The Prom
Alliance Theatre
through September 25, 2016

Do you love great musical theatre? If so, you can stop reading this and call right now for your tickets to this world premiere of a musical that will surely go to Broadway and merit several Tonys.

Without going into some details that would give away all the twists in the plot, let me say that the story line by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin, deals with a high school girl in Indiana who wants to go to her prom, but not with a guy. And the ensuing story is about the homophobic idiots of the small town who feel a right to impose their standards upon all others, regardless of the fact that we’re all just people.

The score by Matthew Sklar with lyrics by Chad Beguelin is top quality, and the entire show exudes energy that can’t be beaten. A cast of winners has been brought to town including the riotous Beth Leavel as Dee Dee Allen, the stereotypical egocentric diva of flops, who would prefer to be on the walk of stars. Caitlin Kinnunen plays the young Emma, whose difficulties draw the attention of Dee Dee and her colleagues when they seek a way to generate some good press by doing good.

There is a cast of 26 players, every one of whom is superb. The choreography, costumes and great sets and props excite everybody in the house. We know how we want things to be resolved, but maybe there is more than one road to a destination. Courtenay Collins comes off as a local pain. She’d certainly vote for the guy with the weird hairdo, as she feels you may have a right to your opinion but you are wrong.

And on that point I have to say my opinion is that were this show to be judged on the usual 1 to 10 scale, it would be at least a 12. Go see it before you have to shell out a lot more money to see it in NYC, Boston or Frisco. It’s a winner. Thank you, Alliance, for presenting this one. More info and seats at AllianceTheatre.org