I was lucky enough to see the show and I absolutely agree with the positive sentiments of this show. It is a really, really special musical that we are lucky to have on Broadway right now.
I went in not knowing too much, and was texting all my friends to buy their tickets NOW by intermission. I haven't seen a show with as many layers as The Prom on a Broadway stage in so long - they are tackling the issues of celebrity, politics, selfishness, intolerance - all while keeping you laughing and tugging at your heartstrings in a clever, engaging way. It allows you to escape into another world, one that we love so much as theater-goers, where the characters just burst into song, while also reminding you about the issues that we are facing in reality. This is what I think theater should do, and The Prom does it beautifully.
It is a love letter to Broadway, from a Godspell-inspired number to Beth Leavel's character giving you a final note that is a hysterical mix between the final notes of Rose's Turn and And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going. I found myself laughing throughout - it is silly and chaotic at points, and all you can do is giggle and be delighted. It is also VERY smart in its humor, sometimes almost too smart for a regular audience. The dancing is so fun and infectious and stays true to the tone/world of the show. Also something that stood out to me, strangely enough, was the overture - it perfectly sets you up for the ride you are about to go on - rock with a pop, a little quirky in its sound, and so, so good.
This is such a relevant show right now with all the intolerance happening right now. Also, something I feel like we don't realize in the Broadway community enough - theres a certain urgency to support a show like this. If we do not show producers, writers, directors, lyricists that we WANT to see a show we two gay leads, we won't see it again any time soon.I know that if I had a show like this when I was growing up, I would feel less alone and feel represented, and we need to support it for generations to come.