Review: "Mamma Mia!" at Watertown High School

WATERTOWN - Following the 2021 production of “Les Miserables,” the spring musical at Watertown High School is a joyous production of “Mamma Mia!,” once again under the direction of Foster Evans Reese.

Reese also was in charge of the choreography and it allows the students to shine in all of the production numbers. “Mamma Mia!” marks his twelfth musical at Watertown High, and both “Once on this Island” and “Leader of the Pack” were awarded Halo Awards for Best Musical. There is dancing to open the show

Joseph Hahn, in his eighth year of teaching music at the high school, is the music director/conductor for his sixth musical with Watertown HS; the choral music director is Anna Jedd, with Anne DeMichiel as the vocal music director. The nine-member pit orchestra did very well with the score of the iconic ABBA music, and in the Watertown tradition, entered together to a welcoming applause at the beginning of both acts. Shout out to Josh Rodis on guitar.

Former Watertown HS cast and crew members are invited to stand before the performance begins to be recognized and after the intermission, veterans, first responders and health care workers were recognized before a group of students performed “Fernando,” an ABBA song that is not in the score of “Mamma Mia!”

“Under Attack,” the dream sequence that opens the second act, was done with black light and flash lights on Sophie.

A few of the roles were double cast, with the first cast covering the first weekend of performance and the second to go on next weekend.

Clara Pizzolorusso lights up the stage in the important role of single mother Donna Sheridan. Pizzolorusso played the title role in Blessed Sacrament Children’s Theatre’s “Mary Poppins” and Eulalie Shin in “The Music Man,” and she won a Halo Award for her portrayal of Eponine in “Les Miz.”

Donna’s daughter Sophie is brought to beautiful life by senior Ruth Fomo, who was Cosette in “Les Miz.” Upon graduation, she plans to attend college to study nursing. Her clear singing voice was the perfect match for all of her many solo pieces and she has the acting skills to make the most of the young woman who invites her three possible fathers to her wedding.

As for the possible fathers, Senior Keith Acuna, who plans to study Audio and Music Production at Western Connecticut State University, plays Sam Carmichael, and junior Garth Betts, who began his time onstage in 2017 at the Warner Theatre, portrays Harry Bright. Senior Evan Davidson delightfully played Bill Austin, and he share the role with Christian Welcome.

Freshman Harrison Gowell plays Sophie’s betrothed Sky, sharing the role with Joshua Pizzolrusso.

As Donna’s Dynamos, Junior Sophia Coco shares the role of Tanya with Amarta Marku, a junior. Senior Erica Gugliotti covers the fun role of Rosie at all performances; she plans to major in either business or law next fall. Her take on “Take A Chance on Me,” with Davidson as Bill, was a highlight of the performance.

Sophie’s bridesmaids are played by Aspen Hogrefe and Rosemarie Mitchell as Ali and Emalyn Osborne and Olivia Carew as Lisa. Senior Andrew Warren plays Eddie and senior Mason Gowell plays officiant Father Alexandrios.

The large ensemble does excellent work with both the singing and dancing, and were clearly well-rehearsed by their director. I loved when they “popped up” at the sides of the auditorium during the title song.

The large stage crew worked so efficiently and in such perfect synch that it appeared that the director had choreographed their moves as well. The lovely costumes were designed by Christine Holmes (“Love, Sex and the IRS with Landmark,) who also does the makeup and hair design. The final Dynamos’ costumes were a bit toned down and very appropriate for the students.

You can support the Watertown High School students by attending one of the remaining performances during their second weekend. Tickets are available for the performances on Thursday through Saturday at 7:00 p.m.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues. She posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. She recently became a contributor to the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Her weekly column and theatre reviews appear in the Thursday Weekend section of the paper.

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