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All The Huge Names & Newcomers Singing Along At The Prom

The new tradition of filming or adapting Broadway musicals for streaming services is a real boon for theatre lovers. Following in the footsteps of Hamilton, David Byrne’s American Utopia, and The Boys In The Band all available with just a click, Netflix has another offering on deck, courtesy of another Ryan Murphy adaptation: The Prom. And boy, does it have one heck of a cast.

The Netflix adaptation of The Prom is taken from the 2018 Broadway musical of the same name. It follows high school student Emma, who desperately wants to take her girlfriend, Alyssa, to her school’s prom in small-town Indiana. The principal is down with this dating arrangement (it’s really no one’s business, but… I guess permission is nice?). Unfortunately, the head of the PTA — who just so happens to be Alyssa’s mum — is pretty bigoted when it comes to same-sex couples. Woof. At the same time, Dee Dee Allen and Barry Glickman, two struggling New York City actors, travel to Indiana to fight for Emma’s cause, because girlfriend should be able to take whomever she wants to the prom! (And because they need some good press.)

There’s singing, dancing, jokes, and oh yes, more star power than you can handle. Here’s who’s coming along to save the prom.

Jo Ellen Pellman plays Emma

Emma is a high-school student who just wants to take her girlfriend to one of the most seminal experiences in all of a teenager’s life. Prom actually isn’t all that fun when you look back at it, but she wants at least that. She is the axis on which the whole story spins.

Pellman is a relative newcomer to the movie scene, but she does have some Broadway experience — according to Playbill, Pellman’s appeared in Me And My Girl, The Tempest, Grand Concourse, and The Drowsy Chaperone.Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.

Ariana DeBose plays Alyssa Greene

Alyssa is Emma’s girlfriend, and she, too, wants to go to the prom with Emma — but her mim, who is the PTA president — is against it. Will her mum come around in time for the big festivities? You’ll just have to watch and see.

DeBose’s musical cred runs deep, with her originating parts like Disco Donna in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical and Jane in A Bronx Tale. She was also one of the original ensemble members in a little show called Hamilton.Photo: Matthew Eisman/Getty Images.

Meryl Streep plays Dee Dee Allen

On the heels of another massive flop of a Broadway musical, Tony-winning actor Dee Dee heads to Indiana to get some good press out of trying to help Emma. (And all press is good press, right?)

What is there to say about Meryl Streep that hasn’t already been said? She’s been nominated for a record 21 Academy Awards (winning three) and 33 Golden Globes (winning 9). She can sing. She can dance. She can deliver diatribes about the colour cerulean that will make your blood chill. She’s Meryl Streep. She needs no introduction.Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.

James Corden plays Barry Glickman

Barry is a down-on-his-luck Broadway actor whose latest show — about Eleanor Roosevelt — is a big, huge flop. Time to head to Indiana with Dee Dee and the gang to stir up some press — and trouble.

Corden’s face is ubiquitous on TV’s late night — he’s been the host of The Late Late Show for years, and skits like his “Carpool Karaoke” with assorted stars almost always go viral. He’s no stranger to musicals, either, starring in the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats and the Broadway show One Man, Two Guvnors.Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.

Nicole Kidman plays Angie Dickinson

Angie’s used to being on stage, but now that she’s getting a little bit older, her New York City chorus girl roles are starting to dry up. So naturally, she heads to Indiana to help Emma and maybe drum up a little bit of support for herself.

Kidman is fresh off starring roles in The Undoing and Big Little Lies, among many others in her decades-long, Oscar-winning (for 2003’s The Hours) career, so a little song and dance number would be a nice departure from wearing exceptional coats and crying for an hour straight.Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.

Andrew Rannells plays Trent Oliver

Like Dee Dee and Angie before him, Trent’s Broadway acting career isn’t going the way he had hoped, so he opts to follow the NYC acting gang to the Midwest to help Emma and his own career.

Rannells hit the big time after winning a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical for playing Elder Price in the 2011 Broadway musical The Book of Mormon. He’s also appeared or voice acted on shows like Big Mouth, Girls, The Knick, The New Normal and Broadway shows like Falsettos.Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.

Kevin Chamberlin plays Sheldon Saperstein

Sheldon is a publicist for the aforementioned down-on-their-luck stars.

Chamberlain has been nominated for a Tony Award in three out of four acting categories: Best Actor in a Play (for Dirty Blonde); Best Actor in a Musical (for Seussical); and Best Featured Actor in a Musical (for The Addams Family). So it’s fair to say he’s not a musical novice. He’s also appeared on shows like Jessie and Grace And Frankie.Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.

Keegan-Michael Key plays Mr. Hawkins

Mr. Hawkins, the principal of Edgewater High School, is down with Emma and Alyssa’s prom night out, even if the PTA isn’t.

From 2012-2015, Key co-starred alongside Jordan Peele in Comedy Central’s Key & Peele, a series they created together. He’s also been in shows like Playing House, Friends From College, Fargo, and Parks and Recreation, and movies like The Lego Movie, The Lion King, and Toy Story 4.Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.

Kerry Washington plays Mrs. Greene

Mrs. Green is PTA president and Alyssa’s mother, and she’s really unaccepting of Alyssa’s choice in prom date.

Washington’s Little Fires Everywhere (which she acted in and produced) was one of the biggest streaming hits for Hulu in 2020, but the subject matter was kind of heavy, so The Prom is probably a welcome reprieve for her. She’s known for roles in films like Save The Last Dance and Django Unchained, as well for her starring role as Olivia Pope in Shonda Rhimes’ Scandal.
Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images.

Tracey Ullman plays Vera

Ullman is always having fun — her eponymous comedy show ran on FOX from 1987 to 1990 (it’s also known as the show that birthed The Simpsons), and she’s been on shows like Girls, State Of The Union, Will & Grace, and Ally McBeal.Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images.

Logan Riley Hassel plays Kaylee

Popular girl Kaylee is a foil to Emma and Alyssa, but with so much good energy flowing at the prom, they have to become friends, right?

Hassel is a relative newcomer to the acting scene — she’s had some bit parts on shows like Modern Family, The Affair, and Fuller House, and this is her first big musical role.Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.

Sofia Deler plays Shelby

Shelby is in Kaylee’s clique. She’s also a popular girl who isn’t so down with Alyssa and Emma going to the prom together. What’s their damage?

This is Deler’s very first movie role, which is pretty exciting for her. “What is so beautiful about the role that I got to play was that [Shelby] went on this journey of really opening up her mind and her ideas of what she thinks of the world based on what she’s been taught versus what she knows; which is love and kindness and compassion,” she told Broadway Direct.
Photo: Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic.

Nico Greetham plays Nick Boomer

Nick is another cool kid at Emma and Alyssa’s high school.

Nico also seems like a pretty cool guy — according to Broadway Box, he made his Broadway debut in Newsies and was a Top 5 finalist on season 10 of So You Think You Can Dance. Nico also starred as Calvin (aka the Yellow Ranger) in Power Rangers Ninja Steel and in movies like Dinner In America and Dramarama.Photo: Tara Ziemba/Getty Images.

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