Overview
Set in a small town middle American town called Principal, this is the story of teenaged best friends Jimmy T. and Kia B. Jimmy wants to take Kia to prom, but it’s complicated. Jimmy is white and Kia is black, and Principal has been holding racially segregated proms for decades. In this contemporary coming of age story, filled with music and magic, rhymes and beats, Jimmy and Kia work to hold fast to their friendship. With a little help from a musical superstar, they both fight to envision a different future for themselves and their town.
Casting & Production
Casting
Cast of Characters
(2W, 3M)
KIA B — 17, black, female
JIMMY T. — 17, white, male
Three Shapeshifters who play various people of different ages:
BLACK ADULT FEMALE — Kia B’s Mother Regina, Town Voices
WHITE ADULT MALE — Jimmy T’s Father Jimmy Sr., Town Voices
BLACK ADULT MALE — Town Voices, Jimmy T’s favorite rap superstar Iz Icon
Setting
Setting:
Present Day (and more recently than you’d want to think)
Music
Note on the Rap Music
Jimmy and Kia both mess around with rapping—this shouldn’t be polished or overly presentational.
Iz Icon however appears as a magical figure and therefore his raps should be elevated, amplified, rehearsed and bumpin’. Feel free to reach out to the author if you need support in this regard.
Reviews
“AMERICAN PROM offers hope that we are none of us so entrenched in our ways that we can’t change. Goodwin, an accomplished poet as well as a playwright, has woven his passion for wordplay and rhythm into the story to excellent effect.”
—Colorado Springs Independent
