Stage Review - Carrie the Musical (Lakewood Playhouse)

Stage Review - Carrie the Musical
Presented By: Lakewood Playhouse - Lakewood, WA
Show Run: June 12 - June 28, 2026
Date Reviewed: Friday, June 12, 2026 (Opening Night)
Run Time: 2 Hours (including a 15-minute intermission)
Reviewed by: Breanne Jensen

No matter what age you are, most people have either heard of or seen the 1976 film “Carrie” made famously by the novel written by Stephen King. Carrie White is a high school student who is sheltered from the world, specifically when she is at home with her very pietistic mother who believes in raising her daughter within a secular world while demanding orthodox religious beliefs. These beliefs lead Carrie to be an anxious, timid, frightened and a highly bullied individual. After an embarrassing incident that leads to traumatic bullying by almost every girl in her grade, she realizes that she is not the same as them, however, she is different and not just because of her home life, but because she has powers. Telekinetic powers that help her to believe in something bigger than herself and the fear and shame she’s being raised in. I don’t want to spoil too much of the plot or how these powers help or harm Carrie, but, as much as Stephen King wrote this story to be shocking and grotesque to make a point, he wrote a story that’s about a subject matter that is more relevant than ever today. How overly zealous radical religion, cruelty, bullying, shaming, demanding fear, peer pressure, societal views and expectations can lead anyone to a breaking point…. whether that is hurting themselves or someone else.

Director Joseph C Walsh and Assistant Director Courtney Ramos have a mission in their work and whether that pertains to directing, creating or running Lakewood Playhouse currently, that message is clear and concise. People of color matter. Representing your community, matters. Producing shows written by or inspired by people of color and performed by people of color is imperative and should be no different than how our community should be operating on a normal level. While Walsh is a white presenting male, he is trying to give his platform to those who don’t have a voice, or for those whose voices should be heard every day and have been overlooked and put down. No matter the push back from those whose have had it and seen it one way for so long, Joseph C Walsh will not allow himself and the mission to be peer pressured to stray from the change and that is why everything happening at Lakewood Playhouse is so important.

Walsh and Ramos are highly intentional in their casting when they chose two beautiful and talented Black women as Carrie White (Kaelynn Miller) and Margaret White (Serah Haugse) opposite mean girl, whom is Caucasian presenting, Chris Hargensen (Anna Horn) to make a very blunt point that regardless of the time period of the show, the book, the movie(s), etc- racism is rampant and inexcusable. However, something that stood out to me regarding casting is that, much of the cast has a diverse background when it comes to ethnicity and yet, even those whom are considered Caucasian passing societally due to assumption took that pass and ran with it instead of standing up for their classmate who has more of a similar background to themselves than the latter. Except for one and her name is Sue Snell played by Mari Layson Roy.  

Bringing tenderness, kindness, justice and morality to the character and the show, Mari Layson Roy has easily one of the most unique and beautifully heart wrenching pop style voices you will ever have the pleasure of hearing that is both soothing and powerful simultaneously. The depth that she brings to Sue is intentional, multi-faceted, truthful and inspiring-everyone who has children, hopes that their child will grow to be someone like Sue and I’m sure someone like Layson Roy as well. Sue Snell convinces her boyfriend Tommy Ross (played by Erik Davis) to take Carrie White to the prom instead of her so that Carrie can be safe, confident and feel “normal” just for one evening. While Ross doesn’t really understand why he is doing this, he has never been unkind to Carrie and his love for Sue is his driving factor. Davis plays Tommy with youth, understanding and his vocals are effortless and dreamy especially when singing with Layson Roy. Mean girl Chris Hargensen is brought to life by powerhouse Anna Horn. Chris has the perfect mixture of manipulative believability, trending good looks and fashion and weak followers who can’t seem to find the word no in their vocabulary. Horn’s acting is great and her vocals are easily some of the best in our area. Her bad boy boyfriend Billy Nolan, played by Ethan Hechanova is executed perfectly in all areas and does a wonderful job standing out opposite his power house costar. Other vocal/character recognitions go to Le’liana Campbell-Schreiner, Karissa Chin,  ShaVanety Jones and Soap Khan.

One of our leading ladies, mother to Carrie, Margaret White is hauntingly played by Serah Haugse. If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting Serah, even just once, even just briefly, you can see within seconds that she is one of the kindest purest human beings and this role was a hard one for her to be so completely juxtaposed to her true character. Haugse plays Margaret, meek and mannered but erratic and unpredictable, she doesn’t have to raise her voice to command the attention of her words. Serah’s delivery of White is so calm (until its not) that you feel an eerie presence in the atmosphere, including her vocals that were still strong even when recovering from a bad virus all during tech week I’m told! Carrie White, is resurrected by Kaelynn Miller’s portrayal of the complex character. Miller’s vocals are clear, pure, emotion evoking and the epitome of humanistic as she becomes her character.

Easily one of my favorite moments in the show is when Carrie White is dreaming of the life she could have if she was just a “normal girl” in society’s eyes. She sings the words “I dream in color” and when one is bullied, maligned, put down for their truth/authenticity on top of being a person of color, there can’t be a single thing in the world that doesn’t feel black and white. Remember to consider all of this and also add the theme of the show, religious shame. Religion is supposed to be something that brings people closer to the salvation, the wrong and right doings, the teachings of who and what to be and yet almost everyone I have met within/ raised in organized religion (including myself) experiences severe shame for having humanistic experiences instead of learning how their teachings of their religious guide book apply to their experiences.

Lakewood’s unique stage allows for in the round seating which poses a much different experience for the actors and creative team when putting a show together. “Carrie the Musical” has the perfect blend of simplistic and dynamic sets (Joshua E. Gallagher, Bernice F. Marlow), flattering and suiting costumes (Jane W. Davie & Assistant Madeline Arnold), effective special effects (even more so for such an up close and personal space), stellar vocal and music direction (Elijah Bellis), Band (Chandler Garry, Travis Larson and Steven Moncado) sound design (Brookelyne Peterson), props (Gabrielle Jett and assistant Madeline Arnold) , lighting (Canae M. Gray), choreography (Nyah Hart), fight/ intimacy coordination (Brookelyne Peterson), scenic artist (Aleeza McCant) and stage management and support (Monique Otter-Johnson, Russell Dunmire, Eric Cuestas-Thompson)/ board operator (Kaitlyn Kleeman)!

Ultimately, Mr. Stephen King wrote this story to remind us of the timeless tale of the underdog and how they/we always persevere regardless of the attack or our circumstances. The creative team at Lakewood Playhouse (LPH) is making a change not just a statement. LPH reminds us that representation, humanistic experience through storytelling, revolving historic evolution and KINDNESS are all things that will be overlooked if we keep repeating history, unless we make change that holds strong for generations to come. I recommend coming to see “Carrie the Musical” and succumbing to a much different version/ meaning behind the beloved King novel and movie. That way when you understand what our communities endure you will sympathize but maybe not empathize as much for the female character in the book/movie quite as much. Never forget to treat people as you would like to be treated and this goes for your children you’re raising as well as future generations to come. Regardless of your upbringing, beliefs, religion, color of your skin, gender, sexuality, occupation or clothes on your back, treating anyone and everyone with kindness and standing up for what is right will always be the rewarded and most Carrie White act of service you could possibly carry out.

The Lakewood Playhouse production of Carrie the Musical runs on stage through June 28. For more information, including ticket availability and sales, visit https://www.lakewoodplayhouse.org/.

Photo credit: Ashley Roy Simpson