Review: THE PROM at Porthouse Theatre/Kent State University

Not only can truth be stranger than fiction, it also can create it!  A case in point is THE PROM, now on stage at Porthouse Theatre, the summer home of Kent State University’s musical theatre program.

In 2010, Constance McMillen was a senior at Itawamba Agricultural High School in Fulton, Mississippi. She had plans to bring her girlfriend to their senior prom.  She was banned from attending by the school board. McMillen challenged the board's decision.  The board then decided to cancel that year's senior prom.

McMillen and the ACLU sued her school district.  A federal court found the District guilty of violating McMillen's First Amendment rights. 

That’s not the end of story.  The board eventually decided to allow McMillen to attend the prom, but the event, held at a local country club, was attended by only seven students.  Why?   Conservative parents had organized a separate prom, on the same night, for the rest of the students, making sure to keep the location secret to avoid media attention and “undesirables” from attending.

Here’s where the story gets really interesting.  “Celebrities—such as Green Day, Cat Cora, and Lance Bass—rallied together via social media to show their support for McMillen and helped sponsor a ‘Second-Chance’ prom, where McMillen and her girlfriend could attend without homophobic backlash.”

Yes, truth can be stranger than fiction.

Jack Viertel thought the tale would make a good story line for a musical.  Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin agreed with Viertel and wrote the book for a show, entitled, THE PROM.  Music by Matthew Sklar, with lyrics by Beguelin were added to script. 

The musical premiered on Broadway in October 2018.   That production had 309 regular performances.  Critics called it, "a joyful hoot,” and stated, that it had “a tuneful score, a playful book, and performances that remind you what Broadway heart and chutzpah are all about,” while another stated,” this cause celebre of a show turns out to be a joyous, funny, and sweet production." 

The Broadway production was nominated for six Tonys.  It won none, but was named Outstanding Musical by Drama Desk.

A film adaptation, was released on Netflix on December 11, 2020.
The national tour of THE PROM launched on November 2, 2021, at Playhouse Square in Cleveland.  My review’s capsule judgment of that production stated, “THE PROM is an old-fashioned musical which tells a contemporary tale with a moral.  The touring company gives a fresh, dynamic, fun and tune-filled performance that delighted the audience and got a well-deserved standing ovation.  Applause, Applause!”

“The musical opens on Broadway, where ELEANOR!: THE ELEANOR ROOSEVELT STORY is celebrating its opening night. The musical is bashed by The New York Times because the leading characters do not understand their characters since they are self-absorbed narcissists, resulting in the show closing on opening night. To improve their image, the actors decide to take up ‘a cause’ to appear selfless. They team up with two other actors.  

After searching on Twitter, they find Emma, a teenager from Indiana whose prom was cancelled by the Parent-Teacher Association because she wanted to bring her girlfriend. Seeing the opportunity, and some personal connection, the actors decide to go to Indiana to help.”
 
And, thus we enter in a rockling tale of self-centeredness, ego, conflict, parental misguided actions, liberal and conservative counter-goals, mid-western small-town values, and a heart-warming ending (Kleenex’s required) when the two girls finally getting to “Dance With You” and share a kiss!
 
The Porthouse production, directed by Terri Kent, is nicely crafted.  The characters are clearly etched, the chorus actively involved, and the pacing was mood correct.
 
Lane LaVonne creates an Emma, the Lesbian who is at the center of the major conflict in the story, who is both sensitive yet strong.  They has a fine singing voice and moves well.  Their renditions of “Dance with Me” (the script’s anthem) and “Unruly Heart” were nicely interpreted.
 
Emma’s love interest, Alyssa, was effectively developed by Jocelyn Trimmer.  Though there could have been more real emotional connection between she and Lane LaVonne, her rendition of “Alyssa Greene” was one of the shows emotional highlights.
 
Eric van Barrs, the former Director of the School of Theatre and Dance at Kent State, took a break from retirement to do what he does best…perform audience-pleasing “schtick” as the egocentric Barry Glickman. His “Berry Is Going to Prom” was endearing.
 
Talking of playing “schtick,.” Sandra Montevideo, who is probably best known to local audiences as Sandra Emerick, was her dynamic self as Dee Dee Allen, the other half of the ego-centric duo that comes to Indiana to fake helping out the “lesbian girl,” but winds up learning a great deal about herself.
 
Amy Fritsche, who obviously has no physical flexibility issues, fills much of her stage-time doing high kicks as Angie Dickinson, whose only wish in life is to play Roxie in CHICAGO.”  She gets to do a master class in Bob Fosse’s Jazz Hands in “Jazz.”
 
That number, and all the rest of the dancing, is masterfully choreographed by Martin Céspedes.  Not only is Fosse’s influence present, but hip hop, contemporary gospel, golden age of Broadway, showcased.  Céspedes has the ability to take trained dancers and non-dancers and molding them into a cohesive unit of high-quality movements.  This production is a case in point.
 
Alexander Marr’s conducting wisely had the musicians underscoring rather than over-powering the performers, but, at times, a more rapid pace would have added to the show.
 
CAPSULE JUDGMENT:  As is the case with modern American musicals, THE PROM harks back to a Rodgers and Hammerstein-like social message of tolerance and the need to accept the beliefs and needs of others.  It is extremely relevant to today where the rights of sexual minorities, especially trans-individuals, is under both physical and political attack by right-wing bigots.  The Porthouse production, is well-conceived and brings to a conclusion a successful season.
 
THE PROM runs through August 6th.  For tickets go to www.kent.edu or call 330-672-3884.