Like most people, I spent last Friday in high anticipation for Netflix’s latest movie The Prom (2020). More specifically, it was one of the few movie musicals being released this year and it was a chance to see something big, bombastic, capturing what I love about this genre. Given that In the Heights (2021) and West Side Story (2021) were moved to next year, it made everything feel more special. One has to wonder what’s so special about this Tony-winning show that it came out in a quick turnaround. Having only premiered on Broadway in 2018, it felt like we were still YEARS off from anything resembling a film adaptation. It’s just how business works.
But what I’m here to say is that it’s another delightful musical that’s big on spectacle and a handful of songs that are sure to get stuck in your head. While I’d argue that it’s far from perfect, it’s one of those big emotion stories, celebrating how theater brings people together and creates self-acceptance. The most important thing to know going in is that this is one of the most shamelessly eccentric adaptations in eons, where the sets are incredible and even the lighting knows when to shift into a dance number. It more than makes up for any flaws every time the orchestra raises their instruments, preparing for another song that’s sure to get stuck in your head.
Though I’m not here to talk about The Prom, or at least directly about it. There was a moment late in the film where Trent Oliver (Andrew Rannells) takes to convincing a group of high school students that homosexuality is okay. Throughout the number “Love Thy Neighbor,” director Ryan Murphy creates a vivid recreation of a mall, using everything from escalators to fountains as props for a big dance number. Meanwhile, there’s Trent, framed like The Music Man, selling the idea of tolerance to everyone. It could just be that the song is upbeat and inspires clapping, but the viewer can’t help be on the edge of their seat, wanting to dance along. For my money, it is the best number in the whole film.
Though as I ruminate on the film and its many highlights, I realize that what I’m mostly responding to with “Love Thy Neighbor” is something that I’ve been experiencing for a near-decade now. In some form or another, I’ve been familiar with Andrew Rannells, and (by coincidence) I have seen every one of his films. I wouldn’t necessarily say he’s the greatest, but he definitely fits in that camp with Ben Platt as a Broadway star deserving of more attention.
Ever since I first saw him on Girls, I’ve been curious to know who he was. At the time, the Lena Dunham-penned show was a haven for great indie actors looking to transition. Along with Rannells were other favorites like Alex Karpovsky, Adam Driver, Donald Glover, and even Desiree Akhavan. Sure, one can argue that it grew to be problematic and didn’t hold up to scrutiny, but for those early years, it felt like the introduction to a new style of entertainment. It was something more organic and commenting on the struggles of millennials to be taken seriously.
Though, if I’m being honest, most of my deeper love for Rannells came a year after Girls introduced him as Elijah. I didn’t necessarily come to The Book of Mormon because of Rannells, but it may be why it stays so close on my shuffle, waiting for a good day to blast “I Believe” and get a little bit cheered up.
To be frank, I came to the show for the same reason that most others did. Having grown up over the preceding years watching South Park, I grew curious to see what creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker would bring to the stage. I would be lying if I didn’t admit that South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999) doesn’t have some catchy numbers. It was a novelty, especially when the commercials highlighted personalities like Jon Stewart vouching that it was the funniest thing in the world. Look out, The Producers. Future EGOT composer Robert Lopez was coming out with a new hit.
To get to the epicenter of why I love Rannells, just know what this show symbolizes. For me, it was the moment where I didn’t just like theater, but I fell in love with contemporary work. Before that show, I’m sure I knew the hits, but I couldn’t tell you what half of the shows nominated at The Tony Awards were. After this point, I became excited, curious to know what new shows were coming my way. After all, what person couldn’t fall in love with a song as jubilant as “Hello!,” where door buzzers turned into harmonic instruments? This show was clever, packed to the gills with references that didn’t draw attention to themselves.
At the center was “19-year-old” Elder Price. He had all of the confidence in the world. When he is introduced during “Hello!,” it’s hard to not understand every note of enthusiasm in his voice. It sounds so free of cynicism, ready to sell a book to unsuspecting customers. That’s the whole appeal of the character. He starts this naïve narcissist that believes that he is going to do something incredible with his life. He does it at the expense of his partner Elder Cunningham (Josh Gad), who serves as the familiar schlub comic folly. Both are wacky, but there’s something special about Price’s brand.
When he sings to Heavenly Father, he really does sound like a choir boy. Part of the joke is how sincere he is, but Rannells has this gift for making it even more powerful. If you listen to his lines on “Two By Two,” you’ll find that he’s able to sing at any register, growing anxious in a quiet tone before proudly declaring “Orlando!” and highlighting the places that he wants to go. He’s so sure of himself that you can’t help but love him a little. Later on “You and Me,” he hijacks the song from Cunningham and selfishly declares that he’s going to do all the hard work and get credit.
