Audiences can attend a different kind of prom today as the Hilo Education Arts Repertory Theatre, or HEART, presents the musical “The Prom.”
The musical will be performed today at 3 p.m. at the East Hawaii Cultural Center.
Other performances of the “The Prom” will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday this week and next, and at 3 p.m. the following two Sundays, ending April 2.
The musical follows four Broadway stars who are in desperate need of some good publicity. When they hear that trouble is brewing around a small-town Indiana prom, and the press is involved, they know that it’s time to put a spotlight on the issue and themselves.
The cast of 35 performers stars Sam Deitch as Emma, the high school student banned from the prom, and Tyler Dela Cruz as Alyssa, the head of student council with a secret.
Erin Smith, Kimo Apaka, Cori Lynne and Danny Randerson play the visiting Broadway stars, and Zayne Paresa plays their press agent.
Vince Zamora is Mr. Hawkins, the high school principal, and Cynthia Jeffrey is Mrs. Greene, the president of the PTA.
The rest of the cast forms a talented dancing and signing ensemble that moves the story along.
The show is directed by HEART Executive Director Larry Reitzer, with choreography by Jason Aiwohi-Tomlin and musical and vocal direction by Charles Bankhead Haines.
“‘The Prom’ — which is one of the funniest musicals I have ever seen — is based on a true story that inspires everyone to accept each other’s differences while encouraging people to be the person, or star, they were meant to be,” Reitzer said. “It’s a big, old-fashioned musical comedy with show-stopping dance numbers that will have people leaving the theater with a song in their heart and confetti in their hair.”
Tickets are available at hearthilo.org.
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
