Photo Courtesy of Albuquerque Little Theatre

After an angry PTA bars Emma from bringing her same-sex date to her high school prom, her story crosses the path of a group of struggling Broadway actors in search of a cause, who decide to make it their mission to help her. From Emma and Alyssa's relationship to Dee Dee and Mr. Hawkins', The Prom is a story of romance and healing, highlighting the struggles faced by everyday people in America and those of celebrities, all with funny jokes and jazzy musical numbers.

Overall, the cast of this production do an excellent job. They work together very cohesively and make the show come together. Even with several roles being filled by understudies, the cast brought the story to life. Alex Harden, who played Trent at the performance I attended, fit the role incredibly well. His mannerisms and patterns of speech really convinced me that he was an ex-Juilliard and slightly pretentious theatre type. This was made even better by him clearly knowing all his lines and music, resulting in an excellent performance. Frankly I couldn't picture the role being filled by anyone else. On the musical side, Laurie Finnegan, who plays Dee Dee Allen, is phenomenal. Her musical abilities are amazing to listen to and really add a lot to the performance. The ensemble is also very talented. In particular, Rayne Baca is an excellent member of the ensemble. She visibly enjoys being on stage, and brings an air of excitement and energy that lit up the stage.

The set, designed by Ryan Jason Cook, consists of an extremely large number of intricate flats. This works well for the storyline, as the location in the story changes many times over the course of the show. The flats are very detailed, and really help establish the setting, from the posters and lights in Applebee's or Emma's room to the full bleachers in the gym scenes; they really help pull the audience in. The downside of these however, is that in the stretches when the sets were being changed, characters have to perform in front of a plain curtain, which is a stark contrast to the otherwise beautiful sets. The lighting, designed by Elias Braun, is also very well done. In particular, the use of the lighting on the proscenium gives the effect of a Broadway marquis and draws the audience in right from the beginning.

Overall, Devon Frieder's "The Prom" is a fun show, with lots of laughs, as well as heartfelt moments.

The Prom runs through February 9, 2025, at Albuquerque Little Theatre, 224 San Pasquale Ave SW, Albuquerque NM. For tickets and information, please visit albuquerquelittletheatre.org.