Music by Matthew Sklar
Lyrics by Chad Beguelin
Book by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin
Directed & Choreographed by Steve Pacek
Music Direction by Matthew Stern

The Prom is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide 1180 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 640, New York, NY 10036. www.theatricalrights.com

TIME/SETTING

Modern day New York City and Edgewater, Indiana.

DATES

February 27 - March 1 @ 8pm, and March 5 - 7 @ 8pm March 1 & 8 at 2pm. The Forum Theater in the Radio and Television Building, 35 South College Street, Athens OH 45701

Talk-back after the shows on Saturday, March 1 (8pm) & Thursday, March 6 (8pm).

There will be an American Sign Language interpreted performance on Thursday, March 6 (8pm).

TICKETS

Free student rush tickets for Ohio University students with a valid OU ID will be available at the venue for every performance provided the performance is not sold out.

SYNOPSIS

Four eccentric, and washed-up Broadway stars are in desperate need of a new stage. So when they hear that a small midwestern town is the backdrop for a heated debate around a brave high school student who simply wants to bring her girlfriend to prom, they decide to put a spotlight on the issue...and themselves.

DRAMATURGICAL NOTE

Stepping on Toes at the Prom 

Going to Prom is a classic American experience. With the dresses, corsages, ached faces, and badly catered food, it’s almost a rite of passage for high schoolers. At this point, it’s not a high school movie without a prom scene, and everyone knows the familiar beats. The process of getting up the nerve to ask their crushes and have a dance or two with them. The agonizing over what to wear and hoping that no one else will wear the same dress as them. The seemingly more and more elaborate promposals going viral on TikTok each year. It’s a lot of anxiety and nerves for a night of fun and glitter before adult life starts to knock on the door. 

The Prom focuses on Emma, a lesbian who wishes to take her girlfriend to her high school’s prom. Emma’s story is based on real-life LGBTQIA+ advocate Constance McMillen. In 2010, McMillen was a senior at Itawamba Agricultural County High School in Mississippi. Like many high school seniors, she wanted to take her girlfriend to the prom and wear what made her feel the best. However, the school board said “no” and went so far as to cancel the entire dance to avoid both her attending the prom and her subsequent legal action. McMillen, with the help of the ACLU, originally sued her school district for only a dollar. But because she had to move schools due to the discrimination and harassment she faced from her fellow students, she eventually sued her school district for $35,000. Constance won her court case and the school’s decision ended up costing the school district’s taxpayers over $100,000. Constance’s bravery helped both her and her future peers, as the school district agreed to implement a policy that “prohibited future discrimination of gender or sexual orientation” as part of the settlement. 

In The Prom: the Musical, Emma’s journey is similar to McMillen’s. She wants to bring her girlfriend to the prom, she is being harassed by her fellow classmates, and she has become the center of a media frenzy. But Emma doesn’t want to be a symbol. She just is a girl in love who wants the chance to dance with her girlfriend.  Instead, her life is flipped upside-down when everyone starts fighting her fight. Some of Emma’s “help” comes in the form of four bumbling, washed-up New York theater actors who wish to regain fame and notoriety after their careers all waned and have taken their respective downturns. To get back in the spotlight, these stars take it upon themselves to be the "voices” (and do they have voices) of Emma’s story. Hollywood and the theater love to paint themselves as the “champions” against oppression but often fail to fully self-reflect on how their actions might affect the people they claim to accept and love. And despite the fact their fumbling attempts and hijinks are often quite humorous within the world of the play, they ultimately end up silencing Emma within her fight and her own story.  

Tantrum Theater is proud to present The Prom: The Musical as it’s a story where no one is always in the right, and it invites us all to laugh at ourselves regardless of who we most agree with on stage. Everyone makes a fool of themselves and has their lesson to learn, and that’s one thing we all experienced (both on and off the dance floor). But it’s in Emma that the musical finds its hope. Because despite all of this, Emma finds the courage to share her own “unruly heart” and encourages others to do the same. She shows the world, that her love is not scary or wrong, it’s just love. Love is perhaps the most natural human emotion. Emma shows the world her heart and by doing that she shows that living truthfully as one's most authentic self is truly the way to change the world.  

Sarah Dykhuizen, Dramaturg

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Tantrum Theater, acknowledges that we perform on traditional homelands of the Shawnee people, as well as the Wahzhazhe (who are also known as the Osage). 

 

A Season of Love and Rebellion

Dear Friends,

Tantrum Theater is thrilled to continue our season with a big-hearted musical celebrating love and rebellion!

Last semester, Tantrum delighted audiences with Kate Hamill’s innovative reimagining of Pride and Prejudice. This exuberant adaptation breathes new life into Jane Austen’s greatest love story, highlighting the absurdities and exhilarations of searching for that perfect match. Elizabeth Bennet’s journey reminds us of the courage it takes to remain true to ourselves, even in the face of societal expectations.

Now, we turn our attention to a musical with widespread acclaim: The Prom. It is a powerful story about bravery, acceptance, and the ongoing fight for equality, with a perfect mix of heart and humor.

The Prom cleverly wields comedy as both shield and sword. Its disarming humor and sharp wit cut through ignorance and bigotry, offering astute commentary on the absurdity of intolerance. The musical boldly exposes societal contradictions and injustices without losing its entertaining edge.

Yet, beneath all the laughter lies a story of profound resilience. The Prom centers on characters who are unapologetically themselves, even when the world pushes back. It celebrates the courage it takes to be true to yourself—whether that involves coming out, standing up for others, or simply embracing your own imperfections. It reminds us that the path to acceptance is rarely easy, but it is always worth the struggle. With its infectious energy, The Prom delivers a message that is both timeless and urgently relevant: that love, in all its forms, deserves to be celebrated.

As we conclude our season, we invite you to join us in celebrating love and rebellion, and to be inspired by the courageous acts unfolding on our stage. Both Pride & Prejudice and The Prom, told with heart, humor, and a little bit of sparkle—remind us, as Maya Angelou once said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

Ellie Clark [she/her] Artistic Director

Roberto Di Donato Producing Director

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

Tantrum Theater is proud to have the support from the following sponsors, without whose support, this performance would not have been possible: The National Endowment for the Arts , The Ohio Arts Council, Ohio Humanities, College of Fine Arts Community Fund

HOW TO REACH US

Tantrum Theater 

19 South College Street

1 Ohio University

Athens, Ohio  45701

740.593.4818

Email: [email protected]

FIRE NOTICE

Illuminated signs above each door indicate
emergency exits. Please check for the nearest
exit. In the event of an emergency, you will be
notified by theater personnel and assisted in
the evacuation of the building.

SEATING POLICY 

Everyone must have a ticket. Sorry, no
children in arms or on laps. Patrons who
leave the theater during the performance
will be reseated at the discretion of house
management. Those who become disruptive
will be asked to leave the theater.

ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES

The Forum Theater is fully accessible to those with mobility issues.
When booking tickets, please let our Box
Office know if you require a ticket that will
accommodate a wheelchair. Please call Ledger
Free, Director of Audience Services, at 917-
733-0081 if you need any assistance during
your visit. We are here to help you!