Where Is the Original Cast of Broadway’s Carrie: The Musical Now? | Playbill

Special Features Where Is the Original Cast of Broadway’s Carrie: The Musical Now? The cast of Riverdale brings Carrie to your TV screen April 18, but what ever happened to the original stars of this theatrical thriller?
Linzi Hateley and Betty Buckley in Carrie. Peter Cunningham

The Riverdale cast will bring Carrie: The Musical to life in the April 18 episode of The CW’s smash television series. In preparation, Playbill takes a look back at the original 1988 Broadway production and where the cast members of the show are now.

Carrie: The Musical brought the popular 1974 Stephen King novel, about an awkward and lonely teenage girl who has telekinetic powers and a oppressive religious fanatic for a mother, to life. After an embarrassing moment at school, her powers are unleashed on everyone who comes her way.

The show enjoyed a successful run in its British mounting with the Royal Shakespeare Company and most of the U.K. cast transfered to the Broadway bow. However, it became one of the most expensive short runs in theatre history due to its high budget, scathing reviews, and the money pulled out by the financial backers at the last minute. Previews began April 28, 1988 at the Virginia Theatre. The show officially opened May 12 and closed after 16 previews and five regular performances on May 15. Despite its tumultuous time, Linzi Hateley, who played the role of Carrie, won the 1988 Theatre World Award for Best Broadway Debut. In 2012, an Off-Broadway revival opened and received a longer run on the Off-Broadway stage.

In the production performed on Riverdale—the television series based on the Archie comic strip now in its second season on The CW—Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch) will be playing Carrie, Veronica Lodge (Camila Mendes) will play Chris Hargensen, Betty Cooper (Lili Reinhart) will be Sue Shell, Archie Andrews (K.J. Apa) will be Tommy Ross, Josie McCoy (Ashleigh Murray) will be Miss Gardner, and Alice Cooper (Mädchen Amick) will be Margaret.

Here’s a look at the accomplishments of the original Carrie cast after they left the Main Stem.

Linzi Hateley as Carrie White:

//assets.playbill.com/editorial/2ff436d56d1a1e50549135ad037ffe1b-carrieobc-1.jpg
Linzi Hateley in Carrie. Peter Cunningham

After originating the role of Carrie White on Broadway in 1988 (marking her Broadway debut), Hateley bowed as the Narrator in the 1991 West End revival in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Born in England, Hateley has consistently performed on the London stage in the revival of Chicago as Roxie, replacing for Donna in the original U.K. production of Mamma Mia!, performing in the revival of The Secret Garden, and starring as Winifred Banks in London’s Mary Poppins. Most recently, the actor starred in 2012’s London Road and went on to star in the 2015 movie adaptation.

Betty Buckley as Margaret White:

//assets.playbill.com/editorial/e7be34e209f8bf5314c4299412aff483-carriearch2.jpg
Linzi Hateley and Betty Buckley Peter Cunningham

By the time Carrie: The Musical came around, Betty Buckley had long been a Broadway star. She made her debut in 1776 replacing in the role of Martha Jefferson. She later replaced as Catherine in the original Broadway company of Pippin. But her tour de force came when she originated the role (and won a Tony) as Grizabella in Cats. Just before Carrie, she starred in Song and Dance and then The Mystery of Edwin Drood. She had played the role of Miss Collins in the movie version of Carrie and then came into the Broadway production as Margaret White. Since finishing Carrie: The Musical, she has performed as Norma Desmond as a replacement in the 1993 Broadway production of Sunset Boulevard and as Hesione in the original 1997 production of Triumph of Love. Buckley is currently starring on AMC's Preacher Season 3, which premieres June 24; celebrating the release of her new recording Hope with concerts at Joe's Pub June 5, 6 and two on June 9; and will be starring in the national tour of Hello, Dolly!. She also has a recurring role on CW's Supergirl.

