Category: News and Events

Alter Ego Chamber Opera Commission: NASRIN – CENSORED

So excited to be developing this new opera with Ramin Akhavijou, who I also worked with on CMU’s Co-Opera at Pittsburgh Opera. We will be headed to Philadelphia in the spring to workshop NASRIN – CENSORED with the support of Alter Ego Chamber Opera, who will produce it in the fringe festival in fall 2022. I have been learning a lot about the incredible work of real-life heroine Nasrin Sotoudeh, and I’m big-time inspired to write this opera about her. Can’t wait for all my Philly folks to check it out.

New Opera West Will Feature THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING

As part of their ’21-22 season, New Opera West is presenting an animated version of an opera I wrote with my super talented and awesome friend Joshua Brown! Here’s a blurb of the show:

In icy solitude, The Universe waits. Until one day, she’s shaken from her torpor by the sudden explosive arrival of…well…everything. THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING is a joyful meditation on discovering a new way of seeing things in the moment that “me” becomes “us.”

You can read more about this show and New Opera West’s production of it here.

I hope you’ll check it out! It’s short, exists on your computer, and the music is incredible! The entire opera is performed solo by mellifluous soprano Colleen McGovern, who sings the part like…well…the only soprano in the universe.

Houston Chronicle Calls EVERYBODY’S DEAD “Brilliant” “Potent” and “Immensely Funny”

Not to toot my own horn.

I’m delighted to share that Mildred’s Umbrella’s FemFest Houston was recently featured in American Theatre Magazine, which made me feel fancy enough!

I’m beyond overjoyed to share that, after it’s premiere on Monday, EVERYBODY’S DEAD: A COMEDY also received a glowing review from the Chronicle’s freelance critic Bridgette M. Redman.

Redman praises the script as a “a potent play about the pandemic,” that never mentions “the words “pandemic,” “virus” or “COVID-19.”’ She also waxes poetic about my play’s obsession with sex:

One of Carie’s strengths is capturing the absurdity of sex, weaving passion into the human foibles that often make the ultimate act of intimacy look ridiculous. The idea of sex dominates people’s thoughts and the desire for it sometimes makes them behave in embarrassing and awkward ways. All this Carie captures in her brilliant script.

Thank you VERY much!

She also (rightly) praises the performances of a fabulous cast and the considered direction of my genius friend and beloved collaborator, Dana Bowman.

You can read the full review here!

Tickets to the show are still available through June 3: get those here.

EVERYBODY’S DEAD: A COMEDY Streams With Mildred’s Umbrella Through June 3

I’m delighted to share that my play EVERYBODY’S DEAD: A COMEDY is the first of 3 plays to be presented as part of Mildred’s Umbrella’s fourth annual Femfest Houston! It is a semi-staged digital reading, directed by Dana Bowman and starring Courtney Lomelo, Rhett Martinez, and Jasmine Thomas, with video editing by Catherine Denniston.

I’m beyond delighted with this script and this team, and hope you will sign up for your free (donations appreciated) tickets and support this wonderful woman-run theatre company!

Tickets are simple to sign up for and get you a link to stream the play any time between now and June 3, when it will close.

Tickets available here.

TOMORROW GAME Available to Stream Thursday!

In just two days the digital reading of my play TOMORROW GAME will become available to stream! If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, it’s not too late! They’re free and available here.

The video will drop at Noon EST on Thursday, January 28 and will be available to watch on-demand for 4 days. There will also be a live panel discussion of the play at 8:00 PM on Thursday!

Tomorrow Game at Barter Theatre Jan. 28

Beyond thrilled to share that my play TOMORROW GAME will be featured by Virginia’s Barter Theatre in an online reading as part of their Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights! Tomorrow Game is one of four new plays being supported by Barter in the festival, which is entirely free online and will have events spanning Tuesday, Jan. 26-Saturday, February 6.

TOMORROW GAME is directed by Associate Artistic Director Nicholas Piper and stars Barter resident actors Kim Morgan Dean and Paris Bradstreet.

The readings are recorded and lightly edited for a smoother zoom experience, and also received 6 hours of workshop prior to the recording! So, if you’re familiar with TOMORROW GAME you may still want to drop by for the very latest draft! Registration for the festival is here. The video will drop at noon on Thursday, January 28 and audiences will have all day to watch and the opportunity to tune in at 8:00 PM for a live discussion of the play, with feedback from a panel.

I can’t wait to see you there!

Previous support for the development of TOMORROW GAME includes the Edward Albee Foundation and the Kennedy Center. TOMORROW GAME was a recipient of the Kennedy Center’s Harold and Mimi Steinberg National Student Playwriting Award, and was a finalist for the Princess Grace Award.

Ickipedia Presents MacBADth

I’m so proud to share my first ever audio Directing project!

ICKIpedia is a new podcast devoted to “poking fun and poking holes” in the theatrical canon. In their pilot episode they debut a Wikipedia-version of MACBETH, “MacBADth” and then share excerpts from Alex Lin’s BETH, a modern MACBETH adaptation by a Living American Playwright/

I directed the “MacBADth” portion of the podcast and my totally unbiased opinion is that it’s hilarious and much better than the original. Episode 1 is available on Spotify.

If you like the podcast, or me, or any of the actors, or Wikipedia, or just supporting new American plays and artists in general, you can donate here. 10% of proceeds go to Wikipedia and the rest is used to pay the actors and other artists who gave their time to make the ICKi pilot rad.

Brutal ‘N Scary with Brandy N. Carie

Terrifying television design by Dana Weintraub.

I am incredibly excited to announce the launch of my new blog, Brutal ‘N Scary with Brandy N. Carie!

Watching and reviewing horror movies has been a truly joyous (and terrifying) pandemic hobby. The more I watch the more I want to talk about what I’ve watched. Sometimes people even seem to want to listen! If you’re into scares (or feminist takes on body horror, or Nicolas Cage in general) Brutal ‘N Scary with Brandy N. Carie is for you!

Come for the insightful takes on modern horror and stay for the jokes!

CMU Playwrights Featured on 3Views

So excited to share that I and my cohort from Carnegie Mellon have been featured on 3 Views on Theater, a new theater criticism website.

There is a cute little profile of us as a group and we were each interveiwed about our work and art in the time of pandemic! You can look at my profile and read an excerpt of my work here.

We spent a bit of time talking about my featured play HOW TO LIVE FOREVER, which was also my thesis workshop production at Carnegie Mellon. I’m deep in the middle of a big rewrite so get excited for that!

Goodbye Pittsburgh, Hello LA!

I’m excited to be embarking on yet another big adventure: I have just just moved to Los Angeles, CA!

With the Coronavirus Pandemic still in full swing it’s an extremely weird time to be moving to the home of crowds, drought, earthquakes, and wildfires! Nevertheless I’m pumped to be here and looking forward to getting acquainted with the theatre (when it revives), film/TV, and most importantly, tacos, that call this gigantic city home.

I’m confident next time I post it will be a selfie with Blake and Ryan at a casual dinner/drinks thing in their totally understated mansion. Blake and I had the same high school Show Choir choreographer so I’m sure she’s planning to give me a ring any day now.