Courtesy of Sean Elliot
Connecticut College is going to “The Prom!” On February 28 to March 2, 2025, audiences laughed, sobbed and seethed alongside the cast of this school-dance-named musical; waltzing in step as an eclectic range of characters grappled with activism, love, fame, religion, high school, and queerness in 21st century rural America.
Set in small town Indiana, “The Prom” tells the story of Emma Nolan, a lesbian high school student prevented from bringing her girlfriend to prom due to the small-minded views of the town’s Parent Teacher Association. A whirlwind plot unfolds when four narcissistic Broadway actors catch wind of Emma’s story after facing a storm of negative publicity. Hoping to shake their selfish reputations, the self-proclaimed “Liberal Democrat” quartet travel to Indiana in an attempt to grab positive press attention through blunt protest of the PTA’s bigoted actions. After a series of misguided attempts to rectify the situation, the four celebrities ultimately discover genuine care for both Emma and one another, slowly encouraging the town to forgo their outdated, hypocritical views in favor of progress and acceptance.
The show featured a large cast of 21 students as well as a primarily student-comprised live orchestra consisting of 16 musicians on a variety of instruments. Connecticut College undergraduates also contributed to the behind-the-scenes efforts required for successful staging of this massive production—including lights, costumes, props, hair and makeup, sound, stage management, and assistant choreography. Faculty spanning the Connecticut College Theater, Music, and Dance departments collaborated to helm creative, musical and choreographic direction, while local high schoolers from both New London Visual and Performing Arts Dance Ensemble, and from East Lyme High School Drama Club joined in the ensemble, generating a cross-age sense of energy and excitement evident throughout the performance.
While all students involved did an admirable job conveying the complexities of their respective characters, Jo Duckett ‘25 particularly shined in the role of Dee Dee Allen, showcasing her wide emotional range and story narrative whilst belting out tune after tune in a clear, resonant voice. Duckett’s rendition of “The Lady’s Improving” proved to be especially moving, managing to simultaneously spotlight both the vulnerabilities and fun-loving side of this larger than life character. On-stage chemistry was palpable between Dee Dee and fictional love interest Mr. Hawkins (played by Ryan Brearley ‘28), fueling a sweet, believable romance easy to root for as Dee Dee slowly but surely learns to “be a good person.”
Similarly, Katie Caviness ‘25 and Tori Rich ‘28 were excellently received as Emma Nolan and Alyssa Greene, respectively, contrasting emotional tug-of-war with melancholy-yet-hopeful musical tones throughout songs such as “Just Breathe,” “Alyssa Greene,” and “Unruly Heart.” Cheers erupted from audience members when the pair at last kissed during the closing number, a culmination of the release of tension finally freed from secrecy.
Connecticut College thespians undeniably stole the show, but it would be remiss not to mention the fabulous, professional quality set design bringing “The Prom’s” locales to life. Though the whole of the carefully-built background is deserving of praise, its most notable creation was the towering video screen playing real messages in the background of “Unruly Heart.” According to the program, each clip was sent in ahead of time by those wishing to “celebrate queer love”—a heartwarming crossover grounding the play’s fictional world in reality.
Speaking of reality, many within the cast too found significance regarding the script’s applicability to their personal lives. “I first saw “The Prom” at 12 years old and it changed my life,” shares Allie Ziegler, who skillfully played the ‘zazzy’ role of actor Angie Dickinson. “I never realized how important it was for me to see queer representation in my favorite form of media until I did. The awe I felt after I saw that production is one of the reasons I do theater today!”
Indeed, “The Prom’s” message of acceptance could not have graced the stage of Palmer Auditorium at a more fitting moment, meaning all involved prioritized time to engage with the show’s modern-day pertinence. “During our run, the Theater Department was lucky enough to display a portion of the historic AIDS quilt in Studio 118 (right next to Palmer Auditorium),” divulged Ziegler. “On opening night, the whole cast and crew went to see the quilt together. It was a really powerful and difficult moment, and it gave us an important reminder about how “The Prom” fits into the context of LGBTQIA+ history.”
Perhaps taking cues from these historical patterns—or perhaps a bit psychic—director Ginny Anderson chose “The Prom” nearly a year in advance of its eventual run. “[Anderson] had a feeling it would be extra relevant in 2025, and she was right,” Ziegler revealed. “This show is so important to perform, especially in today’s current political climate, and that’s something we kept in conversation throughout the rehearsal process. We discussed what the show meant to us individually and as a collective, as well as what it meant for broader society.”
It comes as no surprise, then, that in spite of its undeniable entertainment value, Ziegler hopes patrons came away from “The Prom” feeling more than merely enraptured in escapism for a couple of hours. “Queer voices are being silenced in the US, and we wanted to use this opportunity to promote queer expression and queer JOY.”
