“Typical, isn’t it?” So here comes the FHS Theatre Company producing yet another iconic production, a fan favorite: Mamma Mia! If you didn’t already know, Mamma Mia overlooks the story of Donna and Sophie, a fun-loving mother-daughter relationship amid Sophie’s wedding. However, as Donna and her friends tirelessly plan the occasion, the bride-to-be has other intentions. On the hunt for her birth father, Sophie invites three men from her mother’s past to the ceremony in hopes that her real dad will be revealed and can walk her down the aisle on the big day!

The Franklin Highschool Theatre company has some big plans for this musical. Excited to present their own take on this top family pick, Mr. Grossman, the director of the FHSTC, explains his enthusiasm for the “incredibly fun, lively, and entertaining production.” With big plans, Mr. Grossman set out to be”as inclusive as possible with a large cast of 50+ students to depict the energetic theatrical production in full swing.”

Along with Mr. Grossman, Ms. Beatrice, the choir director, has been working with the cast to perfect the musical numbers within the performance. Mamma Mia is filled with music entailing “tight harmonies, stylized vocals, and dance rhythms,” falling under the “disco genre,” Ms. Beatrice explains. She goes on to say that her “goal to bring this music to life in a way that captures the audience and showcases the vocal capabilities of our very talented cast.” We cannot wait to see what they have in store for us!

Of course, great theatrical productions come with great set designs, and the FHSTC never fails to impress! Kaiti Cook, the lead set designer, explained to me some of the specific aspects of building sets for Mamma Mia that I believe will be outstanding. Her plan includes “making the mainframes and covering them with luan (loo-ahn), a kind of wood that’s really thin and easily be painted, and adding flowers to emulate the memorable tavern buildings from the original musical.” The sets are definitely going to bring this play to life, along with the impressive cast!

The leads of the musical, Brandi and Sarah Dumas, playing Sophie and Donna Sheridan, respectively, are excited about this performance almost as much as we are! Brandi specifically mentions looking forward to the “choreography, the lights, the set, and the costumes,” describing them as a “spectacle when brought together on stage.” Additionally, Sarah details her enthusiasm to “bring the fun and complex character” of Donna to life and believes the show will be “unforgettable.”

Each aspect of the production has developed so much, truly coming together to become a spectacular and entertaining show! Everyone in the FHSTC has worked so hard to perform Mamma Mia in the truest of its form, a fun-filled musical for all! Mamma Mia premiers in the FHS Auditorium on Friday, November 12th at 7 pm, with subsequent performances on Saturday, November 13th at 2 pm and 7 pm. Tickets are on sale and live now!

We can’t wait to see you there!