We’re glad you made it to The Prom! Our planning committees have been hard at work creating Edgewater, Indiana, capturing the complexities of coming of age, families, and communities in a fun-filled show that might take you back to your own prom. It’s been a powerful reminder that intergenerational conversations are vital to building community through theatre.
The Summer Youth Conservatory’s annual production is always full of conversations: artistic vision, educational value, production logistics, auditions. But what we remember most are the moments that truly connect to our hearts and, as Emma reminds us, allow us to just breathe. Our rehearsal hall conversations reflect The Prom’s layered narrative: feeling different, seeking acceptance, and living in true community.
The world of The Prom—Emma’s emotions, Indiana, and Broadway— lets us explore challenges and remember that all means everyone. Whether it’s who we love, what we believe, or how we vote, The Prom reminds us that acceptance is an intentional, sometimes uncomfortable act.
As art imitates life, the conversations in this show grow with each number. Whether in our Center for Dramatic Arts or on the way to the parking deck, this show sparks conversation, and we’re glad to start it with you tonight!
And now, it’s time to dance….
Jeff Aguiar Director of Engagement and Education
Daniel
Book & Lyrics by
Music by MATTHEW SKYLAR
Based on an original concept by JACK VIERTEL
Director
CHAUNTEE’ SCHULER IRVING
Music Director
Scenic Designer
Sound Designer DAVID BOST
Costume Designer
Choreographer
COURTNEY LIU
MALLARD
Stage Manager ASPEN BLAKE JACKSON*
Lighting Designer
Assistant Stage Manager ZOË LORD
Victoria Morris, Assistant Director | Summer Severin, Assistant Choreographer
Joel Ernst, Technical Director | Laura Pates, Assistant Technical Director
Chelsea James, Lead Producer | Emma Gold Anderson, Properties Supervisor
Benjamin Bosch, Head Electrician | Nick Rodgers and Corinne Lavergne, Production Swings
Daniel McCloud, Percussionist | Lormarev Jones, Intimacy Director | Jim Johnson, Dialect Coach
THE PROM is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide 1180 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 640, New York, NY 10036 www.theatricalrights.com
Performance & rehearsal musical tracks provided by Right On Cue Services www.RightOnCueServices.
*Indicates members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers
The Professional Theatre of the Department of Dramatic Art
Kathryn Hunter-Williams, Chair
Vivienne Benesch, Producing Artistic Director
Produced in association with The College of Arts and Sciences
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
ALEX THOMPSON
CHAD BEGUELIN
Book by BOB MARTIN
MUSICAL NUMBERS
ACT
I
Changing Lives Dee Dee, Barry, Ensemble
Changing Lives (Reprise) .......................... Dee Dee, Barry, Angie, Trent
Just Breathe ..................................................................................Emma
It’s Not About Me ....... Dee Dee, Barry, Angie, Trent, Parents, Students
Dance with You .................................................................Emma, Alyssa
The Acceptance Song ............ Trent, Dee Dee, Barry, Angie, Ensemble
You Happened ............................. Emma, Alyssa, Kevin, Nick, Students
We Look to You .................................................................. Mr. Hawkins
Tonight Belongs to You .................. Barry, Emma, Mrs. Greene, Shelby, Kaylee, Students
Tonight Belongs to You (Reprise)................................. Emma, Students
Barry is Going to Prom .................................................................. Barry
Unruly Heart ................................................................ Emma, Students
Changing Lives (Reprise #2) .................... Barry, Dee Dee, Trent, Angie, Sheldon, Mr. Hawkins
It’s Time to Dance ........................................... Emma, Alyssa, Company
Original Broadway Production directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw
Originally Produced on Broadway by Bill Damaschke, Dori Berinstein, Jack Lane James & Catherine Berges, Nelda Sue Yaw, Natasha Davison, Joe Grandy, Kimberlee Garris, Lisa Morris, Terry Schnuck, Jane Dubin, Rosalind Productions, Inc., FAHS Productions, Seth A. Goldstein, Mike Kriak, Don & Nancy Ross, Pamela Hurst-Della Pietra & Stephen Della Pietra, Cliff Hopkins, Masie Productions, Vivek Shah, Three Belles & A Bob, Anment-Tackel, Armstrong-Manocherian, Fakler-Silver, Fox Theatricals-Mosbacher-Lonow, Palitz-Stem-Smedes, Nancy & Ken Kranzberg/David Lyons, Larry & Elizabeth Lenke/Elizabeth L. Green, Iris Smith/InStone Productions, Kuhlman-Ketner/ Wallace-ATxRandomProductions, The John Gore Organization and The Shubert Organization (Philip J. Smith: Chairman; Robert E. Wankel: President); Produced in association with Independent Presenters Network, Margot Astrachan, Darren P. DeVema & Jeremiah J. Harris and Reagan Silber
THE CAST in
alphabetical order
Mrs. Greene / Dee Dee, u.s .........................................Jordan Andreasen
Dee Dee Allen................................................................. Audrey Brammer
Ensemble / Emma, u.s Amari Bullett
