The Prom starts with the opening night of the Eleanor Roosevelt musical. Our two stars, Dee Dee Allen (Beth Leavel) & Barry Glickman (Brooks Ashmanskas), are celebrating themselves. They’re the only ones, as we soon find out the show is dead on arrival. The show closes on opening night, and our stars are left with nothing to do.
Luckily, that is not the case for The Prom. The show is heartwarming and hilarious. It’s been lauded as one of the best shows of the season, and I absolutely agree.
In order to generate some good press for themselves, Dee Dee & Barry decided to champion a cause. They find two other down on their luck actors (Angie Schworer & Christopher Sieber) who are looking for both something to do and some good press. Electoral College reform is too daunting, and Habitat for Humanity requires too much work. On Twitter, they discover that the potential of a same sex prom date in Indiana caused the PTA to shut down the entire event. Our Broadway stars hop on a bus and head to the midwest.
In Indiana, we meet Emma Nolan (the truly outstanding Caitlin Kinnunen), who just wants to go to the Prom with her girlfriend, Alyssa Green (Izzy McCalla). Alyssa’s mom leads the anti-LGBTQ charge. Our Broadway stars band together and help Emma find confidence in herself while helping the townspeople overcome homophobia. Along the way, they encounter bigotry, intolerance, and a non-equity tour of Godspell.
I am in absolutely awe of the company. At one point, a cast member does a series of backflips across the stage while simultaneously asking another member to prom. Insane. During the closing number, I honestly have no idea how they are able sing while doing the demanding high-energy choreography.
I laughed and even cried during the show. It was an amazing night out at the theater, and I hope to see it again. I predict big things for this show.
Featured Image Credit: Deen Van Meer
Leave a Reply