It’s “Prom Season” at Wheelock Family Theatre
Exuberant, funny musical about a high school student who wants to invite her girlfriend to the prom packs an important message
It’s “Prom Season” at Wheelock Family Theatre
Exuberant, funny musical about a high school student who wants to invite her girlfriend to the prom packs an important message
This article was originally published in BU Today on May 21, 2025. By John O’Rourke
EXCERPT
Right now, teenagers across the country are gathering in school gyms, local halls, and country clubs for an annual rite of passage: the high school prom. At Wheelock Family Theatre, a similar scene plays out several days a week on stage as its season closes out with a production of The Prom, a big, brassy, often very funny musical that tackles important themes of acceptance and standing up for what you believe in.
With music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin, and book by Beguelin and Bob Martin, the show tells the story of a high school student named Emma who wants to invite her girlfriend, Allysa, to their senior prom. Her efforts meet opposition from a homophobic PTA. But then a group of New York actors—self-serving, but well-intentioned—come to Emma’s aid.
The musical was inspired by a real-life Mississippi teen who wanted to bring her girlfriend to their senior prom, but was banned from attending by the local school board. A number of prominent celebrities, among them actor and former NSYNC singer Lance Bass and the rock band Green Day, took to social media in support of the couple. The board eventually allowed the two to go to the prom, but only a handful of students attended.
Siri Manju (left) as Emma and Annie Parrinello as Alyssa, finally at the prom. Photo by Nile Scott
Nick Vargas, WFT’s executive director, says he knew as soon as he saw the show on Broadway that he wanted to stage it at WFT.
“The story is Wheelock,” he says. “It focuses on a young person who is standing up for who she is and what she believes in.”
Vargas says he hopes the play serves as a springboard for deeper conversations about important issues.
“I’ve found that when we produce shows like The Prom—productions that feature themes that are more specific, like sexual identity—we’re able to ignite conversations with our audiences that they might not otherwise have had,” he says. “These choices emphasize our commitment to approaching young people—all people for that matter—with respect and understanding that these types of storylines need to be shared. They can empower those who may not otherwise feel seen to know that their experiences matter.”
WILL YOU GO TO THE PROM WITH US?
Four eccentric Broadway stars are in desperate need of a new stage. So when they hear that trouble is brewing around a small-town prom, they know that it’s time to put a spotlight on the issue…and themselves. The town’s parents want to keep the high school dance on the straight and narrow—but when one student just wants to bring her girlfriend to prom, the entire town has a date with destiny. On a mission to transform lives, Broadway’s brassiest join forces with a courageous girl and the town’s citizens and the result is love that brings them all together.
The Prom runs through June 8 at Wheelock Family Theatre, 180 Riverway, Boston.
BU CONNECTIONS
Wheelock Family Theatre is proud to work with incredible talent from Boston University on their productions. Check out this list of BU alums who are involved in WFT’s production of The Prom!
- Music by Matthew Sklar (BUTI’90)
- Jolie Frazer-Madge (CFA’20) | Assistant Stage Manager
- Saskia Martinez (CFA’20) | Props Designer & Scenic Charge
- James Rotondo III (CFA’17,’24) | Scenic Designer
- Andrea Doane (CAS’76, Wheelock’79) | Pre-Show Audio Describer
- Takiyah Harris (CFA’24, Wheelock’28) | Director of Artistic Sign Language (DASL)