Wednesday, March 13, 2019

If You Did Not Go To Your Prom In High School, Go To This One, Instead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


                                        The best proms I have been to, have been on film.   Like the cataclysm created by "Carrie," in 1976, 2002, or 2013--take your pick!!!!!!!!!!!!  Or how about the one in the 1980 Jamie Lee Curtis classic, "Prom Night," where Lou's severed head rolls out to the runway of the dance floor, after the kids have been singing the song classic, "Prom Night!  Everything is all right!"

                                          I never went to my high school prom, because it wasn't that big a deal.  Only the jocks and jockettes went to such an event, and even if I wanted to, I would have to go with someone who was as equally a loser as I was back then, and I had a better sense of myself to not succumb to that.  It would be like advertising our future as Permanent Spinsterhood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             Which did not turn out to be the case!

                                               "The Prom" is more clever than one might expect.  It has two powerhouses, Christopher Sieber, and Beth Leavel.  They form two of a group of narcissistic New York actors (the others being Brooks Ashmanskas and Angie Schworer) who head out to Indiana to help a discriminated girl, named Emma (Caitlin Kinnunen, with a powerhouse voice!!!!!!!!!!) go the prom with her choice--Alyssa Greene (Isabella McCalla) who not only has sexual orientation issues, her mother is the PTA President, and resident town bitch, so how can she go up against her?  There were times I felt angry at Alyssa, but then I thought back to the age, and remembered the traps all of us were caught in then, because of our age and minor status.

                                                  In unraveling this sticky situation, a series of whirlwind, energetic song and dance numbers follow, staged by Casey Nicholaw, who keeps the show moving at a breakneck pace.  Courtenay Collins does admirable bitch service as Mrs. Greene, who gets a comeuppance of sorts--remember, this is still a lighthearted musical--and everyone, as should be in the fantasy world of musical theater, gets what they want.

                                                    "The Prom" is also very clever in how it references musical theater--from "Carrie," to "Hairspray," with digs at Lin Manuel Miranda, 'Fiddler,' and others.  It is a harmless fun, evening.  With the lush sounds of a full orchestra, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                         "The Prom" may not be a classic, like 'Merrily.'  But the dynamism of this production puts Fiasco to shame.  They should look in and see how it is REALLY done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                            And teens out there, if you don't get invited to your prom this year, fuck them all, and go to this one, instead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                              You will have a better time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2 comments:

  1. No proms for me, I was on the outside looking in.
    It didn’t occur to me that it was even a possibility for someone like myself

    ReplyDelete

  2. Victoria,

    Same here. I was not
    the prom type, but I
    envied those who were.

    Though now I do wonder--
    did they really have as good
    a time in high school as I
    thought?

    ReplyDelete