‘Mamma Mia!’ at MAHS a Fun, Upbeat Show

By Bonnijean Cooney Adams
The Tube City Almanac
March 29, 2022
Posted in: Entertainment, McKeesport and Region News

Sharing their perspectives on their roles in "Mamma Mia!", seated, are Kaitlyn Majewski as Donna Sheridan and Cooper Kuchma, who plays bass guitar. Standing, from left, are Nya O'Neil as Tanya, Collin Klein as Bill Austin, Leila Wertz from the ensemble, Jonah Higdon as Sky, and Autumn Tavaglione as Sophie Sheridan. (Bonnijean Cooney Adams photo for Tube City Almanac)

“Mamma Mia,” McKeesport Area High School’s spring musical, was selected as a fun, upbeat experience for students and audience alike.

“The team chose this show before auditions,” co-producer Sarah Persin said. “We knew we wanted to do something really fun and really upbeat. COVID interfered with our shows for the last two years, so we wanted to be sure this year’s show was a real hit.”

The musical is based on songs by ABBA, woven into a storyline set on a Greek island as 20-year-old Sophie Sheridan and her mother Donna Sheridan are making final preparations for her wedding.

Sophie, on a quest to find her father so he can walk her down the aisle, stumbles upon her mother’s diary from the year she was born. In it are details suggesting three possibilities, so she invites them all, without telling Donna.

In addition to the title song, the musical features some 1970s-era chart-topping singles such as “Dancing Queen.”

Director and choreographer Erin Seaberg brings her familiarity as a director and actor in “Mama Mia!” to the student production. With a large number of songs and dances included, she said it definitely is a challenge this year.

“Choreography is the biggest challenge,” she said. “We have some trained dancers” and the rest of the cast is rising to the occasion as final rehearsals are under way for opening night on Thursday, March 31.

“We’re doing everything, and with tremendous energy. I feel like this is not your classical high school musical,” she said. “We have a lot of fun. We want these kids to just have some fun” after no musical two years ago and limited seating for live audiences last year.

“Mamma Mia!” cast and pit orchestra are rocking the McKeesport Area High School auditorium to the music of ABBA. (Bonnijean Cooney Adams photo for Tube City Almanac)

Tracy Light is the other co-producer. Like Seaberg, she and Persin are doing at least double duty getting the students ready. Tracy Light also is in charge of costumes, while Persin conducts the pit orchestra for the live music provided by students and a few professionals.

“We have a combination of students and adults in this pit,” Persin said. “The students are totally rocking this music, with the help of some really talented professionals. “

Freshman Cooper Kuchma plays bass guitar in the pit, which he said is one of his favorite instruments. Although he sang, danced, and acted in the middle school musical last year, he said he’s glad he opted to join the pit for “Mamma Mia!”

He said the overture was the most challenging music for him, between the key signature and distance between the fingers to play, but he saw it as an opportunity to expand.

Kuchma said the best part for him was “realizing how cool it is to play the music that people are singing to.”

The co-producers, who are experienced in theater but new to that task, said they keep things running smoothly by staying organized and frequently touching base with each other.

“It helps that we both are very organized people. We feel truly welcomed by all of the production staff in our new roles,” they said.

Because “Mamma Mia!” is a contemporary musical, Tracy Light said costuming was a little easier, with students able to bring in some outfits from home for the beach party scene and everyday numbers for her approval.

Luciano Lanz as Harry Bright reminisces about “Our Last Summer” with Kaitlyn Majewski as Donna Sheridan. (Bonnijean Cooney Adams photo for Tube City Almanac)

Then there are others, like the disco jumpsuits featured on Donna and her Dynamos friends Tanya and Rosie (Ashley Slagle), plus Donna’s former suitors Harry Bright (Luciano Lanz), Sam Carmichael (Caden Lawson), and Bill Austin.

John Light said the set design needed to be “simple yet effective. We have limited backstage crew so keeping things simple will help with scene changes.

“Also, after COVID, we needed to keep costs down” the set designer said. “Much of the set is flats and platforms that we already had from previous shows. The colors are modeled after Greek towns, where the show is set, and their classic white and blue.”

Some of the students were either familiar with the songs or had seen the 2008 “Mamma Mia!” movie starring Meryl Streep as Donna, which is a little different than the stage production. Others said they didn’t know much about the story in advance.

Senior Nya O’Neal said she wanted the role of Tanya when she auditioned. Rehearsals started in January.

“I had not seen the musical, but I did see the movie,” she said. “It’s a funny, emotional roller-coaster show, definitely very entertaining. It is very music heavy and we are working very hard on the harmonies.”

