Arrays of sparkles shine across the auditorium stage while voices rise loud in harmony, bodies moving synchronously in a jazzy finish. The bright lights of Broadway and a high school prom took the stage with flair.
The Drama Society’s rendition of “The Prom,” running from Feb. 4 to 7, follows seventeen year old Emma Nolan (senior Elsa Pullano) in her fight to bring her girlfriend, Alyssa Greene (senior Abby O’Halloran) to Prom. While Emma contends with hostile classmates and a PTA president who would rather cancel prom than allow Emma to bring her girlfriend, four struggling Broadway actors try to save the day with press coverage and national attention.
The play opens with a conversation between the four actors, DeeDee Allen (senior Ellie Tytell), Barry Glickman (senior Sammy Lipton), Trent Oliver (senior Luke Garvey) and Angie Dickinson (sophomore Nadia Ruberg). As shown in the opening song, “Changing Lives,” their characters are wonderfully and dramatically portrayed as narcissistic, performative celebrities, making for a hilarious performance. Each actor clings onto their one hit wonders from years past and resolves to make “life affirming” change.
Barry and DeeDee bring consistent comedy, one notable moment being when they both unveil their custom-made “We are all lesbians” T-shirts. The big reveal takes place during Trent’s hilarious, original song, which is purposefully written terribly.
Overall, the show is quite humorous, with a wide range of comedy. There are the actors’ overdone personas that we all know a little too well with the country’s current celebrity culture, but there is also a simpler teenage sarcasm that fits perfectly in a high school drama production.
Pullano is particularly powerful in her performance, clearly demonstrating Emma’s burden of feeling different and alone in such a judgmental place. Pullano’s ability to portray feelings of anxiety, heartbreak and yearning so strongly in her songs and monologues is incredibly touching. This is especially clear in the musical’s turning points, when Emma is ditched at the prom or when she decides to share her story with the world in the slower, emotional song “Unruly Heart.” Pullano’s acting is very moving and showcases why she was chosen for the role.
Pullano’s skill is crucial to the high school production’s success. After all, “The Prom” may show off its humor, but its underlying message is incredibly important. Emma’s desire is not to be a symbol of inequality. Instead, she’s a normal girl who wants to take the person she likes to prom, like anyone else. The Broadway stars are forcing her to play a role she’s never wanted. “The Prom” shows that acceptance and love are really just about letting everybody live the life that makes them happy.
This message feels incredibly relevant in a time when LGBTQ+ love stories are being censored. The character of PTA mother Mrs. Greene (senior Daphne Jones), and the song “Love Thy Neighbor,” places a satirical emphasis on the hypocrisy of using the Bible to justify criticizing love. And of course, the placard protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a personal touch from the cast, was not missed by the audience.
The musical’s two love stories also explore the complexities of relationships. Of course, Emma and her girlfriend are an incredibly wholesome representation of teen romance, but Alyssa’s struggle to accept her own identity often gets in the way of her ability to show Emma true and public love. O’Halloran’s voice is truly captivating during her solo song, “Alyssa Greene.” It is satisfying to see her character overcome her fears with such bravery.
The second love story, more of a secondary storyline, is an unexpected match between DeeDee and the high school principal, Tom Hawkins (senior Ethan Bracha). Hawkins pushes DeeDee to overcome her celebrity ignorance and practice putting others before herself in an impressive display of character growth.
Though DeeDee and the other actors come on really strong at first, they each become incredibly lovable by the end. Barry and Angie end up serving as role models to Emma, providing another wholesome relationship. Angie teaches Emma how to “pizzazz up” her life through the fun kickline number “Zazz,” while Barry helps Emma get through losing family members after she comes out.
For fans of the 2020 movie adaptation, this rendition of “The Prom” surely does not disappoint. It is a wonderful performance produced by the Drama Society and their countless hours of hard work and it successfully combines moments of laughter, sadness and hope.
