Suspend Belief and Enjoy--The Prom Delivers a Message of Inclusion - Edie Weinstein

“This is not about a prom anymore.  This is about right and wrong.”  When Barry Glickman uttered these words, he brought the subtext of this show into the main body of the text. --The Prom, a show that ran from October 2018 until August of 2019, may be about a girl trying to attend her prom, but the message of the show extends so much deeper than that to encompass the struggle of LGBTQ+ youth and the need for acceptance and inclusion for all.

Many actors’ performances delivered a punch.  Andrew Rannells succeeded in creating an insufferable yet lovable portrayal of Trent Oliver with pompous reminders of his alma mater along with solid relationships with other characters.  Jo Ellen Pellman gave Emma’s character depth.  Her performance of “Unruly Heart” brought me close to tears with her soulful yet deceptively simple singing.  However, her mannerisms seemed odd at times; for example, she smiled while talking about breaking up with Alyssa (Ariana DeBose), an acting choice that made no sense to me.  James Corden also took his portrayal of a gay man way too far by leaning far too heavily on stereotypes.  My overall favorite aspect of the performance was the ensemble movement.  Much of the choreography was performed in unison, which played beautifully into the show’s theme of pack mentality, as the ensemble was often united in hatred against people different from them.

Perhaps the most engaging part of the technical design was the surprisingly cohesive color scheme of pastel blue, pink, and sometimes yellow that extended from the set to lights to costuming.  I found the set distracting at times and spot-on for others: for example, the design choice to put certain modern drinking fountains in the hall made me feel transported into my high school, but when Emma’s bedroom was big enough to have been a hotel suite, I was taken out of the moment by the odd improbability of such a large room for a teenager.  

Other technical aspects elevated and supported the fantastical elements.  The lighting successfully differentiated the realistic world from the world of musical theatre.  For example, when Keegan-Michael Key and Meryl Streep sat in the Applebees restaurant, the lighting looked as if they were sitting in a restaurant, and as “We Look to You” began, the lights closed in around the couple, bringing us into the world of Key’s memory and creating a magical ambiance for the number.

Although the fact that this show was produced as a movie challenged me to suspend my disbelief (it’s always easier to get into the musical mindset when actors are dancing on a stage rather than in location shots), I still greatly enjoyed this production, especially with the strong message of inclusion that it delivered.  I would recommend this show to anyone looking for a touching story