Get ready for a finger-snapping, toe-tapping, music fest performed by a peppy crew of nearly 30 – all inviting you to enjoy THE PROM. With book by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin, music by Matthew Sklar, and lyrics by Chad Beguelin, THE PROM literally jumps right off the stage and into your hearts. Directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, this is a musical which will knock your socks off. So hold onto your seat as THE PROM leaps across the stage.
Barry Lickman (Patrick Wetzel) and costar Dee Dee Allen (Courtney Balan) thought that their musical vision of FDR and wife Eleanor would wow Broadway audiences – until the reviews rolled in…describing them as untalented, obnoxious narcissists. Now they find themselves unemployed and looking for a way to redeem themselves to audiences everywhere. They need to find a cause, not too big and not too small, to buff up their tarnished reputations. Joined by pals Trent Oliver (Bud Weber), Angie (Emily Borromeo), and Sheldon Saperstein (Shavey Brown), the five superheros take off for small town Indiana to rescue a lesbian in distress.
Enter gentle Emma (Kaden Kearney), the lesbian they are bound to help – whether she wants their help or not. She has crafted her “under the radar” image for years and doesn’t really want to rock the boat. All Emma dreams about is going to her prom with her girlfriend Alyssa (Kalyn West) – and now the parents in her school are up in arms about a couple which is not the traditional male and female. As tempers rise and logic fails. Principal Mr. Hawkins (Sinclair Mitchell) is forced to cancel the cherished annual event. What happens next? You’ll have to see the bouncy, uber-energetic production to find out.
THE PROM will definitely keep your attention as the talented ensemble dance and sing their way through the tale. This is a story with a message – but also a highly entertaining, lively production which will chase away any blues which you may have accrued over the week. You can’t help but love these characters as they problem solve through music. Scott Pask’s scenic design sets just the right note for a teen prom in the hallowed halls of education; Natasha Katz’s lighting and Brian Ronan’s sound keep the action flowing. Music director Dean Balan makes sure that the rhythm gets into your blood. And let’s not forget about Ann Roth’s and Matthew Pachtman’s costumes, Josh Marquette’s hair design, and Milagros Medina-Cerdeira’s makeup design – which make the show a visual delight as the large cast twirls across the twinkling, ballooned stage.
THE PROM is a show which will appeal to all ages – and is definitely going to work well with teens and preteens – an audience which is often ignored by show biz talents. So feel free to bring the kids to the musical which entertains and enlightens at the same time.
THE PROM runs through September 11, 2022, with performances at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Sundays. There will be an additional 2 p.m. performance on Thursday, 9/8/22; there is no 6:30 p.m. performance on Sunday 9/11/22. The Ahmanson Theatre is located at the Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Tickets range from $40 to $145. For information and reservations, call 213-972-4400 or go online.
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