“It’s a story with a lot of heart.”
At least, that is what I was told about “The Prom,” the winter play put on by the TP Players in February. That is how Zoe Huang (12), student director, and Marinee Payne, who teaches Acting, Drama Production, the History of Costume Design and directs this play, described the production.
I did not know how true that was until I went and saw it for myself.
Emma Nolan, played by Ryn Merson (10), is a girl from a small town in Indiana who happens to be lesbian. In the heartbreaking solo “Just Breathe,” Merson sings the line “note to self: don’t be gay in Indiana.” Coupled with her fantastic voice, this song managed to be both melancholic and a little bit amusing as she sings about her experience trying to take a girl to prom, only to receive so much pushback from the conservative community that the prom was canceled. Meanwhile, a group of narcissistic Broadway actors whose last show tanked search for a cause to support — one they find in Emma.
Two separate, simultaneous conversations took place on stage throughout the performance. On one side, Emma said to Principal Hawkins, played by Lyric Hutchinson (12), that she did not “want this to be a big thing.” On the other side, the Broadway actors collectively agreed that helping Emma to go to prom was “going to be the biggest thing that Indiana has ever seen.”
Moments like this one added some much-needed comedic relief embedded throughout the show, truly elevating the performance.
As the lights dimmed, Dee Dee Allen, played by Raisa Tuerxun (12), and Barry Glickman, played by Nolan Greer (12), took the stage. Tuerxun’s powerful voice immediately captured the audience. With 11 years as a choral singer under her belt, Tuerxun was made to be in this musical.
“I’ve always been a music person,” Tuerxun said. “This is one of my first times being part of a theater production … it was really hard for me to get into character at first but [Payne] offered me a lot of help during this process. She would say something that was kind of funny but also it really did help. She would say ‘Raisa, you’re not playing someone who is a narcissist, you are a narcissist.’ She really instills the idea that we’re not playing someone, we are living their life and embodying everything that person is going through.”
Emma’s love interest, Alyssa Greene, played by Liv Weaver (12) is, ironically, the daughter of the PTA mom who advocated for the prom to be canceled. Played by Daniela Kiguelman (10), Mrs. Greene embodies the stereotypical “Karen” mom. Kiguelman did a fantastic job embodying this character, from her suit down to her high-heeled shoes.
One of Huang’s biggest goals for this production was helping the actors feel more at ease on stage — something that she evidently succeeded in, as anyone who watched the play would agree.
“I think my biggest success has definitely been being able to help our actors be more confident and comfortable on stage and really just having everyone come together and be a community in [the] way that the show emphasizes,” Huang said. “I think that is my biggest success as a director.”
This comfort on stage became especially clear, as the actors included witty humor throughout that felt exceptionally natural. One-liners such as “Take that Lin Manuel Miranda” and “Bigotry is not big of me, not big of you” kept the audience cracking up all throughout the performance.
When two proms were organized, one for Emma and one for everyone else, the audience was devastated as the lights signaled intermission.
Each night, Payne watched proudly from the audience.
“I’ve watched them grow,” Payne said. “I’ve watched them be hesitant and not sure of themselves to actually embracing their characters and living in the moment so it looks like everything comes from their heart and soul. That’s what this show is all about anyway, heart and soul. It’s been so exciting. I’ve loved coming to rehearsal every day. I love coming to the shows every night. I watch them and when they hit certain things, I sit there and cry because they’re so wonderful. They’re just such a gift.”
After the heartbreak that ensued when Emma arrived at an empty gym for prom, an energizing song called “Zazz” was just what Emma needed. One of the narcissistic Broadway stars, Angie Dickinson, played by Sevey Morten (11), worked to cheer Emma up and encourage her to share her story with the world. At the same time, these stars seemed less narcissistic, becoming genuinely invested in Emma’s life.
Angie’s fellow Broadway star Trent Oliver, played by Stanley McInnis (11), worked to bridge the divide between the close-minded Indiana students and theater lovers like himself who support people being their true selves. In the song “Love Thy Neighbor,” Trent wittily explained how the Bible was not a good enough reason to reject someone for not being straight. One particular highlight of the song was witnessing Greer’s tambourine performance, complete with impressive choreography.
For Payne, that was one of the biggest successes of the show.
“It’s not my success, but I think the biggest success is Sofia [Renwick’s] (11) choreography and watching her create the choreography, watching her teach the choreography and then watching the students dancing as she has instructed them to do,” Payne said.
As the two-and-a-half-hour play began to wrap up, Emma and Alyssa broke up, to the dismay of the audience, when Alyssa was not ready to go public with their relationship. Emma also turned to the internet to share a song about her struggle as a queer kid in Indiana, trying to go to prom. Her fantastic high note at the end of the song gave me chills.
Weaver’s clear voice was a standout in both her solo songs and in combination with Merson’s. After the Broadway stars generously paid for a second prom, Alyssa came out following a standoff with her mom and those who had supported Emma all along. Emma at last got her prom, her date and even a kiss.
They told me it was a play with a lot of heart. That could not have been more true.
