Review: THE PROM Pulses with Heart at Ridgefield Theater Barn

 When I went with my wife Elyse and daughter Elissa to see Broadway musical The Prom in 2019, my expectations were middling. Yeah, I’m glad (I guess) that I went to my high school prom, which makes for a quaint teenage memory, but musical theater-wise I am spoiled by feasting on the far-ranging genius of Sondheim, so a whole musical about a prom? Meh.

 Well, long story short: we all loved the Broadway production, for its freshness, its cleverness, its breezy and at times potently poignant score, its timely message of social justice – all of which is packaged without sappy sentiment but with confident conviction and conscience. The Drama Desk Awards loved it too, naming it Best Musical of 2018.

 Returning to the show in its intimate incarnation at Ridgefield Theater Barn (RTB) in Connecticut, I knew what to expect from the material, and wondered how a scaled-down version would play. It didn’t take long after the overture to see that the cast and creative and tech crews at RTB certainly came to play. 

 They vigorously bring to life what is a well-crafted and altogether fun musical comedy, anchored by a very strong book and a score that’s light on its feet, featuring a solid front line of principal performers who bring it, guided by the polished direction of Debra Lee Failla. 

 The story follows a group of four fatuous (and, as they will tell you, fabulous) Broadway actors – led by over-the-top diva Dee Dee Allen (Marilyn Olsen) and divo Barry Glickman (Anthony Laszlo), along with relentlessly proud Juilliard alum Trent Oliver (Michael Valinoti) and high-kicking Bob Fosse chorine Angie Dickinson (Rachel Rosado), plus press agent Sheldon Saperstein (Zach Hudson). 

 The self-regarding dramaramas have hit a bad patch in their careers and need an All-American “cause” – an injustice that’s trending on social media that they can exploit for personal gain -- to reclaim their show biz street cred. 

 They have barnstormed their way from the boisterous Great White Way into the quietude of middle America, namely Edgewater, Indiana, where gay high schooler Emma Nolan (Audra James) is being bullied as the scapegoat for prom being canceled. 

 Led by the benighted and bigoted Mrs. Greene (Kristin Wahreheit), a group of PTA officials don’t want a lesbian at prom, but also don’t want to risk the legal fallout that would ensue if they disallowed her attending. Amping the high stakes is the clandestine romance between Emma and Alyssa Greene (Clara Sussman), who outwardly identifies as heterosexual, and who also, inconveniently, happens to be Mrs. Greene’s daughter. Serving as a kind of solo Greek chorus is level-headed high school principal Mr. Hawkins (Fred Rueck). 

 Authored with great flair by Chad Beguelin and Bob Martin (from a concept by Jack Viertel, inspired by a true story), the narrative is cleanly and shrewdly constructed to make its points about human kindness and unkindness without waxing preachy or self-righteous. 

 Rather, it is on the wings of wit and pleasantly wacky characterizations that the operative message is delivered, in one case with the revival meeting fervor of “Love Thy Neighbor,” led by the fun and funny antics of Michael Valinoti as genially goofy Trent Oliver. 

 Apart from having the requisite pipes, Audra James infuses Emma with a palpable pathos, and her scenes with Clara Sussman as her lover Alyssa resonate truthfully, a credit to them both. 

 As swanning DeeDee Allen, Marilyn Olsen belts numbers out of the park, and is a sly comic actor to boot. Opposite her is delightfully campy Anthony Laszlo as showy showman Barry Glickman, who befriends Emma, pouring out to her his heart of gold. Mr. Laszlo and Ms. Olsen form their own kind of dynamic duo, setting off sparks whenever they storm on stage. Their chemistry wouldn’t work as well if it lacked the musical comedy charm that both exude.  As Angie, Rachel Rosado is full of brass and sass and her dancing has all the right moves.

 Also noteworthy for his usual solid work is Fred Rueck, whose ramrod bearing and measured delivery as compassionate principal Mr. Hawkins inject a cool clarity to the noise swirling around him. 

 As the putative “villain of the piece,” in the person of overbearing PTA mom Mrs. Greene, Kristin Wahrheit conveys an uncomfortably believable steely resolve in refusing to back down from her closely-held convictions that dehumanize the LGBTQIA+ population. 

 The 10-person orchestra, led by John Failla (Music Direction and Sound Design), is in fine form, providing a continuous soundscape throughout the performance, with underscoring tying together the sung score. 

 Kudos to Costume Designer Markiss Jackson and Assistant Susan Salzberg for their top-flight work. A shout-out too to both the adult and student ensembles, who elevate the energy on stage with their vocal backup and the well-executed choreography of Bonnie Gregson.  Lighting Designer is the always illuminating Mark Hankla. 

 The score by Matthew Sklar, with lyrics by Chad Beguelin, is deftly balanced with a blend of genres. There are nice solo turns like “Just Breathe” for Emma, ballads like “Dance with You” for Emma and Alyssa, and “We Look to You” for Mr. Hawkins. The peppy “You Happened” sung by the female lovers and ensemble evokes bouncy bubblegum pop of the ‘60s. This score scores repeatedly with numbers that are catchy, like the uplifting “Zazz,” or throbbing with emotion, like “Tonight Belongs to You.”

 One take-away message of The Prom is that, when confronted with the bigotry of intolerance, marginalized human beings will win by mustering the courage to be themselves. Another lesson imparted is that even narcissists can find fulfillment and healing through selfless acts.  

 By the time the rousing finale (“It’s Time to Dance”) brings down the house, there’s enough redemption to go around for all concerned.

[This is a gentle note to theater companies that I am adding to all my reviews: In addition to featuring playwrights and directors in the marketing materials promoting your productions (especially one-act plays), please also acknowledge cast members by listing the actors’ names in the same materials. Doing so can help fill seats by those who recognize a familiar name and buy a ticket to see and support that person.]

   

  

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