The Prom (Broadway) NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (1,209)
See it if You’re in the mood for a funny, topical, fast paced show full of great actors and lots of flashy feel good songs that you’ll leave smiling.
Don't see it if You’re looking for great depth or something unique. Thus is about as formula as you get with a Broadway musical. Read more
See it if you want to have a lot of fun while watching the message of inclusion be dished out so that no one can refrain from understanding-super cast
Don't see it if you do not like good musicals with a talented cast who sing, act and dance well, in colorful costumes on good sets for 2 1/2 hours of fun.
See it if Musical satire that makes lighthearted fun of everyone, including the lesbians. Catchy energetic pop song & dance. Many funny moments.
Don't see it if You want more depth. This is a silly feel-good farce. Cliched themes & simplistic characters. Enough creativity to keep it lively.
See it if enjoy musical "comedy" with a touch of farce, stories with LGBT characters and issues, clever lyrics & creative numbers, exquisite acting
Don't see it if don't like plots with several LGBT characters & gay humor, same-sex kissing, prom memories, overripe performances, fish out of water plots Read more
See it if Quicky, funny show with alot of heart. About getting a prom together and helping Emma.
Don't see it if If you have a problem with two young ladies in love. Read more
See it if Nicholaw's staging a powerhouse of B'way razzle-dazzle w/ leads wholeheartedly at either ends of the spectrum Crowd pleasing affirmation
Don't see it if Musical tries hard to mask insincere message of inclusion & understanding Unflattering portraits of Midwestern & Eastern self-rightousness
See it if A story that has to be told. Wonderful veteran performers. Much dancing that delivers. Great voices by the young leads as well.. ALSO
Don't see it if Not for those who will not hear. For those who only expect 90 minutes, sorry to say but you are rewarded with more than two hours. Read more
See it if you like fun and profound shows with LGBTQ themes—or you enjoy director Casey Nicholaw’s work: flashy, fun, and fabulous.
Don't see it if you’re not into musicals. This show is “pure Broadway”—jazz hands and all. Read more
Critic Reviews (53)
"Such a joyful hoot. With its kinetic dancing, broad mugging and belty anthems, it makes you believe in musical comedy again...As in many of the greatest Golden Age musicals, they latch onto a subject of topical importance, using its gravity to anchor their satire and their satire to leaven its earnestness...The ensemble’s big numbers, set to Glen Kelly’s dance arrangements, are a blast...It consistently delivers on its entertainment promises as well as its Golden Age premise."
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"A sweet-hearted original musical that, despite a few missteps, leaves you grinning by the last dance...It is cheering to see a musical comedy that engages with modern questions, with a teenage lesbian romance at its center to boot...Nicholaw’s peppy direction helps gives the show enough momentum to power past the show’s narrative potholes...Nowhere is this celebration more joyous than in the deliciously hammy performances of its two seasoned stars."
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"The giddy, smart, big-hearted new musical...With irrepressibly energetic tunes by Matthew Sklar and winking lyrics by Chad Beguelin, and a cheeky, just-poignant-enough book by Beguelin and Bob Martin...'The Prom' balances between the misguided (ding!) hijinks of the self-absorbed actors and the real stakes of Emma’s life at school...The show is full of witty delights...It’s big silly fun, with a sly wink and a warm heart."
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"Some of this self-parodying obtuseness is more cringey than cute. And yet the show, which knowingly leans deep into kitsch, is at once preposterous and delightful. Singing and dancing are probably not going to persuade anybody to 'love thy neighbor,' as one of the more infectious numbers advises. But, until someone has a better idea, it can’t hurt to try."
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"The show is one part satire, packed with delicious theatrical in-jokes delivered with aplomb by game stage veterans playing caricatures of themselves; and one part inclusivity teaching moment...If the two halves aren't entirely seamless, the show has enough humor and heart to paper over the cracks...Even if the material is contrived and the songs are catchy without being exactly memorable, the terrific cast sells it all with irresistible verve."
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"The show manages to balance the Broadway divas’ growth with Emma’s strength, the musical’s comedic moments, and the heartbreaking things the town does to reject her. But while 'The Prom' delivers important messages about acceptance, it only just scratches the surface on issues like homophobia and bullying...Kinnunen quickly proves to be a lead worthy of multiple songs highlighting her range...A good time and though it sometimes tries a little too hard, its heart is in the right place."
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"With a tuneful score, a playful book, and performances that remind you what Broadway heart and chutzpah are all about, this cause celebre of a show turns out to be a joyous, funny, and sweet production that should appeal to several generations of musical fans...Sklar’s easy melodies and Beguelin’s witty lyrics are a mix of classic Broadway show tunes and exuberant pop songs...Nicholaw maintains his just-right touch in balancing the outrageous and the sweet."
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"A bit sanctimonious in spots, but most of 'The Prom' is really, really funny—and much of it, to my happy surprise, is funny at the expense of the good guys...The uncommonly smart book and lyrics...Sklar’s music mostly runs to knowing but unmemorable pastiche but his score serves its dramatic purpose, and Casey Nicholaw, the director-choreographer, nails everything together with stopwatch-precise comic timing."
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