Musical ‘The Prom’ Opens At Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre

It tells the story of Emma, who receives national attention after her small town Indiana high school cancels the prom instead of allowing her and her girlfriend to attend. Some fading Broadway stars rush to the small Indiana town, but it’s more than a display of activism ─ they are trying to get their moment in the spotlight.

“Throughout the show, we play with the idea of ignorance,” said Bob Martin, one of the creators of the show. Along with the town’s ignorance and prejudice against the lesbian teens, the Broadway stars show their own ignorance of small town culture. Martin continued, “They are imposing their point of view on a culture, and it disrupts everything.”

“The Prom” itself is studded with Tony-winning Broadway talent from actors to the director, and the creators hope to get the musical on Broadway. Here in Atlanta, they have three weeks of previews so that they can get feedback on the show.

“The great thing about coming to Atlanta is that we’ve learned very quickly how savvy the audiences are,” said creator Chad Beguelin. “We’re here to listen, to see what’s working, what isn’t working. It’s about using this time and audience response, they are really a part of creating the show. So, it’s very important where you try out a new musical.”

“The Prom” opens previews Thursday night at the Alliance Theatre. The official opening is Sept. 7 and it runs through Sept. 25.