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THE PROM opens at the Sharon Playhouse on Friday, July 26 and runs through Sunday, August 11. The show stars Broadway veteran and two-time Tony Award nominee Kate Baldwin. We sat down with Kate ahead of the show to get the details on the show and why you should get tickets! 

About Kate

Kate Baldwin is no stranger to Broadway. She has previously starred on Broadway as Irene Molloy in the revival of Hello, Dolly! and as Sharon McLonergan in the 2009 revival of Finian’s Rainbow. She also originated the roles of Sandra Bloom in Big Fish and Leslie Lynnton Benedict in Giant at The Public Theatre. 

In THE PROM, Kate stars as Dee Dee Allen, a glamorous Broadway star who has suffered a recent professional and not-so-recent personal setback. 

“At the beginning of the story, she has replaced real relationships in her life with the kind of adoration reserved for celebrities,” Kate said. “She’s a little trapped. I know and love people in my community who are just like Dee Dee. What I think about most is her drive for connection. She just needs a good steer!”

Kate’s favorite part about the show is performing the “wickedly funny writing and tuneful songs.” She also enjoys watching the incredible choreography performed by the cast. 

“As the mother of a teenager, it’s easy for me to feel the power of the message of the show. The eight teenage actors in our prom make me cry whenever they are on stage. I see their spirit and it fills me with such hope,” she shared. 

Kate divulged that her favorite part about her character is Dee Dee’s sense of herself – including the good and bad – but noted that she is often too quick to judge before getting the whole picture. 

What’s the most challenging part about taking on the role of Dee Dee? “I have a song in ⅞. It’s difficult to count!” 

Kate first got involved after her friend and Sharon Playhouse director, Carl Andress, invited her to perform in a show. “I’m so glad he did!” 

To Kate, the job is exactly the same whether she is performing on a Broadway stage or on any other American stage. 

“I still have to show up and bring my best self,” she explained. “There’s something special about being in a new community for a few months, though, that makes working at a place like Sharon Playhouse so sweet. I feel pride in the people who live and work here, and I want to do a good job for them.” 

Without giving anything away, Kate’s favorite line of dialogue from the show is: “I’ve never said this to someone before, but tell me about you.”

When asked if there was anything else she’d like to add, Kate noted, “Come see us!” 

About the show 

THE PROM is a seven-time Tony Award nominated Broadway musical that follows four eccentric Broadway stars who are in desperate need of a new stage. Per the Sharon Playhouse website, “When they hear that trouble is brewing around a small-town prom, they know that it’s time to put a spotlight on the issue, and on themselves. The town’s parents want to keep the high school dance on the straight and narrow, but when one student wants to bring her girlfriend to prom, the entire town has a date with destiny.”

THE PROM is a winner of the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical and expertly captures all of the humor and heart of a classic musical comedy, along with a message that resonates with audiences now more than ever. 

The show runs for two hours and thirty minutes, including one 15-minute intermission. THE PROM deals with bullying, specifically against LGBTQ+ youth, and there is brief mention of drinking alcohol, Xanax, and sex. Children under the age of 13 should be accompanied by an adult. 

THE PROM opens at Sharon Playhouse on July 26 and runs through August 11. You can get tickets to the show at the Sharon Playhouse website here.