Three Questions with Mamma Mia's Dominick Rincker

We caught up with LWE sophomore Dominick Rincker , who is busy rehearsing for the upcoming LWE production of Mamma Mia! April 12-14. Tickets are on sale now at lwemusic.org

ABBA's hits tell the hilarious story of a young woman's search for her birth father. This sunny and funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother's past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago.
Mamma Mia! is a fun, glittery, dance-pop musical, but we were able to chat with Dominick a bit about the character he plays and the work he's put into the show.

Q: Was it harder or easier to play such a fun role after last year's serious musical?

A: It was a challenge because Pepper is such a rowdy, hilarious character. It takes a lot of energy and confidence to play his character well. I have a lot of fun doing so because I think Tanya and I have one of the most amusing songs of the show. During the song we are partying on the beach and we don't have to worry about some of the darker moments of this show or last year's show, just having fun with each other and the audience.

Q: What is different in a pop musical compared to a traditional or more operatic musical?

A: Backstage vocals. They are by far the coolest and most iconic part of this show. During the songs, we sing backup vocals into microphones to really create the ABBA sound. There are tons of different harmonies and contrasting, syncopated rhythms we create, which were so cool to learn as musicians. Since we aren't on stage, we get to jam out and dance to the songs, which is really fun. My role is perfect because I get to have time as Pepper and time as an Ensemble member backstage.

Q: Does Pepper stand for something else or is he just comic relief?

A: I see his role definitely as comic relief. He has some of the funniest lines that will get the best response from the audience. Pepper is always working for Donna, but knows how to have fun and escape from the wedding planning to go down to the beach to flirt and party. He has no difficulty seducing girls on the island, so when Tanya challenges him, he sees it as an amusing game he is confident he will win.

Q: Who is Sophie's Dad?
A: I don't know-- but definitely not Pepper!

Q: What's next for Dominick?

This summer I will be taking civics and economics for summer school so that I can take Choir, Band, and Spanish 4 next year. For music, I will be working on piano, trumpet, singing, and learning guitar from my sister. I also just got my first job at a banquet hall, but I plan on having a lot of fun outside too! I want to go to the beach with my friends and family, bike, and go to the gym.

Best of luck to you Dominick and the entire cast of Mamma Mia! Tickets for family friendly Mamma Mia! are available now online at lwemusic.org Shows are April 12 & 13 @ 7pm, April 13 @ 1pm and April 14 @ 3pm . Make sure to bring your dancing bling for this one-- Mamma Mia ! is a blast!!
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