Credit: Judith Wolff
Between rousing songs and zesty dancing, rehearsals have been intense as Pine Plains high schoolers prepare to bring “Mamma Mia!” and its infectious tunes by the ‘70s supergroup ABBA to the stage March 10-12.
The 39-student cast includes everyone from students making their stage debut, girls playing boys, sixth graders playing senior citizens, and experienced performers like senior Chloe Baden stepping into their first-ever leading role.
“It’s challenging but exciting,” says Baden, who as Donna – an irrepressible mother hosting her daughter’s island wedding while coming to terms with a complicated past – must tackle no fewer than seven classic songs, including “The Winner Takes It All,” “SOS,” and the title anthem itself.
“The costumes are so great,” adds Baden, who plans to study hospitality management at college and hopes to someday visit Greece, where “Mamma Mia!” is set. “Three of us, as a former girl band from the ‘70s, have silver and gold outfits with go-go boots.”
“Mamma Mia!” is the latest Stissing Mountain musical staged by the Stissing Theatre Guild, which was initiated in 1989 to help foster an appreciation for musical theater by pairing high-schoolers with theater professionals.
While the high school contributes funding for the director and musical director, the guild raises funds for sets, costumes, musicians and other production expenses. The partnership has resulted in a number of high-caliber performances, including “Grease” and “The Wizard of Oz.”
Alec Sisco, a Pine Plains native and music teacher for the school district, is the music director for “Mamma Mia!” “This one is especially enjoyable, because the music drives it,” says Sisco, who himself graduated from Stissing Mountain in 2011. “It’s fun – disco, pop.”
Director Kevin Barnes, who has directed comedies and mysteries for the 65-year-old County Players theater group in Wappingers Falls, is working with the Stissing Mountain high school troupe for the first time. “They’re wonderful to work with, because they’re all individuals in their own right,” Barnes says of his young performers. “You can see a little who they’re going to be as grown-ups.”
“Mamma Mia!” tells the story of Sophie, Donna’s daughter, who grows up without a father but secretly invites all three of her potential dads – men with whom Donna once enjoyed a dalliance – to her wedding on a sun-kissed Greek island. Sophie assumes only her actual father will show up, but when all three men arrive, hijinks ensue. The musical, which ran on Broadway for 12 years, was also made into a popular film starring Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried.
The show’s large cast and many male roles means that several female students will be performing in the men’s ensemble. And Bill, one of the three potential father figures, will be portrayed by a first-time performer, senior Jonathan Falco.
Credit: Judith Wolff
Falco, who is interested in becoming a sports broadcaster, says rehearsing with his classmates, many of whom have been participating in theater productions for years, has helped him get his bearings and stay focused. He says trying out for a play is a great idea for anyone who wants to try something new.
“I have a lot of energy, and it gives me something to use my energy for,” Falco adds.
”Mamma Mia!” will be performed at Stissing Mountain High School on March 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m. and on March 12 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be ordered online at the Stissing Theater Guild or Seat Yourself or by calling the Stissing Theatre Guild box office at 518-398-1272.