Fort Hamilton High School’s drama department put on its production of The Prom from May 10 to the 13th. Fort Hamilton is officially the first high school in New York City to do a production of the musical, which centers on the impact that anti-LGBTQ+ bigotry still has on the lives of teenagers across the country.
When a group of washed-up actors realize that their careers are coming to an end and their popularity is quickly fading, they undertake a social justice project that will revive their public image. They learn via Twitter about a young girl named Emma, who is denied the opportunity to bring her girlfriend to her high school prom, and decide that they will descend upon the small town in Indiana to rally support for Emma and her girlfriend. What begins as a narcissistic, insincere attempt to prop up these actors’ careers turns into a moving and life-changing experience for all involved, as the actors grow to truly care for Emma, and Emma’s community comes to embrace her, her girlfriend Alyssa, and all others within the LGBTQ+ community.
Although loosely inspired by a true event from 2010, the show is particularly topical now, as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) tracks 491 anti-LGBTQ+ bills across the United States. Audience members could read articles in the lobby about some of these bills, which have imperiled the healthcare, livelihoods, education, free speech, safety, and mental health of innumerable LGBTQ+ adults and children, particularly transgender children. “The company of The Prom had to closely interrogate their roles in this show to depict a community in crisis,” explained Mx. Shields. Because of its heavy subject matter, all involved in the production worked hard to ensure that the show was as educational as it was engaging. Rehearsals for the musical officially began around January, and Mr. Coulter, the musical’s director, noted that the scheduling of rehearsals ended up being incredibly stressful for many working on the show, including the artistic departments working on the musical, such as set, lighting, and costuming.
Junior Maximus Amadeo spoke to The Pilot about the rehearsal process. “[The most stressful part of the show was] definitely the weekend before the show, when we started staying later and later and began using the props and costumes. Getting everything to look smooth is hard work,” remarked Amadeo.
Many of the lead actors in the musicals were seniors, making this their final show at Fort Hamilton High School. Mr. Coulter said that watching the seniors perform in their final show was bittersweet. He added that he wishes good luck to all the seniors in the cast.
Everyone seemed to agree that the community bonds fostered during the rehearsal process were the best part of the show. “As we stay[ed] later and later, I really start[ed] to see just how thankful I am for this community,” Amadeo added. “The people I know from the musical are great and spending time with them is always a lot of fun.” Mr. Coulter agreed with this statement, adding that he is most proud of how all the students came together to create such a special event.