Sure, part of the joke is how wrong he is, but it wouldn’t be right if this was his only character trait. There is so much more complexity to him. It’s the deconstruction of a man experiencing the real world, discovering the famine and pillaging that stand in his way. He hides behind niceness, but the way that Rannells chips away at it reveals how this struggle plays against his faith. It’s a perfect dichotomy for a story like this, trying to find faith where there isn’t any. The story ends with the revelation that religion is ridiculous, but it helps to make sense of the world. Credit to the writers for landing that tone.
It’s easy to see what’s so appealing about Rannells as an actor because of this. His voice is distinctive, and his inflections are capable of finding these nuances. “I Believe” is a perfect example of his gifts. While it’s not the showiest song, it’s packed with long-winded imagery and he has to convince the audience that planets and racism are acceptable facets of Mormonism. He makes it feel off-the-cuff in such a way that the audience is always taken aback. Meanwhile, his dancing, while simple, has this preacher enthusiasm to it that feels natural. When Price has to contradict his back-up dancers in sequences like “Hasa Diga Ebowai,” there is a distinction to his shock that can read as mugging. It’s a small comedy moment that is delightful.
From this moment on, I’ve been excited about Rannells’ career. Along with Girls, he got me to watch the short-lived (and first collaboration with Ryan Murphy) The New Normal which is quaint by today’s standards. No matter what he did, I hoped to see what he did next and that’s why I was excited to see him perform at The Tony Awards in the Falsettos revival back in 2017.
As readers will know, I previously did a four-part series on the history of that show. It has come to mean a lot to me with how it conveys a complicated gay lead dealing with his family. Sure, the execution at times may read as absurd, but there’s something to be said with how composer William Finn constructed it over 20 years in a changing LGBT culture. What started as a comparatively conservative show called In Trousers came to embody March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland: shows commenting on the changing tide that included gayness no longer being considered a mental health disorder and, more importantly, The AIDS Epidemic.
It fair to suggest that I only wanted to see this revival BECAUSE of Rannells. Sure, I wasn’t going to get him specifically, but having him star as Whizzer on Broadway (and in a very good pro-shot version) was exciting. He was the gay boyfriend whose own journey grew from a menacing outsider into something more sympathetic. It’s difficult to go song by song through why this show is a masterpiece, but there is something to be said for how Rannells’ attractiveness (the man doesn’t age) plays into the story, serving as this desirable figure who you can understand as a threat to protagonist Marvin’s marriage.
In fairness, every family member has their own quirks when it comes to not understanding each other. Even the therapist is trying to get with Marvin’s wife. What makes Whizzer particularly compelling is not only the chemistry he has with Whizzer but how he comes to play a significant role in Marvin’s son, Jason, life. It’s a story of Judaism that contemporizes it in such a way that it conveys the gradual but essential understanding of each other. It’s sweet, and Rannells’ take on the character allows for some of the most heartbreaking moments of the story, especially in the closing stretch when having to sing “What Would I Do?”
It’s something that’s quite admirable and makes him a consistently interesting actor to watch. I’ll confess that I’ve since lost track of his TV work, but seeing him again in The Prom has reminded me of what makes him so charismatic. While different in melody, I get the same energy from The Prom’s “Love Thy Neighbor” that I do The Book of Mormon’s “All-American Prophet.” Both have this sincerity that doesn’t wink at the audience. Everything about it is fun, upbeat, and captures the best of these big pompous numbers. Not only that, but Rannells’ voice is so rubbery at times, able to make a slight turn of phrase about dead ex-wives into this catty aside.
These three roles especially make me eager to see where his career can go from here. I would personally give The Prom top grades for whenever he is onscreen. He understands what kind of movie this is, and he’s got the acting chops to pull it off. He is able to make physical comedy even while singing these limber lines look effortless. If I have any complaint about The Prom (which are few), it’s that I wish more stage actors embodied these roles. I’m not saying it would be more or less fun, but I think introducing mass audiences to people like Rannells is definitely a major plus in my book.
I’m well aware that he’s done much more than what I’ve mentioned here. It’s difficult to fully embody his career, so I decided to focus on the personal highs for me. I’m mostly thankful that in his few movie roles, he’s finally been allowed to do what has made me love him for years now: dance and sing. It helps that he plays well off of his supporting cast, but I’m mostly wanting to imagine a world that he’s like Ben Platt, getting these musical roles that endear him to mainstream audiences. The Prom is a very good start and I’m sure will remain my favorite part of the film. Other than that, it’s a good time and that’s what we need right now more than anything.
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