Of the Edgewater adults, Principal Tom Hawkins and PTA president Mrs Greene, mother to Emma\u2019s love interest, are the core characters, with minor roles of PTA parents presented by the ensemble.\u00a0 As Mrs Greene, Erin Bruce ensures that conservative homophobic single mother is seen as uptight and unrelenting.\u00a0 As Principal Hawkins, Scott Irwin presents a grounded sensible figure of reason and balance among the chaos and presents a contrast to Dee Dee\u2019s hyperbole as their relationship develops from that of celebrity and fan to something more honest and real.<\/p>\n As the central character, Sophie Montague is fabulous as Emma.\u00a0 The emerging young performer is definitely one to watch as they deserve to rise to great success.\u00a0 They have a brilliant and bold voice, perfect acting intuition and great dance abilities.\u00a0 They are the complete package for a musical theatre performer plus having that extra something that just makes them captivate to watch.\u00a0 They ensure that Emma is both confident and cautious, reflective of Emma\u2019s age and experiences being shunned from her family when she came out but thankfully accepted by her grandmother.\u00a0<\/p>\nThe third production for Bevis and Wright\u2019s new theatre company, THE PROM is a perfect work to pair emerging Australian talent with seasoned performers.\u00a0 The musical which premiered on Broadway in 2018 and was inspired by the 2010 Itawamba County School District Prom Controversy, is about four Broadway actors and their manager wanting a way to revive their tainted image as self-absorbed narcissists after Dee Dee Allen (Caroline O\u2019Connor) and Barry Glickman (Brendan Monger) get scathing reviews and their new musical closes on opening night.\u00a0 After discounting more arduous activities like Habitat for Humanity, perennial chorus girl Angie Dickinson<\/a> (Bella McSporran) finds a twitter trend about Emma (Sophie Montague), a teen from Edgewater, Indiana, who\u2019s Prom has been cancelled because she wanted to bring her girlfriend as her date, a scandal in the Bible Belt town and the quintet set off to make waves and get their names in the media for doing good deeds.\u00a0 The problem is that the quintet really are narcissists and end up causing more chaos and heartache in a community where the conservative PTA refuse to respect the orders of the State Attorney General.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Teatro at the Italian Forum Theatre stage shimmers with Set Designer Nick Fry\u2019s walls covered with metallic paillettes in brilliantly bold tones which provides a perfect backdrop to the opening scene of the Opening Night party for Allen and Glickman\u2019s new musical and remains as a reminder of the flash and sparkle of Broadway even when the New Yorker\u2019s arrive in the sleepy little town of Edgewater.\u00a0 With the story in Edgewater centring on Emma\u2019s school, the walls of sequins reveal an artful array of pastel lockers that hold other secrets and surprises.\u00a0 This contrast of flash with conservatism flows through to Cornelia Cassimatis\u2019 costume design that has the visitors always bearing sequins and shine and bold colours while the locals wear more muted tones with the popular girls either wearing the stereotypical cheerleading outfit or plaid skirts in pastel tones.<\/p>\n
![\"REVIEW:](\"https:\/\/cloudimages2.broadwayworld.com\/upload13\/2420269\/Sophie%20Montague%2C%20Caroline%20O'Connor%2C%20Scott%20Irwin%20in%20THE%20PROM%20(c)%20Robert%20Miniter.jpg?format=auto&width=1400\"\/ "\\"REVIEW:")
Bevis and Wright have ensured that this work has the right balance of energy and sensitivity and the casting is perfect.\u00a0 As the Broadway Diva, Caroline O\u2019Connor is an absolute treat.\u00a0 Her comedy prowess, vocal perfection and dance skills all come together for a delightfully over the top performance that has a nuance and naturalness with every action and response feeling intuitive.\u00a0 She has a wonderful ability to chew the scenery with a degree of vaudeville to her style yet is wonderfully endearing when she works out her usual approach won\u2019t work with Principal Tom Hawkins (Scott Irwin) as she discovers that he\u2019s seen through her \u2018act\u2019 and may not like the \u2018real\u2019 Dee Dee. \u00a0Matching Dee Dee\u2019s diva energy is queen and Broadway co-star Barry and Brendan Monger channels Nathan Lane<\/a> for a gloriously camp performance as the successful actor that has never gotten over not being accepted for who he is in his youth and missing out on his own Prom.\u00a0 While Dee Dee is all frenetic energy wanting her reputation to be changed, Barry connects with Emma and Monger has some beautiful scenes with Sophie Montague.<\/p>\nAs Angie, Bella McSporran captures the essence of the leggy blonde chorus girl and delivers the Fosse inspired Zazz with Sophie Montague with precision and playfulness.\u00a0 As the unsuccessful actor and Julliard graduate Trent, Thern Reynolds<\/a> is delightfully camp and leads the key scene where the school community is \u2018converted\u2019 with over the top energy.\u00a0 Rounding out the New York contingent is Brad Green as Sheldon Saperstein who presents more as an anchor for the performers.\u00a0<\/p>\n