The Prom's Isabelle McCalla on 'Choosing Joy,' Bringing Miss Congeniality to Broadway & More

Isabelle McCalla is currently wowing audiences in the The Prom, a show she's been with since she was an ensemble member for its out-of-town run in Atlanta, Georgia. When the musical moved to Broadway, McCalla took over the role of Alyssa Green and has been stealing unruly hearts as the closeted high schooler looking for love and acceptance. With the Tony-nominated show's upcoming final performance, McCalla spoke to Paul Wontorek on Broadway.com's #LiveAtFive all about lessons learned and what's next on her schedule. "We're a company that chooses joy, but there was about a week when it was really tough," she said about The Prom's closing notice. "We love doing this show so much that it fuels us even more to keep giving the best product that we know we have. Even though the show will have a life with the movie and the national tour, the fact that it won't be on Broadway with these people is sad. We're just going to give it all we can."

The Prom's theme of acceptance has played a major role in the show's success, and that is not lost on McCalla. "I feel a huge responsibility and privilege to get to play [Alyssa Green]," she said. "The best compliment I can get is when young girls at the stage doors say, 'I'm seeing myself for the first time.' We inspire these young kids to come out to their families. Being able to connect on a deeper level and change these people's lives is literally everything we could ever want to do."

Throughout the show's Broadway run, McCalla and her co-star Tony nominee Caitlin Kinnunen have appeared on several talk shows and even made history as the first performance to feature a kiss between two women during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade broadcast. "We've kissed everywhere," McCalla said. "I can't rank one over the other, but both the Macy's and Tony's kiss were huge for me. Macy's on a global level and and Tonys on a personal level. We really went in on that kiss because we were like, 'This is the Tony Awards; they love us here.'"

For McCalla, appearing in The Prom was a dream come true in more ways than one: "I was obsessed with The Drowsy Chaperone, and in seventh grade I wrote about how Beth Leavel was my idol," she said. "My mom found it and brought it to Atlanta with her for our opening, and I got to show it to Beth. It's been the most collaborative and wonderful process. It's so sad to let go of, but I hope to bring that love to every single project."

As for what's next for McCalla, she has some thoughts on what the next movie-turned-musical should be. "If Miss Congeniality ever became a musical I would want to be Gracie Lou," she said. "I'm putting it out into the universe. People love to see movie musicals."

Be sure to see McCalla in The Prom, now playing at the Longacre Theatre through August 11.

Watch the full #LiveAtFive episode below!