(CINCINNATI, Feb. 20, 2024) – Xavier University Theatre continues the 2023-24 season with its showstopping production of The Prom. The musical will run from March 22 through 24. The Prom features a book and lyrics by Chad Beguelin, book by Bob Martin and music by Matthew Sklar,
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 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. The result is love that brings them all together. Winner of the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical, The Prom expertly captures all the humor and heart of a classic musical comedy with a message that resonates with audiences now more than ever.
Darnell Pierre Benjamin, who directs the show, believes The Prom has a place in today’s world. He said, “Every person should have access to joy. Every person should have access to love. Every person should have access to community. The Prom has the potential to impact those who are queer, but my hope is that the show also impacts those who still have the potential to change for the better.”
Sophomore Brookelyn Duncan, who plays Dee Dee, echoes Benjamin’s sentiment of the show’s impact on the queer community. She said, “I personally love this show for so many reasons, one of which being that it’s a happy ending for the queer community. This is something we’ve been lacking a lot in years past, which is upsetting.”
First-year student Jamie Swisshelm, who plays Emma, also remarks on the timeliness of representation, saying, “The Prom is a wickedly funny, feel-good musical that makes great commentary on the struggles that queer people still face in the modern world. As a queer person myself, I’m honored to be part of bringing Emma’s story to life, because queer rights are an important topic in current society.”
Senior Renee Maloney, who stage manages the show, sums up the overall emotional impact of the story by saying, “The Prom is about fighting for what is right and making a place for yourself in a world that tells you repeatedly that you don’t have a place, that you are an outsider, that you are different and that that is a bad thing. The Prom focuses on changing that narrative, exemplifying differences, and making it clear that there is a place for everyone in this world.”
“The Prom is an uplifting and timely story,” said Stephen Skiles, Director of Theatre. “I am thrilled to have Darnell Pierre Benjamin here to lead the show. He is a dynamic director, actor, choreographer and activist in our region, and I’m excited our students are learning from him, and our audiences have the opportunity to be engaged by his work. It is a perfect collaboration.”
The cast includes seniors Grace Caccavari (Mrs. Greene), Anthony Frederickson (Barry), Andrew Normington (Nick) and Alexis Pinto (Alyssa); juniors Tate Clemons (Angie), Kate Crisp (Kaylee) and Richie Pokrywka (Mr. Hawkins); sophomores James Ciccarelle (Kevin), Duncan (Dee Dee), Leo Jenkins (Trent) and Hannah Richardson (Shelby); and first-years Cohen Rice (Sheldon) and Swisshelm (Emma).
The show is directed by Benjamin and music directed by Erin McCamley. The design team includes Joe Leonard (technical director), David Ferguson (set designer), Joe Beumer (lighting designer), Jason Sebastian (sound designer), George Sarofeen (costume designer) and junior Maria Zierolf, sophomore Jayley Sams and first-year Julianne Schultz (props designers). Stephen Skiles acts as producer. The stage manager is Maloney, and the assistant stage managers are junior Reece Niederhausen and first-year Hannah Barbee.
Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. on March 22 and 23, as well as at 2 p.m. on March 23 and 24. Tickets are available now. They are $20 each for adults and $15 each for Xavier students, faculty and staff. To purchase tickets, visit https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/76147.
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