These Middle Schoolers Thrown a Prom They Never Had Before (And Invited Everyone)

WHO: Students in the Department of Theater and Musical Theater at Sam Houston State University, led by Assistant Professor and Theater Studies Coordinator Patrick Pearson.

WHAT: In connection with a musical performance of Prom this spring, Sam Houston State’s theater department threw a real prom the night after the musical’s closing night and invited the entire school.

WHY IT’S SO GREAT: Students who were seniors four years ago, when COVID-19 shut down the world, got a chance to enjoy a prom they never had. Additionally, event organizers made it a fundraiser for LGBTQ students in Houston who might not feel welcome at their own high schools.

In February 2020, Leah Bernal bought her dream dress for prom. It was scarlet, with open sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. “You know the red dress A pretty woman, where does she wear the long white gloves? That was my goal,” Bernal said. As a senior at Bryan High School, she looked forward to the grandeur of this ubiquitous rite of passage. But the time never came. The pandemic hit a few weeks later , and instead of going to classes and extracurricular activities in person, Leah logged in from her laptop at home. The prom was canceled, along with almost every other group gathering in . The dress therefore remained in her closet, unworn, for four years, until this spring.

Now a musical theater major at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Bernal recently landed a leading role in a stage production titled Prom. When director Patrick Pearson chose the musical for his department to perform, he knew it contained a powerful message. The play premiered on Broadway in 2018 and was adapted into a 2020 film starring Meryl Streep and James Corden. It is based on the true story of Constance McMillen from Itawamba County, Mississippi, who was banned in 2010 from bringing her girlfriend to prom. After McMillen sued the school district with help from the ACLU, the district canceled the prom. Local parents then threw a secret, private prom and excluded McMillen (who won his case, along with the support of famous fans such as Wanda Sykes and Perez Hilton).

Pearson selected Prom in part for its unifying message. “One of the great moral values ​​of the show is about acceptance and inclusion and opportunity, just having a prom for everyone,” he said. But what he didn’t realize was that many of his older students had also failed their balls exactly four years ago. After Grace Wacker, a theater studies major and costume designer, told Pearson that many of his peers had mentioned how much performing in the show meant to them, he decided to approach his fellow faculty and staff with a idea: “What would you think if we gave them a prom after Prom?”

After receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from higher-ups, Pearson reported the good news to his elated cast and crew. The group chose a disco theme, designed decorations, created playlists and arranged food and drinks. Wacker was instrumental in the planning efforts and insisted that the ball be as inclusive as possible. The theater kids openly invited everyone on campus to join in the fun on Sunday, April 28.

Meanwhile, as the show’s lead, Bernal experienced a theatrical prom at every performance. But she still looked forward to the real thing in the end. Once the final show ended, on the night of April 27, the students were finally able to enjoy the day of preparation and anticipation that had eluded them for four years. And Bernal was finally able to wear her red dress. “They had the lights on stage, the streamers, the balloons that were part of the set for the show,” she said. “It was such a magical evening, with everyone dancing.”

About 180 students attended the ball, according to Lily Broekhuis, a theater design and technology student from Richmond who helped plan the event. For Broekhuis, who uses “they/them” pronouns, it wasn’t just about reclaiming a missed opportunity. “I had a lot more fun than I did in high school,” Broekhuis said, noting that they feel greater confidence and a clearer sense of identity now than four years ago. “I took my girlfriend to prom here, and I don’t think I would have felt comfortable bringing a partner of the same sex (at the time).”

These real-world echoes got Wacker thinking about Texas students who still face prejudice similar to that experienced by the play’s main character. Although admission to the SHSU ball was free, organizers accepted donations, and Wacker held a bake sale to raise more funds. She and other organizers donated $500 to the Montrose Center, a Houston nonprofit that supports LGBTQ youth and adults and hosts an inclusive ball each year. “We all really wanted to find a way to pay it forward to younger people,” Wacker said, noting how privileged the group felt to have a teacher who encouraged them to pursue this idea.

Pearson says he is proud to have seen his students take the message of their performance and spread it beyond the stage. “When you’re seventeen, you may not realize the power of your voice,” he said. “As these students become upperclassmen in college, they realize, ‘I have a voice, and my voice matters, and I have something to say.’ »