The story is told from the perspective of Carrie (Tiffany Michelle). At 37, she is a successful architect with loving friends and husband. She's also expecting a baby, and as she begins to feel her first contractions, her mind drifts to recollections of her first pregnancy.
The year is 1986 and Carrie is a 19 year-old college student. She has just earned a prestigious scholarship and the love of a boy named Ted (David Fumero). When a failure to use contraceptives results in an unexpected pregnancy, Carrie seeks the advice of ministers, theologians and doctors. None of them are able to make her decision for her.
Even Carrie's grandmother tells her that she must decide on her own.
Ultimately, she decides it would be irresponsible to bring a child into an uncertain future and terminates the pregnancy at a licensed clinic. A simple premise, but frighteningly relevant.
The short, in presenting teen pregnancy and abortion in a realistic setting, aspires to create common ground for discussion. "My hope is that it will get kids talking about the issues, about birth control and their embarrassment with using it, about how to get it and what happens if they don't use it," said Clark. Whatever your stance on abortion, women's choices and planned parenthood may be, "Carrie's Choice" will make these issues forcefully real.
"Carrie's Choice" will be featured at 4 p.m., Nov. 12, at the Graham Auditorium, Hillyer Art Building, Smith College.