From Thursday, March 27 to Saturday, March 29, the NC Standing Ovation Thespian Troupe performed four total shows of their final spring musical production, “Mamma Mia!” in the Performing Arts Center (PAC). Introducing clear blue waters and warm, beachy shores, this musical, originally crafted by British playwright Catherine Johnson, introduces Sophie Sheridan, a young girl in search of the perfect wedding, which includes her father handing her off; the only problem: she does not know the whereabouts of her real father.
In NC’s rendition of the musical, Sheridan, played by magnet junior Mary Washburn, finds her mother’s old diary and discovers the names of three men she takes as her potential fathers. She instantly invites these men — Harry, played by magnet senior Zorian Lang, Bill, played by junior Bryce Nichols and Sam, played by magnet junior Seneca Cruz Cruz— to her wedding with her fiancé Sky Rymand, played by junior Will Gichaara. As the musical progresses, Sheridan spends time with the men as a way to figure out which one she connects with, although the end wedding scene showcases a major plot twist right at the altar.
“The best part about playing Sophie has probably been my involvement in rehearsals. I really don’t like coming to rehearsals and not doing much, so ‘Mamma Mia!’ always kept me busy. My best way to get into character is to listen to the ‘Mamma Mia!’ Broadway soundtrack. It helps me remember how she would say certain lines or sing certain parts of songs. This show has taught me that I can play so many different kinds of characters! Usually, I’m cast as a funny character, so playing Sophie was really a challenge to get into,” Washburn said
Additionally featuring star role Donna Sheridan, Sophie’s mother played by magnet senior Laila Sain, the production works through upbeat songs and a variety of emotion. Donna and her two friends, Tanya, played by magnet senior Olivia Doucette and Rosie, played by magnet junior Story Vermillion, create an unstoppable trio that brings the fun and excitement into the musical.
“The best part about playing Donna is getting the opportunity to showcase my range and my strengths in both acting and in my voice. Donna is such a huge role that I was not confident I would be able to pull it off for a long time, and so the fact that I did and it was good was really fire. This show genuinely means so much to me because it is one of the first shows I’ve been a lead in in a while. It really showed me that I have enough talent to be able to take on those parts and do it well. I love my cast and I love my tech and my crew. I think this was just the perfect senior show for me to have and it means so much to have the opportunity to do it,” Sain said.
After the major successes with the troupes’ four-performance run of “Descendants: The Musical” in late January, “Mamma Mia!” rehearsals began almost directly after. Practicing Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, typically from around 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., NC students committed themselves fully to a world of music and dance, transporting to the island each time they ran a scene. With the help of stage management and a tech team, the production quickly transformed from reading lines out of the script to a whirlwind of sparkling costumes and Grecian-style props.
Different from numerous musicals with lesser-known music and storylines, “Mamma Mia!” resembles a hit in the musical world: with thanks long overdue to the famous 70s pop group ABBA. Released in 2008, the movie adaptation of “Mamma Mia!” starring Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried popularized several ABBA tracks that are still known today. “Dancing Queen,” “Money Money Money” and “Lay All Your Love On Me,” for example, stand as a selection of widely-known songs from the movie-musical, all sung by ABBA.
Because this production represents the last Standing Ovation performance of the semester, senior students cherish their final moments on stage with their beloved high school theater group, partaking in a multitude of senior traditions throughout the show week. As NC students who were part of the musical made their way throughout the performance-packed weekend, they cherished the time spent with those around them. Due to numerous rehearsals, especially with dress and tech rehearsals taking up time the preceding week, a major portion of the students’ lives revolved around their theater group — making the final performance a bittersweet production.
The Chant congratulates the NC Standing Ovation on their wonderful spring performance of “Mamma Mia!”
