Prom Lyrics – All Songs from the Musical

Four fading Broadway stars are in desperate need of a new stage. So 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 town’s parents want to keep the dance on the straight and narrow—but when one student just wants to bring her girlfriend to prom, the entire town has a date with destiny. Now, Broadway’s brassiest are coming to join the fight and they are ready to kick-ball-change the world.

The Prom 2018 Broadway Guide, updated for 2025.

Article type: Synopsis, cast, and review.

Meta description: The Prom, the 2018 Broadway musical at the Longacre Theatre. Plot, original cast, songs, awards, the Netflix film, and global stagings. Updated insights for 2025.

Quick overview.

The Prom blends fizz and fight. Teen love meets showbiz ego. Indiana’s rules collide with Broadway brass. The result feels cathartic, messy, honest.

Music by Matthew Sklar. Lyrics by Chad Beguelin. Book by Bob Martin and Beguelin. Direction and choreography by Casey Nicholaw. Broadway opened in November 2018 at the Longacre Theatre.

Plot summary.

Emma wants a normal prom. She wants to bring her girlfriend. The PTA blocks her. A group of Broadway actors smell a cause, and attention. They descend on Edgewater, Indiana, with pep, cash, and chaos.

The plan backfires. A fake inclusive prom hurts harder than silence. Emma finds her voice online, then in person. The town bends. Love holds. The final dance lands like a bright drumbeat.

Original Broadway cast highlights.

These performers set the template in 2018.

Role	Performer
Dee Dee Allen	Beth Leavel
Barry Glickman	Brooks Ashmanskas
Emma	Caitlin Kinnunen
Alyssa Greene	Isabelle McCalla
Trent Oliver	Christopher Sieber
Angie	Angie Schworer
Mr. Hawkins	Michael Potts

That company balanced bite with warmth. Laughs without cruelty. Heart without syrup.

Music and standout numbers.

• “Changing Lives”, a brassy mission statement.
• “Dance with You”, intimate, steady, sincere.
• “Zazz”, showgirl grit as coaching session.
• “Unruly Heart”, a modern torch for outcasts.
• “It’s Time to Dance”, the confetti payoff.

The score swings from camp to candlelight. Hooks stick. Ballads breathe.

Stage history and 2025 snapshot.

Alliance Theatre tryout in 2016 shaped tone and pace. Broadway premiered in October previews, then opened in mid November 2018. The run closed in August 2019.

A U.S. national tour followed in 2021 through 2022. Emma and Alyssa’s love traveled well. Houses grew louder city by city.

México City presented the first Spanish language production in 2022. The material proved flexible, local, and fierce.

Licensing is handled by Theatrical Rights Worldwide, which keeps amateur and pro stages stocked in 2025. High schools, colleges, and regionals keep the lights on.

Screen adaptation.

Netflix released the film on December 11, 2020. Directed by Ryan Murphy. Starring Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Andrew Rannells, Keegan-Michael Key, Kerry Washington, and newcomer Jo Ellen Pellman. The movie widened the audience and cemented the brand.

Critical reception and impact.

Early press hailed the joy. The New York Times called it a belief-restorer for musical comedy. Reviews praised Emma’s center and Nicholaw’s velocity.

The show earned 2019 Tony nominations, including Best Musical, book, score, direction, and key acting nods. Drama Desk recognized it strongly. Awards aside, the culture shift mattered more.

Its Thanksgiving Parade kiss in 2018 broke broadcast ground. That moment lived beyond Broadway, and into classrooms.

Production credits.

• Director, choreographer: Casey Nicholaw.
• Scenic design: Scott Pask.
• Costumes: Ann Roth and Matthew Pachtman.
• Lighting: Kenneth Posner.
• Sound: Peter Hylenski.

Designs glowed neon, then went quiet. Indiana felt lived in, not mocked.

Awards and nominations quick list.

• Tony Awards 2019, Best Musical nominee.
• Best Book, nominee.
• Best Score, nominee.
• Lead acting, multiple nominees.
• Drama Desk, Outstanding Musical winner.

Awards validated the craft. The audience validated the need.

Listen, the cast album.

The Original Broadway Cast Recording dropped digitally on December 14, 2018. The CD landed on January 11, 2019. Released by Masterworks Broadway. The mix favors clarity, not just volume.

Watch the trailer.

Why it still works in 2025.

The show laughs with outsiders, not at them. It respects teenage courage. It teases adult vanity, then forgives it. Communities change onstage, so audiences imagine change offstage. That hope lingers after curtain.

Search friendly topics.

• “The Prom musical” Broadway 2018.
• Casey Nicholaw choreography.
• Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin score.
• Longacre Theatre production details.
• Netflix film adaptation cast.
• Theatrical Rights Worldwide licensing.

Questions and Answers.

What is the central conflict in The Prom.

Emma wants to take her girlfriend to prom. Adults block her. She fights back.

Who led the original Broadway cast in 2018.

Beth Leavel, Brooks Ashmanskas, Caitlin Kinnunen, and Isabelle McCalla anchored it.

Is the musical appropriate for teens.

Yes. It tackles bias with humor and care. Schools stage it widely today.

Does the film change the story.

The plot remains intact. The scale grows. The tone stays buoyant.

How can theatres license The Prom.

Rights are available via Theatrical Rights Worldwide in 2025.

Takeaway for theatre lovers.

If your stage needs joy and teeth, this title fits. It dances hard. It listens harder. And when that final chorus hits, the room feels a little kinder.