When the LGBTQ- themed “The Prom” held its world premiere at the Alliance Theatre in 2016, it received much attention, and a mere two years later it became a critically acclaimed 2018 Tony-nominated Broadway musical. It was also turned into a film with a cast including Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, and Ariana DeBose. For the first time since that initial bow, the show returns to the ATL this week via Out Front Theatre Company.
With a book by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin, music by Matthew Sklar, and lyrics by Beguelin, “The Prom” follows four Broadway stars, all in something of career slumps, who decide to visit Indiana in support of a teenage girl who has been told she cannot bring her girlfriend to her high school prom. Initially seeking press, the group eventually realizes there’s much more at stake. The musical is based on the real-life story of Constance McMillen in Fulton, Mississippi.
Out actress Wynne Kelly, who identifies as a lesbian, worked with Out Front on last season’s “Kinky Boots,” in which she played Lauren. Here, she plays the lead character of Emma, and the part speaks to her.
“I find it very important for myself to play a role in the telling of queer stories, as a queer woman myself,” she told Georgia Voice. “The story resonates with me personally. I grew up in a town that was small-minded, and I came out in high school. I was lucky to have super supportive parents, but there was some weirdness in the community, and I lost some friends. I identify with Emma’s struggle to be her authentic self in the space that she wants to call home.”
According to Kelly, Emma is dealing with a lot of pushback from the PTA and the other students. She represents the queer struggle in the United States, as well as resilience.
Emma also has to deal with bullying, says director Caty Bergmark, and the fact that she was kicked out of her home by her parents two years earlier and is living with her nurturing grandmother. She has had to deal with the loss of her parents, while her girlfriend Alyssa, a popular straight-A student and cheerleader, has not come out after a year and a half of dating, which contributes to Emma’s sense of isolation. Alyssa’s mother is the head of the PTA and wants to protect her daughter, but takes her concern out in what Bergmark says is a nonproductive and hurtful way.
The director is happy not only to see the show return to its local roots, but also to showcase a rare lesbian storyline.
“Bringing it back to Atlanta is a joy, and to do it at Out Front is such a special thing,” Bergmark said. “It is right in line with their mission. It’s also nice to have a musical about a young lesbian. There are so many musicals about gay men, and they are wonderful and I love them, but this is the first one I’ve gotten to work on that features a woman. That has been exciting. The show is also so important to the dialogue of the day.”
For Kelly, it’s an opportune time for the return of the musical, because of the political climate surrounding queerness in states, specifically people who identify as trans.
“There is a lot of anti-LGBTQ legislation that is happening around the country and the South specifically,” Kelly said. “With both the censorship of the arts and education and the suppression of queerness in the United States it’s a great time to re-introduce this story and also to highlight queer joy and queer love. I think there are a lot of stories that talk about the struggles of queerness. That is important, but there is a huge need to remind people that there are successes in the queer community at the same time as struggle and pain.”
Paul Conroy, founder and producing artistic director of the company, agrees that it’s the perfect time to program the musical.
“Bringing ‘The Prom’ back to Atlanta at this moment holds immense significance,” Conroy said. “Out Front Theatre Company has long been committed to uplifting LGBTQ voices, and ‘The Prom’ resonates with the struggles many queer individuals confront, particularly in light of the current wave of homophobic and transphobic legislation. We believe it’s of paramount importance to highlight the production’s themes of resilience, love, and hope, offering comfort and inspiration to our community.”
“The Prom” runs October 26 to November 11 at Out Front Theatre Company.