lord's blessing.

(sung) Momma, people think I'm strange

All the kids have called me names

M: Well, then just don't listen to them. It is written, "He who hears My voice alone shall be saved."

(sung) Momma, can't we stop and talk?

There's this boy named Tommy Ross

M: (sung) Carietta!

(sung) I've been invited to the prom.

M: Prom?

(sung) I never dreamed that I could go!

When he first asked and I said no, he asked me twice…

He asked me twice (…)

Maybe, I'll find someone to love me!

(spoken) Tommy's a very nice boy, and he'll have me home by midnight. It's Saturday. I've accepted, Momma. I've accepted.

M: (sung) I remember how those boys could dance

Pressing close on Friday nights,

they could sweep me away

Momma?

M: Oh, how those boys were demons of romance.

In their cars, we'd chase the lights.

I know just how boys will behave.

Not this boy, Momma. He isn't like the others. he's nice. You'll see, really, you will! Everyone isn't bad, Momma. Everything's not a sin.

M: (sung) …Chasing you like a wh*re!

No!

M: (sung) And the sin never dies!

Momma, please stop!

M: You're not going!

I already said I would, Momma! I said yes!

M: Then say no! Tell him you've changed your mind. (she walks to the windows)

Momma, come back!

M: The rain's coming in. I have to close the windows.

I'll get them!

M: WITCH!!

(sung) I am not afraid of you anymore… etc

T, S and Kids: (sung) You ain't seen nothin' yet.

It's gonna be a night we'll never forget.

(sung) I bet other girls already know

The ways to get their skin to glow,

but I can learn… etc.

C, B: (sung) Oh, Oh, Oh, etc.

(sung) I never dreamed that I could go

When he first asked and I said no

He asked me twice, he asked me twice

Kids: (Why Not Me intro, sung) …Heart races

One shot, ready?

Not.

(sung) If I can make it down the stairs,

If I can make it to the door… etc.

M: He's not coming.

He is coming.

M: Don't you see, you mustn't go. I know you don't understand, but I'm trying to protect you.

I don't need your protection, Momma.

M: I won't let you go.

I don't want to fight with you. Now, I have to finish getting ready.

M: (sung) They're only waiting to tear you in two

What if they like me?

M: Just like your father, they'll leave when they're through

They might like me. They'll like me.

M: I'll say you're sick, I'll say you changed your mind -

You'll say nothing, Momma. You'll stay here and not say a word.

T: Hi.

Hi.

T: This is for you. Do you want me to put it on?

Please.

…Am I all right?

T: You okay?

I think so.

…Nervous.

T: Whoa… we could go somewhere else. Grab something to eat.

No. No, I want to do this.

F: Way. God, Carrie, you look great!

Thank you.

F: Don't pay any attention to them. Men! Where'd you buy your dress? It's awesome.

I made it.

F: Made it? No shit.

No shit.