Riverdale Announces Musical Episode Adapting Stephen King’s Carrie

The CW is giving the teens of Riverdale the chance to put on a little song and dance, as the series announces a musical episode will air this spring. Students of the Riverdale High School Drama Department will be putting on their spring production with Carrie: The Musical, directed by none other than Kevin Keller and starring Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead and more. The result, then, will be the first ever musical Riverdale episode, featuring 11 songs, that will air in April.

The episode, ‘A Night to Remember’ will be a night of firsts for the dark adaptation of the Archie Comics series, one where the unsettling nature of the teen drama fits in perfectly with the themes of the musical being staged by the RHDD. And with the series’ core ensemble taking part in the high school production, it will be a chance for K.J. Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Cole Sprouse, and especially Madelaine Petsch to show off their singing chops (or in the case of Apa, another chance).

The CW is taking advantage of the upcoming event, promoting it early with an official announcement from the Riverdale High Drama Department. The cast list for the high school musical isn’t too surprising, though the choice of Cheryl Blossom in the lead role is unexpected but still fitting. Check out the cast list and announcement from the Riverdale High Drama Department below:

Carrie Cast List FINAL Riverdale Announces Musical Episode Adapting Stephen King’s Carrie
“Riverdale High’s tragic heroine Cheryl Blossom leads the cast as Carrie White in this avant-garde production, where she is antagonized by mean-girl Chris Hargensen (recent transplant Veronica Lodge) and supported by golden-couple Sue Snell and Tommy Ross (Riverdale High’s brightest, Betty Cooper and Archie Andrews). Special appearances by budding star Josie McCoy (playing sympathetic gym teacher Miss Gardner) and Riverdale High alum Alice Cooper (as Carrie White’s mother, Margaret).

Adapted from Stephen King’s Carrie and produced by RHDD (Newsies, Kinky Boots, Little Shop of Horrors, Our Town) in association with the Lodge Family (SoDale, Pickens Day 2018), “Carrie: The Musical” tells the story of a painfully shy, outcast teenage girl with telekinetic abilities who is oppressed by her peers and religious-zealot mother—until she’s pushed to her breaking point and unleashes a terrible revenge. The production stars Cheryl Blossom, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Archie Andrews, Reggie Mantle, Josie McCoy, Alice Cooper, Toni Topaz, Ethel Muggs, Midge Klump, and Moose Mason. Kevin Keller directs, with Assistant Director Fangs Fogarty. Special thanks to Fred Andrews of Andrews Construction for sets and lumber.”

The choice to adapt Stephen King’s Carrie is certainly appropriate considering just how many dark turns Riverdale likes to take. As such, the content and tone of the musical episode won’t stray too far from the show’s established comfort zone, which already enjoys its fair share of musical acts thanks to Josie and the Pussycats and Archie’s own musical ambitions. Moreover, the idea of using the school’s spring production as the framing device for the musical episode is certainly more inspired than a Z-level villain instigating a little super-powered musical theater.

If nothing else, the show within a show will be a great chance for Riverdale to again do something different and a little surprising. Whether or not everyone in the cast can hold a tune remains to be seen, but since the episode doesn’t air until April, there is plenty of time to practice.

Riverdale continues tonight with ‘The Wrestler’ @8pm on The CW.