Representing
The national touring company of The Prom. (Photo by Deen van Meer) Nonbinary lead takes audiences out to ‘Prom’ RICH LOPEZ | Staff writerrich@dallasvoice.com On paper, the musical The Prom may come off like a colorful, feel-good musical comedy that’s fit for any sweet tooth.
And it’s just that — only unapologetically so. The show’s nonbinary lead, Kaden Kearney, finds that even with all its exuberance, there’s still a message to be found amid the frivolity. “The show is just a wonderful experience and so joyous, but, also, everyone has a chance to learn about themselves,” they said by phone.
Kearney plays Emma who wants to take a girl to the high school prom – only her school’s PTA isn’t down for that. At the same time, four Broadway has-beens are trying to restart their careers and are in search of a cause — which turns out to be Emma’s prom ordeal.
The Prom opens Tuesday and runs through July 31 at the Winspear Opera House. For Kearney, much of the show’s story sounds very topical. “I believe the script was written in 2016, inspired by events at that time, and here we are in 2022, and it’s still relevant,” they said.