Emma Nolan Cat Copland
Ensemble / Alyssa, u.s ....................................... Siena Maxwell Crumbliss
Trent Oliver .................................................................... Conor Hernandez
Mr. Hawkins .................................................................. Christian Holloway
Barry Glickman .................................................................. Max Templeton
Ensemble / Mrs. Greene, u.s ....................................................... Eva Zinn
THEATRE TECH
Costumes..................... June Childs, Gillian Herskowitz, Leah Serritella, Oz Santo-Kilgore
Scenic ..................... Ephraim Baksh, Isaac Baksh, Trevor Blanton-Parke, El Brown, Carter Crisp-Sears, Caitlyn Doughty, Tyler Hill, Eileen Jiang, Scarlet Kavanaugh, B Lee, Evan Pantzartzis, Sam Riggsbee, Max Thacker, Gavin Trump
Stage Management ......... Sarah Keller, Tianlu Qiao, Toni Pithan Nunes
Chauntee’ Schuler Irving Director
PlayMakers: Debut. Assistant Professor of the Practice of Theater Studies at Duke University, and will be taking a new position as the Assistant Professor in Performance to Fordham at The Lincoln Center this fall. Broadway: The Lion King (Nala). Off-Broadway: Murder Ballad, Everyday Rapture. National Tours: The Lion King, Xanadu, The Producers. She is currently guest starring as Maria Cross in the upcoming Amazon Prime TV series “Cross.” Recent teaching appointments include the American Conservatory Theatre (ACT) in San Francisco and the American Music and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in Los Angeles. Her pedagogy centers embodied performative practices which bring equitable and inclusive approaches to the forefront of actor training. Education/Training: The Actors’ Studio Drama School, The Barrow Group Theater Company, and The Ailey School prior to receiving her MFA in Theatre Pedagogy from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is a proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA. www.chauntee.com
Courtney Liu Choreographer
PlayMakers: Debut. Choreographer and Assistant Professor of Music Theatre at Elon University. In addition to choreographing and directing productions at Elon, Courtney’s choreography has been commissioned by Duke University, Forestburgh Theatre, the Ciompi Quartet, Thistle Dance, and the American Dance Festival in collaboration with the Nasher Museum. Courtney’s pedagogical research is published in the Journal of Dance Education and has been presented nationally and internationally. Broadway: Phantom of the Opera (Assistant Dance Captain and Cast) Career Highlights: Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Queen of the Night, AEA & Disney Developmental labs, the Broadway Dance Lab, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Busch Gardens Theme Parks, various performances sponsored by the American Dance Festival, and guest performances with the Cincinnati Ballet and the Peridance Contemporary Dance Company. www.courtneykristenliu.com @courtneyrkristenliu
Aspen Blake Jackson Production Stage Manager
Aspen is headed into her third mainstage season with PlayMakers Repertory Company as Production Stage Manager, and she is excited to be returning to SYC for another summer! Aspen graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA in Vocal Performance and Dramatic Arts. Throughout the last two seasons she has had the pleasure of working on The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Drowsy Chaperone, Native Gardens, They Do Not Know Harlem, Clyde’s, Much Ado About Nothing, and Murder on the Orient Express. Aspen most looks forward to teaching, collaborating, and creating theater
MANY THANKS TO OUR SYC DONORS
Mary Altpeter
Elizabeth Amend
Keith and Iris Archuleta
Patricia Beyle
Ellen Clevenger-Firley
Willis and Virginia Cockrell
Elizabeth Gray
Richard Hirschfield
David Howell
Leah Johnson
Kathryn Kosma
Dave and Doris Krepp
David Michaud
Frederick and Anne Morris
Susan and Vikram Rao
Margaret Rook
Majei and Ehsan Samei
Robert and Tobi Schwartzman
Harriet and Stuart Solomon
Riley and Wendy Waugh
We are proud to offer generous scholarship opportunities and are thankful to our Summer Youth Conservatory Fund donors who ensure no student experiences financial hardship by joining us and learning with us. We invite you to contribute to the fund and help the next generation continue to grow and create the great theatre you enjoy. playmakersrep.org/give
ABOUT OUR SUMMER YOUTH CONSERVATORY
The Prom is a culmination of PlayMakers’ Summer Youth Conservatory, a six-week practicum for high school students—both on stage and behind the scenes—combining top-notch teaching with unparalleled practical experience. Students work with professional directors, choreographers, musical directors, and theatre technicians to mount a professional quality production for all to enjoy.
In addition to our flagship summer productions over the past decade, we host a wide variety of theatre summer camps for area middle school and high school students.
SUMMER YOUTH CONSERVATORY 2025
To be notified about next year’s programs, including auditions, camps, interviews and more, please email SYC@unc.edu
