The Broadway musical "The Prom" opens April 11th at the ASNMSU Center for the Arts. Scott Brocato talked with its director, Wil Kilroy, and musical director Sarah Neely about the production.
Scott Brocato:
Wil, let's start with you. Tell us what “The Prom” is about. Now, it’s based loosely on a true story?
Wil Kilroy:
It is based on sort of an amalgamation of several true stories, but it is about two young women in a high school in Indiana who decide to go to prom together. But when the PTA gets wind of that couple going to the prom, they decide to cancel it, and all chaos ensues. But what does happen is that a collective of Broadway stars decides they're going to go to Indiana. They're going to help this young girl go to the prom, and that creates a lot of the comedy.
Scott Brocato:
And you’ve said that you brought your students to see the show in 2019. What struck you about the play and that particular production back then?
Wil Kilroy:
Yes. Back then that was a new musical on Broadway, and every spring break I take students to New York City. And so I booked that show. And funny enough, students thought, “What? We're going to see “The Prom??”. They weren't that excited about it. They didn't know what it was about. None of us really did because it was so new. And then after seeing it, they said, “Wow, that's our competition,” because a lot of the performers were their age. So I think it was actually inspirational to them once they did actually see it.
Scott Brocato:
In addition to the story itself?
Wil Kilroy:
Right. And they were very moved by the story. So it's a comedy, but then it also has some very moving, heartfelt elements.
Scott Brocato:
NMSU’s production is a unique collaboration across the community. Talk about that.
Wil Kilroy:
Well, so obviously we're collaborating with music, which we're very happy about. But we also have community people, we have Monique (Foster), who's one of the choreographers, who runs a ballet company in town. And then we also have Mikey Tongko, who's a Zumba instructor in the community. And then we also have Kacie (Bauer), that's another one of our choreographers. So they get all this different experiences with three different choreographers.
Scott Brocato:
And what have been some of the challenges that you found as a director, so far?
Wil Kilroy:
Well, it's challenging in the fact that not all students have taken dance classes. Not all students have taken singing lessons. So to put all that together, that they have to act, dance and sing, that's always a great challenge for them.
Scott Brocato:
Well, that's my segue to move over to you, Sarah Neely. How did you become involved with "The Prom"?
Sarah Neely:
Well, it kind of started last semester. I was brought on board to help music direct “Mother Courage” in the theater department. And so from there, we kind of forged our collaboration. I've been looking for ways to get my lyric theater students involved, which is formerly known as the Opera Workshop, but we're rebranding to Lyric Theater to provide more musical theater opportunities for the students that aren't necessarily looking to be singing a lot of opera. And so we just sort of forged the collaboration. We've worked it out so that the students can get credit for Lyric Theater, which helps with elective and music credits for music theater majors, and it's allowing the music students more opportunity to be on stage in a full production with a full set, with lighting design, with full costume shop costume pieces being built specifically for them, which is not something that we can do ourselves in the music department. Which is really cool.
Scott Brocato:
So is this an opera or a straight musical?
Sarah Neely:
This is a musical.
Scott Brocato:
So what have been some of your challenges with the music since you came on board?
Sarah Neely:
So it's a really great opportunity. I get to work with the students and I've had some time to coach them, so they get some vocal training and tips as they're learning the music, which is really cool. And they're getting to learn to sing in that musical theater style, which is more contemporary belting, things like that.
Scott Brocato:
What do each of you want audiences to take away from “The Prom” when they see it?
Wil Kilroy:
Well, actually, I conducted a whole series of exercises with the students, because I want them to be involved in what our message is. And we really came out with a message that we'd like them to leave after seeing the show, thinking about how accepting others in your community that might be different from you will actually lead to a much stronger bond with everyone. So that's sort of the message we'd like to send.
Scott Brocato:
And where can people get tickets to the prom, so to speak?
Wil Kilroy:
And people can go to our website, theatre.nmsu.edu, and it'll give you a link to the tickets right there. And can I mention that on opening night, April 11th, if you come dressed in your prom attire, we're having a reception afterwards with snacks and you'll meet the cast and we will give a prize for the best costume!
Scott Brocato:
That sounds like a lot of fun. Wil Kilroy and Sarah Neely, thanks for talking with us on KRWG Public Media.
Wil Kilroy:
It should be very fun.
Sarah Neely:
Thank you.
Wil Kilroy:
Thank you!
