'Remarkable Show: Student Reviews 'Mamma Mia!' At St. Stephen's And St. Agnes School

By Lilah Cohen of Robinson Secondary School

"Don't go wasting your emotion! Lay all your love" into the captivating production of "Mamma Mia!" at St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School. Stepping into the theater transported the audience right to the lively island story!

"Mamma Mia!" is a jukebox musical written by Catherine Johnson, featuring songs from the pop music group ABBA. Mamma Mia!'s original Broadway production was nominated for Best Musical at the 2002 Tony awards. The musical, which is set in March of 1999 on a Greek island, follows the life of Sophie and her mom, Donna. While Donna is preparing for Sophie's wedding, Sophie is trying to figure out who her dad is.

The cast poured their energy and emotions into every scene, and established beautiful, engaging relationships between each other, allowing the story to always be understood. The choreography fit the island vibe, looked great on every student, and was created by student choreographers, while the impressive student orchestra never missed a cue!

Charlotte Nichols brought whimsical, fun energy to the character of Sophie, bringing her to life. Nichols also displayed delightful character development of Sophie's maturity. Amber Dunton captured and stayed true to the vulnerable yet strong vibe of Donna, while creating a wonderful, individual connection with the other actors. Both Nichols and Dunton had remarkable vocal control, complemented each other, and fit the mother-daughter duo just right.

Also of note were Donna's friends Rosie (Emma Lacy), and Tanya (Bailey Edwards). Lacy and Edwards brought comical and heartwarming moments to the production, and the three of them performed stunning harmonies with excellent chemistry.

All the tech was grand, but the two that went perfectly with each other, and the beachy vibe of the show were set and costumes. The beautiful white and blue moving set was designed and created by Taylor Grace Peterson, Lauren Irish-Maldonado, and Zoe Coval. The designers added small details like flowers and fairy lights that transformed the entire theater into the island and drew the audience in from the start. The run crew was also able to move the set, so it didn't distract from the performance.

The costumers (Elona Michael and Cate Nickson) not only dressed the ensemble members in fun, pastel beachwear, but created delightful color contrast. During Sophie's nightmare, everyone was in white, except for the three dads and her mom, who were in black. This color choice illuminated the people Sophie was worried about, making it easy for the audience to understand the purpose of the nightmare. The Dynamos also had standout colors that complemented their personality and were featured only on them (such as red for Rosie's spunkiness).

The hard work and dedication of St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School's cast and crew shined throughout the entire performance, making "Mamma Mia!" vibrant and incredibly special. Don't pass up the opportunity to see this remarkable show!