If you’re looking for something fun and uplifting to take your mind off of how terrible 2020 has been, may I suggest watchingRyan Murphy’sstar-studded adaptation of the hit Broadway musicalThe Prom. Written byBob MartinandChad Beguelin,The Promis about a group of down-on-their-luck Broadway stars that rally behind a teen who just wants to attend prom with her girlfriend in a small Indiana town. Loaded with catchy songs, an all-star cast (Meryl Streep,James Corden,Nicole Kidman,Keegan-Michael Key,Andrew Rannells,Ariana DeBose,Kerry Washington, andJo Ellen Pellman), and extremely well-designed musical numbers,The Promwas exactly what I needed this year.
Shortly after seeingThe Prom, I spoke with co-stars Kerry Washington and Ariana DeBose. They each talked about what it was like filming the huge finale with the entire cast and hundreds of extras, why they were so impressed with Meryl Streep’s performance, Ryan Murphy’s push for inclusion both in front of and behind the camera, their favorite songs, and more.
Check out what they had to say below and further down the page is the official synopsis and exactly what we talked about.The Promis now streaming on Netflix.
Kerry Washington and Ariana DeBose:
Here’s the official synopsis for The Prom:
Dee Dee Allen (three-time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep) and Barry Glickman (Tony Award winner James Corden) are New York City stage stars with a crisis on their hands: their expensive new Broadway show is a major flop that has suddenly flatlined their careers. Meanwhile, in small-town Indiana, high school student Emma Nolan (newcomer Jo Ellen Pellman) is experiencing a very different kind of heartbreak: despite the support of the high school principal (Keegan-Michael Key), the head of the PTA (Kerry Washington) has banned her from attending the prom with her girlfriend, Alyssa (Ariana DeBose). When Dee Dee and Barry decide that Emma’s predicament is the perfect cause to help resurrect their public images, they hit the road with Angie (Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman) and Trent (Andrew Rannells), another pair of cynical actors looking for a professional lift. But when their self-absorbed celebrity activism unexpectedly backfires, the foursome find their own lives upended as they rally to give Emma a night where she can truly celebrate who she is.
