NextStop hosting prom party

NextStop Theatre wanted to do something fun for the summer, so it decided to hold an immersive theatre experience with a Super Senior Prom featuring the jukebox musical, “The Marvelous Wonderettes ’58,” a theater-party hybrid event, which runs from July 14 to Aug. 6.

Conceived by NextStop’s producing artistic director, Evan Hoffmann, the entire theatre will be transformed into a dance hall, fit for a senior prom circa 1958. Audience members are invited to dress up—modern or vintage—and arrive with their sweetheart or a whole group of friends to enjoy a full evening of music, dancing, games, entertainment, custom drinks, and special prizes.

There will even be a prom night photo station for guests to take photos before the show, as well as a prom-like setting throughout the venue, including handcrafted decorations, classic music, and plenty of punch!

Written and created by Roger Bean, “The Marvelous Wonderettes ’58” is a one-act musical set in 1958, where four senior girls share their hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts. The soundtrack includes such ’50s classics as “Lollipop,” “Dream Lover,” “Stupid Cupid,” and “Lipstick on Your Collar.”

Carolyn Burke, who first hit the NextStop stage in 2016, is the director and choreographer for the show.

“The show is super fun and cute, and I love that I get to direct and choreograph because I like to be fully in charge,” she said. “The whole night is more of an experience and less of a performance.”

Because the fourth wall has been erased with this format, Burke had some challenges as a director.

“I had to think more about how to include the audience more,” she said. “It lends itself to those opportunities, but I’m trying to come up with ways to include them even more than the normal production, so I have to think more out of the box.”

The show stars Emma Harris as Suzy, Ruth McCoy Miles as Cindy Lou, Jordyn Taylor as Missy and Maya Tischler as Betty Jean. All are taking part in NextStop’s 10th youth summer program as teachers.

“We had all these amazing young actresses who are graduating or studying at these amazing college programs so it seemed like a waste of a resource to have them teaching all summer, and making such a huge impact on these students, but not use the rest of their talents for the

community,” Hoffmann said. “Since they were all here, it made sense to do something with them.”

A Herndon resident, Harris did her first-ever show with NextStop in 2014 and hasn’t stopped since. She’s currently studying theatre education at George Mason University and works at the same NextStop summer camps as a teaching artist that she attended almost a decade ago.

“When Evan approached me with this show, I was so excited because it’s so interesting and unique and cool,” Harris said. “Suzy is kind of the dumb, ditzy, stereotypical character, but she’s also a real sweetheart, and through the show, you get to see how much she loves and cares for her friends and how much she enjoys singing.”

In the first half of the show, audiences are treated to the girls’ senior prom, and the second half is their 10-year high school reunion.

“They will sing songs from the ’60s and talk about what their lives have been like for the past 10 years,” Burke said. “But it’s all in a prom setting. There will be tables on stage and after the show, the audience can come on stage and dance. So, it’s very different than a normal theatre experience.”

During the course of the events of the musical, there are betrayals, mishaps, and arguments, but ultimately in the end, it’s about friendship and great music.

“The harmonies are really complex, and they sound awesome together,” Burke said. “The cast blends so well together and it’s really been fun.”

And considering that many people lost out on a prom night because of the pandemic, this is a great chance to dress up, dance, and have the prom experience.

Following the performance, the evening will continue with dancing, games, and special prizes being given out for the best dancer, best dressed, and the cutest couple.

“It’s not just a sit-and-watch, it’s a party,” Hoffmann said.

For more information or tickets to this fun-filled event, visit www.NextStopTheatre.org.