It's time for my review of The Prom.A high school student named Emma wants to take her girlfriend as her date to the prom at her local high school in Edgewater, Indiana, to the shock horror of the school's PTA members. She is therefore excluded from the celebrations and a motley crew of Broadway actors (desperate for some positive publicity) come rushing to her aid to fight a noble cause (albeit originally for self-centred motivations).
The book, written by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin, is able to capture the perfect balance between comedic elements and more serious matters. The Prom is a true musical comedy in every sense of the term, and yet despite the show's humorous nature it still explores some important issues relating to LGBT rights that are still divisive within America. Throughout the show there are dozens of exceedingly amusing moments, and in particular there were some rather comical one liners which had me laughing out loud. As previously mentioned though, not only does the show make you laugh, but it also makes you feel and experience a wide range of different emotions. There are several moments of The Prom which are tremendously heartwarming, and the show's overarching message of acceptance is both moving and uplifting. The one aspect of The Prom's storyline which I found distinctly moving was the unlikely friendship that forms between characters Barry Glickman and Emma Nolan as the show progresses. Barry is a narcissistic award-winning Broadway actor, whilst Emma is a shy and unconfident high-schooler from Indiana. The two characters seem worlds apart, and yet the two of them forge a beautiful friendship and learn a lot from each other; consequently, this is one of the many examples as to why The Prom is so heartening.
Featuring a wide array of different styles, the musical score of The Prom, written by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, is excellent. There are a number of old-fashioned, theatrical and big musical numbers, whilst there are also several modern songs reminiscent of pop music. In addition to this, there are some rather nice ballads featured within the score. A few of my personal favourites from The Prom's score include 'Dance with You', 'Tonight Belongs to You', 'The Lady's Improving' and 'Barry is Going to Prom'.
Usually the role of Barry Glickman is portrayed by Brooks Ashmanskas, however at the specific performance I attended,Josh Lamon was carrying out understudying duties. I was not disappointed in the least however, due to the fact that Lamon was astonishing. He has such an infectious energy whilst performing and really gives it his all throughout. Furthermore, Lamon has excellent comedic abilities, and is also a talented dancer. I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to see him perform in this role. Starring opposite Lamon is Tony Award winner Beth Leavel as Broadway diva Dee Dee Allen. Leavel's comedic timing was impeccable, and her rendition of 'The Lady's Improving' was extremely amusing. She is also a remarkable singer, delivering two show-stopping musical numbers. Caitlin Kinnunen is equally outstanding, giving a nuanced portrayal of high-schooler Emma Nolan. Kinnuen delivers a genuine and heartfelt performance, giving the character a sweet innocence that makes the audience want to root for her. She too is a gifted singer, which is particularly evident during the number 'Dance with You'. Despite having singled a few performers out, the entirety of the whole cast are absolutely stunning.
The choreography, by Casey Nicholaw, was well and truly extraordinary. The dance sequences carried out during the school prom were utterly mesmerising to watch. I was quite surprised to find out the The Prom's choreography was overlooked at the Tony Awards, as I personally feel it is unquestionably among the best I have seen within recent months. The costumes, designed by Ann Roth, were also wonderful and worthy of much praise. I particularly liked the displayed contrast of costumes; whilst the older characters wore glitzy, glamorous and old-fashioned tuxedos and dresses, the younger characters wore exuberant displays of brightness and colour. It created an interesting contrast, and it was apparent that a lot of thought had gone into these designs.
Now for my final verdict on The Prom. I give The Prom...
The Prom is a remarkable production; it boasts an enjoyable feel-good story, an up-beat musical score and a very gifted ensemble of actors.
Think it should have got a higher rating? Agree with my rating? Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.
Thanks for reading!
-The Reviewer
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