RIALTO CHATTER: Foster, Mazzie, Doyle Rumored for CARRIE Reading, Title Role Casting Still a Mystery

Recent reports have confirmed that producers, Jeffrey Seller and Kevin McCollum, are in the process of resurrecting the infamous flop musical CARRIE for the Broadway stage.

The producers are putting together a 29-hour Equity reading next month of CARRIE, the musical that had a notoriously short 3 night, 5 performance run on Broadway in 1988. CarrietheMusical.com has revealed that Tony-Award winner Sutton Foster has joined the CARRIE reading in the role of Miss Gardner, the caring gym teacher that was played by stage legend Betty Buckley in the film version.

Other sources have reported that Marin Mazzie will be playing the role of Carrie's mother, Margaret White, the character who was portrayed in the original Broadway mounting by Tony winner Buckley herself. The identity of the actress playing the role of Carrie is still a mystery, but Rialto Chatter now hears that a relative unknown has won the role. BYE BYE BIRDIE's Matt Doyle has also been mentioned as having been cast in the reading as well. There have been no official announcements on any of the above mentioned casting for the CARRIE reading at this time.

The confused and tragic original theatrical journey of CARRIE is well documented in Ken Mandelbaum's now classic book "Not Since 'Carrie': 40 Years of Musical Flops." It will be interesting to see how this new "chapter" plays out as the reading takes shape. McCollum did not return Riedel's call in relation to his Post article and details regarding the CARRIE reading are being kept a tightly held secret. BroadwayWorld.com learned last month that Stafford Arima will be directing the reading.

With original music by Michael Gore (Fame) and Dean Pitchford (Footloose) and a script by Lawrence D. Cohen (who wrote the 1976 film as well), CARRIE: THE MUSICAL is often considered the biggest Broadway flop of all time.

The show had its first four-week run beginning on February 13, 1988 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Directed by Terry Hands and choreographed by Debbie Allen, the cast included Broadway veteran and cabaret singer Barbara Cook, Charlotte d'Amboise, Gene Anthony Ray, Darlene Love, and Linzi Hateley, in her stage debut, as Carrie.

The show transferred to Broadway at an expense of $8 million and Hateley (who ultimately won a Theatre World Award) and other members of the UK cast remained with the show, but Cook was replaced by Betty Buckley (who had played the teacher Miss Collins in the 1976 film version). It opened on May 12 and closed a mere 3 nights later after only 5 performances.

Sutton Foster will star in Stephen Sondheim's and Arthur Laurents' Anyone Can Whistle, the final Encores! production of the 2009-10 season, playing for five performances beginning April 8, 2010. Ms. Foster will play Nurse Fay Apple, the role originated by Lee Remick.

Sutton Foster won the Tony, Outer Critics, Drama Desk and Astaire Awards for Thoroughly Modern Millie, and has been nominated for Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Shrek (Winner: Outer Critics Award), The Drowsy Chaperone, and Little Women. Her other Broadway credits include Young Frankenstein, Les Miserables, Annie, Scarlet Pimpernel and Grease! She has performed concert versions of Chess, Funny Girl (Actors Fund) and the American Songbook Series at Lincoln Center. On television, Ms. Foster has appeared in "Johnny and the Sprites," and "Flight of the Conchords." Her debut CD, Wish, is now available.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.