“Dee Dee Allen (the formidable Beth Leavel was out when I saw it, replaced by a fab Kate Marilley)!”  - by Bob Cashill of Pop Dose (Exit Lines & Standouts)

http://popdose.com/exit-lines-standouts/

 

 

 

“Kate Marilley stepped into Dee Dee's leopard-print ensembles with gusto, making like Eva Perón in front of the entire community, having a conniption fit over the loss of her Hamptons beach house, and reprising the eleven o'clock number from her biggest hit show.”  - David Barbour of Lighting & Sound America 

http://www.lightingandsoundamerica.com/news/story.asp?ID=-6AV160

 

 

 

“ ...her standby, Kate Marilley, went on.  You’d hardly think it possible, as the standby in a musical, especially on the heels of an opening night, has an obligation to slot into the ensemble and deliver a performance that doesn’t disrupt the group gestalt, but Ms. Marilley managed to do that and in addition, put her own spin on things. If she’s still available when Ms. Leavel leaves, and not first choice to replace…well, she’d have to be. Thus spake Zarathustra. And nothing taken away from the extraordinary Ms. Leavel; but when Ms. Marilley wasn’t there, I missed her.”  - by David Spencer of Aisle Say New York

http://www.aislesay.com/NY-PROM.html

 

 

 

“ When I saw the show last November 17, an understudy was in for Beth Leavel, who had become indisposed at half hour. With very limited rehearsal (the show had opened just two days prior), Kate Marilley turned in the best understudy performance I’ve ever seen, earning enthusiastic applause, including from her fellow cast members.”  - Philip Dorian of Scene On Stage 

 

http://sceneonstage.com/2019/01/take-someone-to-the-prom-formal-wear-optional/

 

 

“At my performance, Leavel, who had taken ill earlier in the day, was replaced by Kate Marilley who was quite marvelous, playing the ego and self-centered star to the hilt with a great voice and assured comic timing.... Marilley got to strut her stuff and show what made Dee Dee a star with “The Lady’s Improving." - by Harry Forbes of Forbes on Film & Footlights

 

http://www.harryforbes.com/2018/11/the-prom-longacre-theatre.html

 

 

 

“Ms. Leavel was out at the first performance I attended, Her standby, Kate Marilley, was outstanding.”  - by Christopher Byrne of Gay City News

https://www.gaycitynews.nyc/stories/2019/3/prom-theater-2019-01-31-gcn.html

 

 

 

“....in the performance I saw, the wonderful, strong-voiced Kate Marilley in the droll role of actress Dee Dee Allen, a part usually played by Beth Leavel...” - William Wolf of Wolf Entertainment Guide

http://www.wolfentertainmentguide.com/viewpage.aspx?record=10581&cat=theater

 

 

 

“....And now a word about the brilliant and exceptional Kate Marilley who is responsible for my seeing THE PROM twice. I thank her profusely for her courage and talent. At the matinee performance on Saturday November 17th the curtain was held for some time as backstage havoc was wrought. A small slip of paper in the program stated that Kate Marilley would be performing the small role of Olivia Keating - the reporter. When the show finally started and Beth Leavel was not on stage something was amiss. As it turned out they were finding a costume for Kate – a simple red dress. And without ever performing the role of Dee Dee, and without a rehearsal - a new star glowed brightly. She didn’t miss a beat. Her comedic timing was brilliant and she stopped the show with “The Lady is Improving.”   Remember her name. KATE MARILLEY. Brava !!!   - by Oscar E. Moore of Talk Entertainment.com

 

http://talkentertainment.com/c-86128-The-Prom-is-much-more-than-the-sum-of-its-parts.-It-is-a-feel-good-musical.-Better-still,-it-is-a-feel-good-about-yourself-musical.aspx

 

 

 

“The song sung to the hilt, at the performance I attended, by Kate Marilley, who took over for a suddenly ill Beth Leavel at the last moment. She was very good, and got a standing ovation!”  - Johnathan Mandell of New York Theater 

https://newyorktheater.me/2018/11/19/the-prom-review-divas-hams-and-lesbians-in-broadway-satire/

 

 

“Seemingly as prepared as if she had been playing the role all along, Kate Marilley gave an amazing performance, shattering our expectations, regardless of what they might have been.  Fueled by a true sense of urgency, it was one of the most exciting performances I’ve ever seen.  - by Isa Goldberg of TheaterLife.com

http://theaterlife.com/the-prom-1-2/

 

 

 

“ ...the role of Dee Dee is played by the understudy Kate Marilley, who  stepped in with no previous rehearsal except that afternoon’s matinee and gave a show-stealing turn.”  - Kev Berry of Exeunt NYC Magazine

http://exeuntnyc.com/reviews/review-the-prom-at-longacre-theatre/

 

 

 

“Kate Marilley tackled the star role on such short notice with remarkable aplomb. She made her entrance in a little red dress instead of an elegant lame gown, delivered her lines without script in hand. She captured her character's wit and had the audience go wild over her big solo, "The Lady's Improving”....But if The Prom runs long enough for the usual original cast replacements, the performance that I witnessed by Kate Marilley may well make her eligible to play Dee Dee regularly.” -  by Elyse Sommer of Curtain Up

 

http://www.curtainup.com/promny18.html

 

 

 

“ ...understudy Kate Marilley chewed the scenery with a fervor that would have made Beth Leavel proud – Marilley’s one to watch for sure” - by Jonathan Warman of Drama Queen NYC

https://dramaqueennyc.com/2018/11/21/review-the-prom/

 

 

 

“ It is hard to say of the fearless four, which one was my favorite, but I must give kudos to Kate Marilley’s Dee Dee Allen.    Prepare for my gushing over Kate Marilley. I am so genuinely happy that I got to see her perform for the first time as both the leading lady of The Prom and of a Broadway musical. It is empowering to witness talent get their chance, and Marilley was was exceptional. She earned a standing ovation for her performance, and starred as if that show was the last one she would ever do on earth. Her energy was cosmic, which was life-saving considering she was surrounded by fierce, scene-stealing actors. In addition, her love story with Michael Potts’ Mr. Hawkins was equally as heart-warming as that of Emma and Alyssa’s romance. She wonderfully carried the weight of showing love makes you better, which is why you have to fight harder for it. “. - by Diandra Reviews It All

https://diandrareviewsitall.com/theatre-review-the-prom-is-everything-we-love-about-broadway/

 

 

“Before the performance, I got an email noting that one of the stars, Beth Leavel, was ill and would not be performing. I thought, in a big, splashy musical rife with theatrical cliché, why not go see the understudy go on for the star? Leavel has gotten great notices, but understudy Kate Marilley nailed it. She doesn’t miss a step.”  - by Kathleen Campion of New York Theatre Guide

 

https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/reviews/review-of-the-prom-on-broadway

 

 

 

“Kate Marilley stepped into Beth Leavel’s leading role of self-centered diva Dee Dee Allen. Thrillingly, Marilley gave Dee Dee the ebullience and belting chops any diva needs, proven in her solid highlight, “The Lady’s Improving,” in Act 2.”  - by Elizabeth Ahlfors of Cabaret Scenes

http://cabaretscenes.org/2018/12/11/the-prom/

 

 

“I would especially like to praise the understudy Kate Marilley who covered for Ms. Leavel in the performance we saw.  With no notice and very little prep, she did a marvelous job, especially in the show-stopping number “The Lady’s Improving”.  - by Mark Savitt For Hi Drama!