Sally Ann Triplett as Sue Snell:

//assets.playbill.com/editorial/6b0e12aba9fc8a836b70a918ac153b54-sweeney-todd-barrow-street-production-photo-2018-18-2sweeneytodd0199r-hr.jpg
Sally Ann Triplett Joan Marcus

Since starring in Carrie: The Musical as Sue Snell, Triplett has taken several roles on U.K. and Broadway stages. She starred in the 1993 London revival of Grease as Rizzo, replaced for Donna in the 1999 original London production of Mamma Mia! and performed as Reno Sweeney in the 2002 Royal National Theatre production of Anything Goes, and replaced for Mrs. du Maurier in the 2015 original Broadway production of Finding Neverland. She has also acted in many TV shows such as Doctors and The Bill. She is currently performing in the Off-Broadway production of Sweeney Todd as Mrs. Lovett.

Paul Gyngell as Tommy Ross:

//assets.playbill.com/editorial/486902d62fea66c440e2dfa16987d151-carriearch7.jpg
Paul Gyngell, Sally Ann Triplett, Charlotte d'Amboise, Gene Anthony Ray and company Peter Cunningham

Gyngell, who played the role of Tommy Ross, has not returned to the Main Stem since his days in Carrie: The Musical. He starred in the 1992 original London production of Which Witch as Doctor. Gyngell has appeared in small television roles, including his last part on Footballers’ Wives.

Charlotte d'Amboise as Chris Hargensen:

//assets.playbill.com/editorial/d572d3095f272507c26505b2f4e62267-a-chorus-line-broadway-2006-charlotte-damboise-01-hr.jpg
Charlotte d'Amboise in A Chorus Line Paul Kolnik

D’Amboise has had a prolific career since Carrie ended. The year after Carrie she starred in Jerome Robbins’s Broadway, for which she earned a Tony nomination. She has reprised her role as Roxie Hart in Chicago on Broadway and the U.S. tour numerous times. She also performed in the 2006 Broadway revival of A Chorus Line as Cassie, earning a Tony nomination, and in the 2013 Broadway revival of Pippin as Fastrada alongside her husband, three-time Tony nominee Terrence Mann. D’Amboise has garnered awards, including three Astaire Awards (now renamed the Chita Rivera Awards) for her work in Damn Yankees, Chicago, and Sweet Charity, as well as, an Ovation Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical, a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Leading Performance, and a San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award for Principal Actress, which were all for her work in Chicago. She has acted in a few well-known TV shows and movies including The Preacher’s Wife, Law & Order, and Galyntine.

Gene Anthony Ray as Billy Nolan:

//assets.playbill.com/editorial/e3480f23380aad71ed71b8f17c96afc3-carriearch9.jpg
Charlotte d'Amboise and Gene Anthony Ray

Ray is best known for his work in the classic film Fame. After Carrie, he worked in the films Out-of-Sync, Eddie, and Austin Powers in Goldmember primarily as a dancer. Sadly, he passed away on November 14, 2003 due to complications from a stroke.

Darlene Love as Miss Gardner:

//assets.playbill.com/editorial/deaba44fe219aab64b4d847c900820ff-Carrie1a.jpg
Linzi Hateley and Darlene Love in Carrie

Even before Carrie, Love had a hit solo music career and had performing across the country. She has released many albums and hit songs throughout the years and continues to make music and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. Bette Midler delivered her introduction speech. In terms of Broadway, Love returned to Broadway in 1994 as a replacement for Teen Angel in the Broadway revival of Grease and later replaced in the role of Motormouth Maybelle in the 2002 production of Hairspray. She is famous for her role in the Lethal Weapon movie series as Trish Murtaugh, which she continued to star in after Carrie ended. She continues to work perform across entertainment media.

 
Recommended Reading:
 X

Blocking belongs
on the stage,
not on websites.

Our website is made possible by
displaying online advertisements to our visitors.

Please consider supporting us by
whitelisting playbill.com with your ad blocker.
Thank you!