Anne Tolpegin, Howard Kaye, Celeste Rose & More to Lead THE PROM at Pioneer Theatre Company

Pioneer Theatre Company will present the Utah Premiere of The Prom-the 7-time Tony-nominated musical from the team behind another PTC favorite: ELF The Musical. Having opened on Broadway in 2018, The Prom features music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin, and a book by Bob Martin and Beguelin, and is based on an original concept by Jack Viertel. The production is directed and choreographed by PTC Artistic Director Karen Azenberg and runs from May 12 through 27, 2023. The Prom is described as follows:

Four fading Broadway stars are in desperate need of a new stage. So when they hear that trouble is brewing around a small-town Indiana prom-and the press is involved-they know that it's time to put a spotlight on the issue...and themselves. The town's parents want to keep the dance on the straight and narrow-but when one student just wants to bring her girlfriend to prom, the entire town has a date with destiny. Now, Broadway's brassiest are coming to join the fight and they are ready to kick-ball-change the world.

"The Prom, with its feel-good message of love and acceptance, is exactly what our world needs right now," said Director/Choreographer Karen Azenberg. "PTC couldn't exist without the LGBTQIA+ community and I couldn't be more thrilled to bring such a celebration of diversity-not to mention a great musical-to Utah for the very first time, as Salt Lake City wasn't among the stops on the national tour. It will be a celebration for one and all."

CAST & CREATIVE

Returning to PTC are Anne Tolpegin* (Mrs. Lovett in PTC's Sweeney Todd, Les Miserables on Broadway) as Dee Dee Allen, and Ensemble members Lucy Anders* (Something Rotten! First National Tour), Kyle Caress* (Disney's Aladdin National Tour), Howard Kaye* (Broadway's Miss Saigon), Micki Martinez* (PTC's Something Rotten!), and JP Qualters* (Kinky Boots First National Tour). Lenny Daniel* (PTC's A Christmas Story, The Musical, Cats on Broadway) returns as Associate Director/Ensemble member.

Also returning are Jordan Cruz (PTC's ELF The Musical), Evan Latta (PTC's Hello, Dolly!), and Fynn White (PTC's Hello, Dolly!).

Making their PTC debuts are Josh Adamson* (General Hospital) as Trent Oliver, Bernard Dotson* (Ragtime, Original Broadway Cast) as Mr. Hawkins, Mia Cherise Hall* (Alter Ego on Fox) as Alyssa Greene, Celeste Rose* (We Are the Tigers, Off Broadway) as Emma Nolan, Wendy Waring* (Ulla in Broadway's The Producers) as Angie Dickinson, Utah resident Erin Wilson* (Wicked on Broadway/Tour) as Mrs. Greene, and Branch Woodman* (Broadway's The Music Man with Hugh Jackman) as Barry Glickman.

Also making their respective PTC debuts are Ensemble members Chelsea P. Freeman, Michael Hartman, Olivia Hellin, Jalen Michael Jones, Resa Mishina, Kennedy Perez, Lila Prince, Brynoch Rammell, Hannah Staudinger, and Weston Wright.

Joining Azenberg on the creative team are PTC alumni Musical Director/Conductor Phil Reno (Musical Director for Something Rotten!, ELF the Musical, and The Producers on Broadway), Scenic Designer Jo Winiarski (A Distinct Society), Lighting Designer David Neville (Chess), Sound Designer Aaron Hubbard (Putting It Together), PTC Resident Hair & Wig Designer Samantha M. Wootten, previously mentioned Associate Director Lenny Daniel*, Associate Musical Director Cullen Curth (Putting It Together), and Production Stage Manager Pamela Brusoski* (Stage Manager for over 40 productions at NYC's Irish Rep). Costumes are designed by Patrick Holt (PTC's Something Rotten!), who is also known as Tempest DuJour, a featured contestant on season seven of RuPaul's Drag Race.

The Prom runs from May 12 through 27 at the Simmons Memorial Pioneer Theatre. Tickets are available at PioneerTheatre.org or by calling PTC's Box Office at 801-581-6961.

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