Spotlight On: Grace Gerard

 

 

Connecticut Theatre Company’s “Spotlight On…” series continues with a look into the cast of Carrie. Get to know Grace Gerard who is portraying Freida in our production!

 

 

 

Introduce yourself to our audience.

Hey there! My name is Grace Gerard, I am 22 years old and I am playing Frieda. It has been very fun coming back to this show as I was in a production of it my freshman year of college.

 

How do you balance the heightened, supernatural elements of the show with the grounded, painful reality of high school bullying?

At the end of the day, Frieda is a follower in the chaos surrounding the bullying of Carrie White. For the majority of the musical, Frieda is very grounded in her reality and seems genuinely happy with where she is. Even at prom, she begins to act kinder toward Carrie, whether that is to let Carrie falsely believe she has finally fit in or because she genuinely means it. The shift into the destruction is particularly interesting to portray because I am now in the midst of the supernatural elements while still finding ways to bully Carrie, even if it is simply through laughing at her. I like the constant back-and-forth between what is actually happening and what might be happening in Carrie’s head. Until people begin dying, we may not fully grasp the gravity of the situation or realize just how drastically the world around Carrie has shifted.

 

What is your favorite musical motif or lyric in Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford’s score that helps define your character?

 

How does this production make Carrie feel relevant to modern audiences?

I enjoy how Carrie does not have to be explicitly set in one specific time period. You can keep or modernize the references, adapting them to fit your cast and production. In our production, we do not change much of the original writing, but we do incorporate more modern technology, such as smartphones, and costumes that reflect trends from the 2000s, including the Y2K aesthetic. Although the typical high school experience portrayed through various forms of media has changed over time, the prevalence of bullying in real life helps the show remain relevant to modern audiences.

 

What has been the most physically or emotionally demanding part of the rehearsal process for you?

I feel that Freida goes through a lot of back-and-forth emotionally in her relationships. It can be demanding because of how emotionally invested you have to be in this show. There is constant bullying, friendships that may seem light and happy but still have their own problems, figuring out who you want to be, and then all the different levels of prom. Physically, the dancing in this show is really fun to perform, but working on my stamina has been important for me, especially during prom. As soon as we arrive at prom, we are on stage acting, singing, and dancing all the way through the destruction. Because of that, being able to maintain my energy and keep performing at a high level is very important!

 

What surprised you most about the script and score compared to the original Stephen King novel or the films?

I enjoy the small size of the cast and the fact that every character is named, allowing each person to develop their own distinct personality and bring something personal to the role. Every character has a purpose to serve, and the script and score give them the space to fulfill that purpose. This feels different from the film and novel, where the focus is primarily on the relationship between Carrie and Margaret, while everyone else can feel more like background characters. On stage, there is simply more substance given to each character, allowing the audience to experience their individual personalities, motivations, and development more fully.

 

How does the ensemble use choreography and movement to amplify the tension and horror onstage?

Movement is very important to this show. Whenever Carrie is being bullied, the students often surround her, making her feel small, trapped, and isolated. The choreography amplifies the heightened emotions throughout the show, especially in “In” and during the prom. It captures the desperation, insanity, excitement, and danger of these moments. During the destruction, the movement becomes especially powerful. The choreography, controlled by Carrie and combined with the supernatural effects, helps reveal the true terror of the situation. I think seeing all of these elements come together onstage will be incredibly powerful, and I can’t wait to perform it for an audience.

 

If your character could give one piece of advice to their younger self, what would it be?

If younger Frieda could give current Frieda some advice, I think it would be to try to think for yourself, rather than sticking to the crowd. It’s easy to become a follower, but I always wonder what it would have been like if people had been kinder to Carrie—if everyone had allowed themselves to feel what they genuinely wanted to feel instead of giving in to herd mentality. In the script, the stage directions state that Carrie begins to kill everyone, “EVEN Ms. Gardner and Frieda”. I think we get a glimpse of Frieda’s kinder side during the beginning of prom, but by then, it’s already too late. If that part of her arc had happened earlier in the show, not just for Frieda but for the other students as well, they might have been able to make a real difference in the outcome. Of course, maybe nothing would have changed. Their fates might still have been locked in regardless. But I think there’s something meaningful in the idea that, at the very least, they could have tried. Even if the outcome remained the same, choosing kindness and thinking for themselves would have made their choices matter. (I know it is based off the novel so there is not an alternate ending/option, but I like to think about the ‘what ifs’).

 

What do you hope audiences are discussing in the car on their ride home from the theater?