The cast of Wheelock Family Theatre’s The Prom taking a final bow. The show runs through June 8. Photo by Nile Scott

Theatre

It’s “Prom Season” at Wheelock Family Theatre

Exuberant, funny musical about a high school student who wants to invite her girlfriend to the prom packs an important message

Right now, teenagers across the country are gathering in school gyms, local halls, and country clubs for an annual rite of passage: the high school prom. At Wheelock Family Theatre, a similar scene plays out several days a week on stage as its season closes out with a production of The Prom, a big, brassy, often very funny musical that also tackles important themes of acceptance and standing up for what you believe in. 

The Prom debuted at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta in 2016 and opened on Broadway two years later, where it was nominated for six Tony Awards. (It was made into a film in 2021 starring Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Andrew Rannells, and Ariana DeBose.) 

With music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin, and book by Beguelin and Bob Martin, the show tells the story of a high school student named Emma who wants to invite her girlfriend, Alyssa, to their senior prom. Her efforts meet opposition from a homophobic PTA. But then a group of New York actors—self-serving, but well-intentioned—come to Emma’s aid. 

The Broadway characters are selfish, narcissistic, and, in the words of the show’s director, Larry Sousa, “as arch as the day is long.” He describes them as an eccentric bunch who “are blissfully unaware of what the rest of us can clearly see.” 

The musical was inspired by a real-life Mississippi teen who wanted to bring her girlfriend to their senior prom, but was banned from attending by the local school board. A number of prominent celebrities, among them actor and former NSYNC singer Lance Bass and the rock band Green Day, took to social media in support of the couple. The board eventually allowed the two to go to the prom, but only a handful of students attended. 

Nick Vargas, WFT’s executive director, says he knew as soon as he saw the show on Broadway that he wanted to stage it at WFT. 

“The story is Wheelock,” he says. “It focuses on a young person who is standing up for who she is and what she believes in.”

Vargas says he hopes the play serves as a springboard for deeper conversations about important issues.

“I’ve found that when we produce shows like The Prom—productions that feature themes that are more specific, like sexual identity—we’re able to ignite conversations with our audiences that they might not otherwise have had,” he says. “These choices emphasize our commitment to approaching young people—all people for that matter—with respect and understanding that these types of storylines need to be shared. They can empower those who may not otherwise feel seen to know that their experiences matter.” 

But The Prom is, above all, entertainment, featuring dazzling choreography, eye-popping costumes, and songs that are equal parts moving and show-stopping. 

The show marks Sousa’s inaugural debut as a director at WFT. He had previously choreographed The Addams Family and Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical for the theater. Vargas says he knew Sousa would be a good fit to helm the production because of his gift for finding new and exciting ways to work with an ensemble of performers to bring a story to life. 

For his part, Sousa jumped at the chance to direct a show that “has a lot of everything,” he says. “The biggest challenge has been to address the many artistic and technical needs of the show in the relatively small amount of rehearsal time we have.” 

He says his cast, especially high school juniors Siri Manju, who stars as Emma, and Annie Parrinello, as Alyssa, is exceptional. And watching both actors during their auditions, he found that he could easily imagine them as the young couple at the heart of the show.

“I want actors to bring their authentic, idiosyncratic selves into the audition process and to explore with us,” Sousa says. “Siri and Annie did just that. They brought Emma and Alyssa to life in their own fresh, magical, unaffected ways.”

The biggest challenge playing Emma, Manju says, has been channeling some of the character’s courage. “I know if I was in her situation, I would definitely not have been brave enough to share my story with so many people,” she says.

Parinello has found that throughout the audition and rehearsal process, she’s connected with aspects of her character: “I think a lot of people understand what it’s like to feel pressure to hide parts of themselves. Alyssa’s story felt really relatable to me.” 

Both actors were drawn to the musical’s message of accepting people for who they are, especially at a time when rights for members of the LGBTQIA+ community are under threat. 

“The heart of the show is about accepting others and accepting yourself,” Parrinello says. “That’s something I think a lot of people, especially high schoolers, really need to hear right now. It’s easy to feel alone or like you’re the only one going through something. I think this show reminds us that everyone has things they are dealing with that other people don’t know about and that when you stop hiding and let yourself be seen, it gives other people permission to do the same.”

Sousa hopes that audiences leave the theater having been both entertained and inspired.

“I hope our young audiences see themselves in the show and love who they see, and I hope our adult audiences come away with a renewed sense of appreciation for the smart young people in their lives,” he says. “I hope everyone comes away feeling invigorated and motivated to champion fairness, representation, and true equality.”

The Prom runs through June 8 at Wheelock Family Theatre, 180 Riverway, Boston. Performances are Friday, May 23, at 7:30 pm; Saturday, May 24, at 2 and 7:30 pm; Sunday, May 25, at 2 pm; Friday, May 30, at 7:30 pm; Saturday, May 31, at 2 and 7:30 pm; Sunday, June 1, at 2 pm; Friday, June 6, at 7:30 pm; Saturday, June 7, at 2 and 7:30 pm; and Sunday, June 8, at 2 pm. Ticket prices range from $26 to $52. BU students can purchase $15 tickets to any performance using the code “College.” Faculty and staff receive a 20 percent discount off full price tickets with the code “BUStaff.” 

Purchase tickets here, call 617-353-3001, or email WFTtix@bu.edu. ASL and AD performances are Sunday, June 1, at 2 pm, and Friday, June 6, at 7:30 pm. The production is recommended for ages 8+.