Check out this radical review of The Awesome 80s Prom from The Live Theatre League of the Greater Peoria Area’s website!
Review of Awesome 80s Prom
Peoria Cabaret Theatre (at the Waterhouse)
By Cara Rosson
I have to admit that the “Awesome 80s Prom” dinner theatre experience at The Waterhouse had me hooked at the front door. The sign there welcomed Wanaget High’s Class of 1989 to the Senior Prom. I graduated from high school in the actual 1989, so I was terribly excited to see what the Peoria Cabaret Theatre would do to take me back to my own youth, and mostly fond memories of my chartreuse sequined dress, big hair, and bad boy date Tommy McKenna.
Just walking up the stairs, you start the evening meeting characters from the show. The first one I encountered was Wanaget High’s “bad boy,” Nick Fender, played by a sexy cool Nick Miller, sneaking a sip from his flask and nodding a subtle “Hey.” I was then greeted by the very chipper drama teacher, Mrs. Lascalzo – played with aplomb by Carmen McCarthy.
After checking in, and getting my table assignment from the sweetly self-effacing freshman yearbook photographer (an adorable Hope Grandon), I headed to the bar for a margarita, one thing I was not able to do at my senior prom but definitely enjoyed about this retrospective experience. One of the perks of aging, and dinner theatre, I suppose.
The immersion back into high school and prom night was continual. There was always some crazy conversation or intrigue happening next to you, or across the room. The cast does a great job of keeping the action going, giving the audience something to watch or listen to throughout the evening. Even if you couldn’t hear what they were saying, it was usually clear what was happening, whether the captain of the football team was breaking up with the head cheerleader, or Principal Smellgrove, I mean Snelgrove, was hollering at a misbehaving student, or the head of the prom committee was freaking out over her defaced decorations. It honestly felt a bit like I was back in Goshen, NY, in 1989, looking around the room of the Pier 9 banquet hall, watching my own senior class flirt, and fight, and dance and sing. Continue reading →
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