Her character is featured in song-and-dance number “Does Your Mother Know,” with freshman Connor McGrew as a young worker named Pepper, who expresses interest in Tanya.

Kaitlyn Majewski said she went back and forth between roles of Donna and Sophie, but decided her voice probably was better suited for Donna, the role in which she was cast.

“It’s a very different role for me. This one is more difficult,” she said. In 2021, she was Ariel in “The Little Mermaid.”
Majewski said students learned what musical was selected at a big reveal party, complete with a disco ball.

She has a favorite part in the second act, where she said her character shows more emotion. It’s the scene including “The Winner Takes It All” – and her performance of it ranks on top for others in the cast. Majewski belted it out impressively during rehearsal last week.

She said “Mamma Mia!” is a great ensemble show, which is part of why it’s so much fun this year. “Honestly, they are in the show from the beginning to the end.”

Leila Wertz said although she considered auditioning for Sophie, she’s always been most comfortable in the ensemble, and is glad to be there.

“It’s a fun show, and everyone has been super kind and is there to help when you need it,” Wertz said.

The senior said she found learning the choreography most challenging for her, plus balancing rehearsals while keeping up with school assignments.

Junior Collin Klein plays Bill Austin (Anderson in the movie version), one of Donna’s old flames and possible dad to Sophie.

He said he considered playing Bill or Sam, another of Donna’s former boyfriends.

Klein said his biggest challenge is trying to keep up with everything needed to perform – learning the music, the lyrics, his lines, and particularly the choreography.

He said for some adults attending, “Mamma Mia!” will be a flash from the past through the music alone.

Junior Jonah Higdon is Sophie’s fiancé Sky – “and that’s 100 percent what I wanted,” he said. “The Winner Takes It All” he said also is his favorite part of the musical.

Although Higdon is accustomed to singing in Show Choir and musicals, including as the Cat in the Hat in “Seussical” recently at McKeesport Little Theater, he said he hasn’t done much dancing, which was a definite challenge in learning choreography.

Junior Autumn Tavaglione, who has also performed in community theater, garnered the role of Sophie. Like O’Neal, she was familiar with the movie but not with some of the details in the musical.

“Learning the songs was probably the most difficult thing for me,” she said, “because of the range I needed as Sophie.”

She said in the first act her favorite number is “Money, Money, Money,” featuring Donna and her friends.

But in her role as Sophie, she said it’s “Lay All Your Love on Me,” because of the choreography. It’s also where Higdon as Sky assures her he’s the only man she needs in her life.

“This is a very ensemble-rich show,” Tavaglione said. “We are lucky to have good dancers.”

“Mamma Mia!” continues with performances April 1 and April 2 at 7:30 p.m., and a matinee April 2 at 2 p.m.

Bonnijean Cooney Adams is a freelance contributor. She can be reached at adamsclick@aol.com.

The cast of McKeesport Area High School's "Mamma Mia!" is in final rehearsals for a fun-filled spring musical. (Submitted photo courtesy Carolyn Carreiro)

McKeesport Area High School's "Mamma Mia!"

Leads
Sophie Sheridan – Autumn Tavaglione
Donna Sheridan – Kaitlyn Majewski
Sam Carmichael – Caden Lawson
Bill Austin – Collin Klein
Harry Bright – Luciano Lanz
Sky – Jonah Higdon
Tanya – Nya O’Neal
Rosie – Ashley Slagle
Lisa – Riley Sheposh
Ali – Elizabeth Nemes
Pepper – Connor McGrew
Eddie – Christian Canova
 
Ensemble
Jenna Cottom
Leila Wertz
Rebecca Shearer
Raina McIntosh
Mackenzie McDonald
Kaitlyn Brush
Jordan Wagner
Tiara DeFrances
Colby Chambers
Hannah MacIntyre
Elliott Leverenz
Sydney Campusano
 
Crew
David Denardo
Dominic Denardo
Hannah St. Clair
Devin VanRiper
Domenica Walker
 
Pit
Savanna Aukerman
Tina Wos
Gabrielle Holloway
Cooper Kuchma
Emme Stout
Dylan Szepesi
Zach Manfredo
Adam Savage
Clover Foster
 
Co-Producers
Sarah Persin and Tracy Light
 
Director & Choreographer
Erin Seaberg
 
Pit Director
Sarah Persin
 
Vocal Director
Lisa Harrier
 
Lighting Design
Starbeat Productions
 
Set Design
John Light
 
Sound Design
Jason Light
 
Program Designer
Carolyn Carreiro
 
Stage Crew Managers (adults)
Milan Kiska and Marty Fontaine

Originally published March 29, 2022.

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