'The Prom,' Now at Porthouse Theatre, is a High-Energy Breath of Raucous Fun

When a Broadway musical has an important message to deliver, you better get the hell out of the way. Because when stage glitz is weaponized for a good purpose, no one’s prejudices are safe anymore.

At least that’s what The Prom, now at the Porthouse Theatre at Blossom Music Center, is hoping for. This high-energy production directed with infectious spirit by Terri J. Kent is a mixture of low comedy, noble thoughts about LGBT tolerance and inclusion, and a lot of characters who’ve had their rough edges sanded off so they fit nice with each other.

The result is a mixture as well. It features the show’s proudly woke heart, one spot-on performance, and a couple gloriously over-the-top diva blasts. Those positives manage to surpass all the missed chances and unfortunate decisions by the core creative team of Matthew Sklar (music), Chad Beguelin (lyrics) and Bob Martin and Beguelin (book).

It all kicks off with a brief look at a bio-musical, “Eleanor,” that has just opened in NYC. The stars, Dee Dee Allen and Barry Glickman, are thrilled with their opener until the Times curb-stomps the show, closing it before they can order their first drinks at Sardi’s.

It’s a shame we don’t get to see a snatch of “Eleanor,” which could have been a hoot. The stars’ publicist pal Sheldon explains that the reason the show failed was because Dee Dee and Barry are “too self-involved to be likable,” conveniently ignoring all the successful performers who have never suffered a nanosecond for their narcissism.

Anyhow, the rejected thespians decide to look around for a social cause that they could hitch their fading stars onto, to raise their profile again. And they hear about a lesbian teenager in Indiana, Emma, who is being banned from attending the prom with her girlfriend Alyssa.

In a flash they get focused in the song “Changing Lives” as they trill their objective to alter the minds of those “fist-pumping, Bible-thumping, Spam-eating, cousin-humping, cow-tipping, shoulder-slumping, tea-bagging, Jesus-jumping losers and their in-bred wives.” Soon they’re off to the hinterland to rescue Emma from the clutches of Midwest bigotry and come off as heroes in the process. Trouble is, the comedic edge displayed in that first song isn’t sustained when they’re on site, bunking in a Motel 6-ish dump with (gasp!) no spa and forced to dine at Applebee’s.

While Dee Dee, Barry and friends are trading mostly stale one-liners referencing the theater and the gay communities, the other half of the plot emerges involving Emma (an excellent, evocative Lane LaVonne) and her gal pal Alyssa (equally adept Jocelyn Trimmer). While LaVonne and Trimmer create a believable space for their relationship, and each sings well, their songs (“Dance With You,” “You Happened”) feel flat and a bit denatured next to the activities of the visiting divas.

The star turns are handled with an exuberant lack of inhibition by Eric van Baars as “gay as a box of wigs” Barry and full-throated Sandra Montevideo as clueless Dee Dee (“I have to unlearn things like shoving and taking, and learn things like smiling and tipping.”) Indeed, Montevideo and van Baars give it their all, belting their songs and chewing the scenery with such relish they each likely require a giant post-show spool of theatrical floss to deal with the carnage.

The creators also dutifully provide songs for a few of the supporting players in the less invigorating second act, including “Zazz,” a Bob Fosse knock-off for Emma’s friend Angie (Amy Fritsche), “Love Thy Neighbor” a faux uplifting anthem for friend Trent (Morgan Thompson-Mills), and “Alyssa Greene” for Alyssa. Meanwhile, the humor loses its edge as it defaults into mid-range sitcom palaver.

The two halves of the plot make for an awkward match, undercutting its timely message. In truth, this play is probably more controversial now than when it opened just five years ago, thanks to the anti-empathy crusaders in various State congressional bodies who are determined to crush the LGB and especially T communities under their legislative heels.

So, it’s a good thing that The Prom is here, especially when guided by stellar professionals such as Kent, choreographer/artistic collaborator Martin Céspedés, and music director Alexandre Marr. It’s not perfect, but it’s a welcome breath of raucous fun and sanity in a world that may be spinning in another direction entirely.

The Prom
Through August 6 at Porthouse Theatre, Blossom Music Center Campus, 3143 O’Neil Road, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223, 330-672-3884, kent.edu/porthouse.

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