The Prom at PTC

I absolutely love the movie The Prom (I've lost track of how many times I've seen it) because it has an incredibly powerful and important message and it is also a sparkly love letter to theatre. As good as the movie is, I have always really wanted to see the stage musical upon which it is based so I was thrilled when PTC announced it as part of the 2022-2023 season! I've basically been waiting impatiently since then to see it and I finally had the chance last night. It was definitely worth the wait because it is one of the best shows I've seen this year! Down and out Broadway stars Dee Dee Allen (Anne Tolpegin) and Barry Glickman (Branch Woodman) are commiserating over the fact that their latest show has closed on opening night because the critics don't like them as people. They think the best way to resurrect their careers is to champion a cause to show the public that they care about something other than themselves. They hear about a girl named Emma Nolan (Celeste Rose) in Indiana who wants to attend her high school prom with her girlfriend Alyssa Greene (Mia Cherise Hall). Rather than allow this, Mrs. Greene (Erin Wilson), the head of the PTA, cancels the prom despite the support of the principal Tom Hawkins (Bernard Dotson). They decide to help Emma and are joined by Trent Oliver (Josh Adamson), an out of work actor who never fails to mention that he attended Juilliard, and Angie Dickinson (Wendy Waring), a chorus girl who has been the understudy for Roxie Hart for twenty years, on a bus for a non-union tour of Godspell headed to Indiana. They help get the prom reinstated for the good publicity but, when the situation becomes worse, they realize that they really care about helping Emma. I love every single song because they are all so impactful but my favorites are "We Look to You," because it is about the power of theatre, "Love Thy Neighbor," because it calls out the hypocrisy of believing that you are a good person when you hate and discriminate against those who are different from you (a particularly important message here in Utah right now), "Alyssa Greene," because it is about the courage to be who you really are, and "Unruly Heart," because it is about the freedom to love who you want. The choreography is joyful and exuberant, particularly the Fosse-inspired "Zazz" as well as "Tonight Belongs to You" and "It's Time to Dance" with the young and talented ensemble. Everyone in the main cast is absolutely perfect but I especially loved Tolpegin as a narcissistic Broadway diva and her rendition of "It's Not About Me" had me laughing out loud!  I was also really impressed with Rose and Woodman because their versions of "Unruly Heart" and "Barry Is Going to Prom," respectively, are really touching. All of the costumes are colorful and sparkly and the multiple sets are so much fun, particularly the high school gym decorated for the prom. I loved this show so much and I cannot say enough about it! I had a big smile on my face from beginning to end and I highly recommend it (tickets may be purchased here).