The Prom (2020) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Mrs. Greene initially opposes an inclusive prom because she strongly advocates for traditional values in her conservative Indiana community. However, she also recognizes the legal risk of banning a single student, which could result in the entire prom being cancelled. Her opposition is driven by a combination of genuine belief in traditional values and political calculation to avoid liability.

• mrs greene
• emma
• prom ban
• conservative values
• legal risk

Dee Dee and Barry initially decide to help Emma as a publicity stunt to repair their damaged reputations after receiving scathing reviews for their Broadway musical. They see her cause as an opportunity to reinvent their images and gain positive media attention, though their motivations evolve as they become genuinely invested in Emma's fight.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, the harsh New York Times review sets the stage for their desperate need to restore their public image.

• dee dee
• barry
• publicity stunt
• reputation
• broadway

Mrs. Greene secretly organizes an alternative prom designed to exclude Emma. While the official narrative suggests the prom is back on for everyone, she actually arranges a separate event where Emma and her girlfriend would not be welcome, essentially creating a segregated prom to maintain the town's traditional values.

• mrs greene
• alternative prom
• exclusion
• betrayal

Alyssa supports Emma because she herself is gay and understands the pain of living in a conservative environment while hiding her true identity. Despite her mother's strong opposition to inclusivity, Alyssa advocates for Emma through emotional songs like "Just Breathe" and ultimately chooses to stand by her girlfriend, revealing the personal stakes she has in the fight for acceptance.

Foreshadowing: Alyssa's song "Just Breathe" directly references the emotional toll of being gay in their community.

• alyssa greene
• emma
• support
• gay
• relationship

Barry is crowned prom queen as a symbolic gesture of acceptance and unity. After helping Emma navigate her prom experience and sharing his own painful prom story from decades ago, the students honor him as a symbol of allyship and celebration of love in all forms, reinforcing the movie's theme that everyone deserves to be celebrated.

Foreshadowing: Barry's earlier conversation with Emma about his own painful prom experience sets up this emotional payoff.

• barry glickman
• prom queen
• allyship
• symbolic

Emma performs her original song "Unruly Heart" at the height of the conflict, and her powerful rendition of fighting for acceptance resonates with LGBTQ+ youth worldwide. The performance is filmed and spreads across the internet, becoming a viral anthem that sparks a broader awakening about the importance of acceptance and representation.

• unruly heart
• viral
• performance
• LGBTQ+ anthem

The prom is cancelled after Mrs. Greene argues that allowing Emma to attend with another girl would violate traditional values. Under pressure from the media and community, the school decides to cancel the entire event rather than face the controversy of allowing one student to attend with a same-sex date, a decision that triggers widespread outrage and sets the plot in motion.

• prom cancellation
• controversy
• media pressure
• tradition

Despite facing significant financial troubles, partly due to their failed Broadway show, each of the Broadway stars contributes their own money to finance the prom. Their willingness to sacrifice financially demonstrates their genuine transformation from self-serving celebrities to committed allies, turning their initial publicity stunt into a meaningful act of activism.

• funding
• prom
• actors financial sacrifice
• allyship

Emma is heartbroken and feels betrayed when she discovers Mrs. Greene's plan to host an exclusive prom that would exclude her. This confrontation is emotionally charged, as Emma must grapple with the reality that even someone close to Alyssa, her girlfriend's mother, is actively working against her, deepening the story's exploration of prejudice within families.

• emma
• betrayal
• alternative prom
• emotional confrontation

After Dee Dee learns about Emma's difficult home life, she has a candid discussion with Mrs. Greene about what it means to be an activist versus performing activism for personal gain. This conversation forces both women to reflect on their motivations, Dee Dee recognizing her self-serving tendencies and Mrs. Greene reconsidering her rigid stance against inclusivity.

• dee dee
• mrs greene
• activism
• self-reflection

Emma faces relentless bullying from her peers because she is an open lesbian in a conservative Indiana town where same-sex relationships are strongly frowned upon. Her public desire to attend prom with another girl makes her a target, and the bullying intensifies after the prom is cancelled, representing the real-world discrimination LGBTQ+ students often face in unwelcoming environments.

• emma
• bullying
• discrimination
• conservative indiana
• LGBTQ+