I Just Wanna Dance With You!

The Prom – Broadway in Chicago

So much praise needs to be heaped upon this glitzy, glittery, relatively new Broadway show that’ll put a huge smile on every audience member’s face within the first few moments; then, except during a couple of genuinely heartfelt scenes that evoke a few tears, keep that smile growing into full, laugh-out-loud joy for the entire production. This show is all that and a gardenia corsage! It’s so incredibly jubilant and upbeat. It’s a musical filled with memorable, toe-tapping songs and eye-popping choreography, all executed by a gifted cast of triple threats who seem so real and personable that you’d just like to take them home with you. As the finale says, “It’s Time to Dance!”

The musical’s plot is inspired by a real life occurrence that took place twelve years ago in Mississippi. Constance was a gay high school student who just wanted to bring her girlfriend to the prom. She planned to wear a tuxedo and make it a memorable, romantic evening for both of them. However, when the school board heard about this, they banned Constance from attending the dance. The teenager challenged the decision of the school board, so they responded by cancelling the senior prom entirely. When the ACLU provided their clout, and the school was threatened with a lawsuit, the prom was grudgingly reinstated. However, only seven students attended this dance because a group of parents decided to hold another secret prom for their kids in a private location. This hurtful, discriminatory act inspired a barrage of retaliation by several celebrities, creating a world-wide controversy over America’s homophobia and the importance of LGBT+ rights.

Witty and talented theatre wordsmith, Bob Martin (“The Drowsy Chaperone,” “Elf, the Musical”) teamed up with his “Elf” book and lyric writer, Chad Beguelin (“Aladdin”) and composer and vocal arranger, Matthew Sklar (“The Wedding Singer”) to adapt this newsworthy incident into a musical comedy about the right to be whoever you are. It’s a show whose time has come and it should be seen, heard and enjoyed by everyone. 

The story is primarily set in a tiny, conservative Hoosier town called Edgewater, but it opens in New York City. We find ourselves among the throng at Sardi’s Restaurant during a big, splashy opening night party. The stars of “Eleanor!” a new musical about the Roosevelts, await their reviews only to learn that the show is a flop. Beyond that, Dee Dee Allen, portrayed by the marvelous Courtney Balan, looking and sounding like a bombastic Bette Midler, and her irrepressible gay costar, Barry Glickman, played with manic glee by the wonderful Patrick Wetzel, discover the bitter truth. Everyone on Broadway dislikes these two actors. They consider Dee Dee and Barry to be egocentric, self-absorbed narcissists. The two actors are joined by their producer, Sheldon Saperstein (an effervescent Shavey Brown), aging Fosse chorine, Angie Dickinson (a fabulous Emily Borromeo) and Trent Oliver, a handsome, but needy, Juilliard graduate and New York actor, famous for his current TV sitcom. Together they decide to try to change the public’s jaded view of who they are deep inside.

After searching the internet for possible important enterprises and needs, the group runs across Emma, a lesbian high school student writing on Twitter that she’s been banned from her own senior prom because she’s gay. The five theatre folk decide this is a cause celebre they can all get behind. Banding together, they ride the tour bus to Indiana, with a non-Equity cast of “Godspell,” where the five Thespians attempt to bring their wit, money, star power and savvy New York chutzpa to help Emma attend the prom. It’s not as easy as they imagine.

Directed and Choreographed by the brilliant Tony Award-winner, Casey Nicholaw, this show dazzles and delights from the first notes of the overture, conducted by Music Director, Chris Gurr, and played with spunk and sparkle by his spot-on pit orchestra. Costumes were designed by Ann Roth and Matthew Pachtman, Hair Designs were created by Josh Marquette and Makeup Design is courtesy of Milagros Medina-Cerdeira. The easily-flowing Scenic Design comes from the imagination of Scott Pask, with Lighting and Sound Design by Natasha Katz and Brian Ronan, respectively. What each of these artists add to this production, both individually and collectively, has to be seen to be fully appreciated.

As Emma, lovely Kaden Kearney, who’s making her National Tour debut, is charming, charismatic and truly captivating. When this young actress is on the stage you can’t take your eyes off her. She’s so likable and engaging that you want to see her achieve everything good that life has to offer. And that includes winning over her girlfriend, Alyssa. Playing this delicate role of a teenager frightened to come out to her own mother (the superb actor/singer, Ashanti J’Aria, playing Mrs. Greene, the PTA President), and where she’s forced to walk both sides of the fence, in order to fit in with her high school peers, Kalyn West is a revelation. She and Ms Kearny have big, lovely smiles and such sincerely honest chemistry that you’ll find yourself cheering for their happiness. Both actors possess dynamic, show-stopping voices that caress each lyric and luxuriously bathe in every note. They also dance with so much enthusiasm and precision that you’ll wonder when and how they have time to breathe. These two young actors are the true stars of this production.

The hard-working young actor/singer/dancers who comprise the ensemble all make each and every song and fiery production number look and sound unbelievable and easy. But I’m here to tell you, these kids are just plain terrific at what they accomplish on this stage. Each chorus member has his or her individual moment to shine, but together they blend extraordinarily into a powerhouse of unified talent.

The show is full of wonderful songs. The actors at Sardi’s open the show musically bragging about how playing FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt is truly about “Changing Lives.” They’re about to find out there’s a lot more to it than appearing in a musical. Emma sings a marvelous ode to her own strength and courage, “Just Breathe;” and later Alyssa sings a gorgeous, heartfelt biographical ballad, “Alyssa Greene.” Emma leads the ensemble in the breathtaking, “Unruly Heart,” which is soon enjoyed by thousands of teenagers on the internet. Then together the two lovers treat us to the touching duet, “You Happened.” Keep your tissues handy!The more rousing numbers, “Dance With You,” “Tonight Belongs to You” and “It’s Time to Dance” are the heartbeat of this musical. Angie and Emma pair up to show us their jazz hands and Fosse moves in “Zazz.” Dee Dee becomes a whole new person as she belts out “The Lady’s Improving.” Trent inspires the high schoolers to think about their bigotry and prejudice against the LGBT+ community with the brisk and buoyant “Love Thy Neighbor.” And Barry Glickman finally gets to make his lifelong dream come true with “Barry Is Going to Prom.”

It’s a shame this sensational, stellar musical from 2018 won’t be in Chicago longer. It’s a play that should be experienced by everyone, both the young and young-at-heart. It’s particularly appropriate for those whose lives have been hurt by homophobic, small-minded, self-entitled individuals who feel the need to hurt others in order to make themselves feel important. To some folks, this story may seem hackneyed and trite. Unfortunately that’s because this story keeps playing out in real life. People just never seem to learn and change their judgmental attitudes. Hopefully, when the rights to produce this wonderful musical enable schools, regional and community theatres to create their own local productions, more people will empathize, adjust their attitudes and finally understand. In the meantime, put on your snazzy, sparkly prom duds, give your best guy or gal a nice corsage and welcome to a world where anything can happen. Listen to the bouncy, pulsating pop-rock music playing, put on your fancy dancing shoes and let’s cut a rug. Like everyone else in the audience, I just wanna dance with you!    

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented April 19-24 by Broadway in Chicago at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph, Chicago.

Tickets are available at all BIC box offices, at all Ticketmaster retail locations, by calling the Broadway in Chicago Ticket Line at 800-775-2000 or by going to www.BroadwayInChicago.com

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found at www.theatreinchicago.com.