FHS’s Mamma Mia was a Success!
This is at the end of the play, after the song, “I Do, I Do, I Do.” Photo used with permission from Skylar Grossman
November 23, 2021
The intricate set design, the high-energy characters, and the upbeat numbers all tied together to produce a memorable performance of Mamma Mia! on November 12th and November 13th.
Mamma Mia! is a musical, turned into a movie in 2008, based on songs from the famous ‘70s band ABBA.
The show takes place on a small island off the coast of Greece at a small hotel, owned by Donna, one of the protagonists. Donna is a single mother to 20-year-old Sophie. When Sophie discovers her mom’s old diary, she secretly invites her three possible fathers to her wedding!
Mamma Mia opened with an amazing performance of “I Have a Dream” with Sophie, the second protagonist, standing on the top tier of the beautiful hotel structure. The tech theatre program thoughtfully designed the set with leaves, foliage, and bistro lights to fantastically portray the Greek, beachy style.
After the first song, Sophie’s two best friends, Ali and Lisa, spontaneously ran to Sophie to reunite with each other. Their performance of “Honey, Honey” hooked the audience in, right at the start of the play. The three quirky, spunky characters moved seamlessly around the stage to illustrate the excitement around Donna’s diary.
Donna and Sophie were played by sisters, Brandi and Sarah Dumas. Sarah enjoyed portraying the mother-daughter dynamic because she said it “really increased the chemistry that Donna and Sophie are meant to have” and “brought another level to the characters.” Brandi agrees with the stronger on-stage bond, but it was hard for her to take the sister out of her and instead fulfill her part as the daughter role.
Sarah’s favorite song to perform was “Super Trooper” because “it was such an opportunity to connect with the audience and the costumes were so elaborate.” During this song, some of the cast members danced down the aisles!
Brandi really liked “Under Attack.” This was performed when Sophie was restless the night before her wedding. She says that “From the spinning bed to the crazy lights to the lifting into the air, it was such a fun and crazy number to participate in.”
Mr. Grossman is the theater director. The hardest part about running the play for him was rehearsing the scenes in pieces, but putting everything together in the end. He said that the final product of all the hard work put in by everyone was all worth it.
He described the energy of the audience as “contagious” and added that “the camaraderie of the cast was incredibly special.”
