This year’s Glenbrook musical, “The Prom,” is inspired by true events in which same-sex couples have been prohibited from attending prom. The musical’s message is centered around acceptance, something senior Andrew Burke has not always seen at school.
“I feel fortunate that I’ve lived in a community that is generally very accepting,” said Burke. “But I’ve seen both sides of it, and there’s still places, a lot around the U.S. and sometimes even in our own school, that aren’t as accepting.”
Burke plays Barry Glickman in this year’s musical, which is about a lesbian student named Emma Nolan. She experiences homophobia at her high school in Indiana when she tries to bring her girlfriend, Alyssa Greene, to the prom. Alyssa’s mom is the president of their school’s Parent Teacher Association and cancels the dance to prevent the two from going together.
“The specific instance of the story is sexuality,” said director Tim Broeker. “But ultimately, we’re talking about being true to who you are and being comfortable in your own skin.”
The musical also features four struggling Broadway stars, including Barry Glickman, who come to Indiana to boost their publicity by attempting to reinstate the prom for all couples. Barry adds another element of LGBTQ+ representation to the musical being a gay man himself.
“The political climate of our country shows that there are still several issues with acceptance and inclusion,” said Broeker. “I think that’s what makes this [musical] even more powerful right now.”
According to assistant director Mandi Corrao, “The Prom” was chosen because the production team thought its message would be welcomed and received positively.
“The show has had some controversies in the past just based off of the subject matter, and being able to be a part of a production and part of a community that is willing to view those controversies and view the messaging as the most important part of the show, I think that’s really special,” Corrao said.
The musical is scheduled to run from May 1 to May 4 at 7 p.m. in the CPA, with Burke scheduled to perform May 2 and 4.Tickets are $17 and can be purchased on ShowTix4U (www.showtix4u.com).
The message of the musical could open its audience up to a new perspective, Burke said.
“Particularly in high school, it’s important to feel like you can be yourself and to accept others because we’re sometimes ignorant or caught up in our own ideas,” said Burke. “It’s important to see things from other people’s perspective and accept them for who they are.”