PROM night is one of the major highlights in a young person’s life. It is a time to dress up and have fun with friends and loved ones, a time of celebration to mark the ending of a long and stressful academic period.

Apart from the usual dancing and socialising, there’s also the crowning of the Prom King and Queen that make prom night a memorable event indeed.

The title – Prom the Musical – says it all, but that was the theme of a musical theatre production staged recently at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLpac).

Directed by Zachary Wong, the musical featured choreographed works of Lim Chee Wei, Liew Yen Shan and Lim Cheng Choo. It starred Mior Ghazi, Sandra Tock, Shahila Johan, Ummi Aisyah and Aiman Asmawar.

Aiman Asmawar (centre) was great as the effeminate Jacky.

Originally staged on a smaller scale in SMK Sri KDU in Selangor last year, the musical was expanded for a showcase at KLpac, with additional songs and characters added.

“I wanted to write something for the teenagers. Something youth-oriented, with elements of Malaysian culture,” said Zachary.

Prom the Musical revolves around nine college seniors, all of whom are excited about the upcoming prom night at their college. Some, like the dedicated Jill and laidback Ming, find themselves caught up in the stress of organising the event. Brooding Gary worries about who to ask and who he has feelings for. New girl Leena finds herself torn between attending the prom and going overseas to further her studies.

Others, like the vain Sheila and the extremely flamboyant Jacky, find themselves obssessed with the “Prom Queen” title, and the glory that comes with it.

All of them, however, soon discover that what they want may not truly be what is best for them. In the process, the also learn important life lessons like the value of friendship and following the beat of one’s heart.

Granted, this is not the most original of storylines, yet it is still breezy and maintains a light tone throughout. Dramatic conflicts are glossed over in a line or two, acts of betrayal and trickery forgiven almost instantly, and problems are resolved in a manner that may come across as unrealistic.

Characters are stock stereotypes — the popular girl and her sidekicks; the friendly new girl; the responsible one; the list goes on. While the musical was definitely not intended to be a gloomy Shakespearean tragedy, a more serious approach to the dramatic areas of the musical would have made it a much more compelling watch.

Prom the Musical’s set design, by Melissa Teoh, was impressive, with clever use of various large wall panels, and chairs used to evoke various settings.

Ummi Aisyah (with glasses) stood out among the rest of the cast.

The acting, on the other hand, was sadly below par. Many of the cast members were rather wooden in their line delivery. Most of the young performers showed talent, but sadly lacked the true spirit needed to do justice to their roles.

Credit, however, has to go to Aiman Asmawar, who stole the show as the outspoken and effeminate Jacky. With his loud outfits, good comic timing and outrageous antics, first-time actor Aiman really captured the essence of his character.

Performing arts student Ummi Aisyah’s portrayal of Jill is also deserving of praise. The young actress’ energy level and performance was consistent throughout the show.

Prom, the Musical featured many songs from Broadway and West End standards such as Hairspray and Chicago, as well as pop hits like John McLaughlin’s So Close and Gwen Stefani’s Hollaback Girl.

Most of the cast members’ singing was decent, with the highlights being an emotional duet between Sandra Tock and Ummi Aisyah (singing Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand’s Tell Him), and Shahila Johan’s beautiful performance of I’m Not That Girl from Wicked.

That said, though, it was the dancing that was the musical’s main strength. A fantastic show of fancy footwork and dazzling choreography was displayed throughout, done to perfection by the cast.

The actors’ high energy and enthusiasm made the dance numbers a true delight to watch. The dancing for Hollaback Girl impressed with its street-style steps, while during Can’t Take My Eyes Off, things got a little comical. The musical’s encore piece, Oh My Leena (a modified version of ABBA’s Mamma Mia!) was also spectacularly executed, effectively wrapping the show.

Shahila Johan (centre) plays the Prom Queen.

Prom the Musical was a decent production, which would be best enjoyed by youngsters or older people eager to relive their memories of prom nights.

While not featuring the most original of storylines, it was enjoybale as a light-hearted musical featuring a cast of fresh performers, and excellently-choreographed dance numbers.