The Prom at Teatro at the Italian Forum is not a modest production. This is musical theatre with confidence, comic bite, heart, and a visual pulse that screams the arrival of the newest powerhouse of Sydney’s musical theatre scene.
Built on a stellar creative foundation with book by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin, music by Matthew Sklar, and lyrics by Beguelin, this production is guided by a team with real vision. Co‑founder Andrew Bevis directs with sharp comic rhythm and theatrical clarity; co‑founder Nathan M. Wright co‑directs and shapes choreography that dazzles; and Bev Kennedy’s musical direction keeps the score vibrant and punchy.
The premise is perfectly pitched for this company of performers: a quartet of Broadway stars, desperate for a return to relevance, descends on a small American town when word spreads that a teenager was barred from bringing her girlfriend to prom. Their mission of inclusion quickly becomes tangled with theatrical ego, vanity, and of course, sequins.
At the heart of the production are performances that feel calibrated for maximum impact. Australian musical theatre legend Caroline O’Connor as Dee Dee Allen is a commanding presence, bold, hysterically funny and vocally thrilling. She brings star power with precision: every line lands with timing, every note with authority. Brendan Monger’s Barry Glickman is a warm, witty counterbalance, his performance blending charm and sharp comic instincts.
Thern Reynolds’s Trent is electric in movement and humour. Sophie Montague’s Emma Nolan provides emotional resonance: sincere, grounded, and clear‑voiced. Paige Fallu’s Alyssa Greene brings a thoughtful presence, and Brad Green’s Sheldon Saperstein gleams with spirited comic energy. All of these performers deliver standout moments that help balance humour with heart.
Supporting roles add texture and strength. Scott Irwin’s Mr Hawkins charms with gentle warmth, Bella McSporron’s Angie Dickinson sparkles with vivacity, and Erin Bruce’s Mrs Greene is a steady, formidable presence.
Yet it is the young dynamic ensemble that is waiting to burst through that metaphorical glimmer curtain to remind us that the future is very bright for Australian musical theatre. The supporting and featured ensemble is energised, precise, and athletic. They are the pulse behind the spectacle, turning group numbers into unforgettable experiences and reminding audiences why a strong ensemble is the backbone of great musical theatre.
Visually, Nick Fry’s set design gives the stage kinetic energy with clever angled arches, glittering curtains, and pastel lockers that evoke both a high school gym and a fabulously heightened theatrical world. Cornelia Cassimatis’s costumes shimmer with intentional flair and outrageous sophistication, whilst Roderick van Gelder’s lighting design amplifies every glint, flash, and turn.
So when the disco ball spins and the glitter curtain falls, it is no surprise that the audience erupts with heartfelt applause and a standing ovation. Jubilant with the joy, humour, and brilliance just witnessed.
THE PROM is uproariously funny, bravely theatrical, and unapologetically celebratory. It honours collaboration, individuality, and the sheer pleasure of musical storytelling, and it cements Teatro as a destination venue for major musical theatre in Sydney. This show, this cast, this creative team, this theatre, deserves every seat filled.
