“Mamma Mia!” wows audiences three times in late March

by Dan McClelland‍ ‍

Vigorous applause and loud hooting and hollering from the audience followed every song in the three performances of “Mamma Mia!” by the Red& Black Players on the high school stage on March 27-29. Just minutes into the first act it was obvious this year’s high school spring musical was going to be a barn-burner of a show. -And it was! In our mind there couldn’t have been a more popular musical to select for the high school’s annual spring musical than this one. Everyone loves the often high-paced and sometimes passionate tunes of “ABBA.” We’ve had the opportunity in our lifetime to attend three or four Broadway shows, and a couple of Off-Broadway ones. The local production of “Mamma Mia” was as good as any of those we’ve seen. The jukebox musical written by British Playwright Catherine Johnson and composed by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus is based on songs by the Swedish pop/dance group “ABBA.” The title comes from the group’s 1975 charter-topper “Mamma Mia.” For ABBA fans, it was a night to remember in Tupper Lake! The musical includes hits such as "Super Trouper", "Lay All Your Love on Me", "Dancing Queen", "Knowing Me, Knowing You", "Take a Chance on Me", "Thank You for the Music", "Money, Money, Money", "The Winner Takes It All", "Voulez-Vous", "SOS" and “Mamma Mia!. Over 70 million people have seen the show, which has grossed $4.5 billion worldwide since its 1999 debut. None of them would have been disappointed by the Red & Black Players’ version on the hometown stage. Its Broadway incarnation closed on 12 September 2015 after running for nearly 14 years, making it the ninth longest-running show in Broadway history. The relatively small cast of just over 30 talented young students produced a wonderful and very enjoyable show from start to finish. For most of it, with the exception of several heartfelt scenes fun exuded from the stage. Everyone seemed to be having a ball. There wasn’t a dull moment. The singing by all the cast was spot on. The leading ladies in the production- Aubrey Nadeau, Eliza Bujold, Ava Facteau, Lacey Pickering Caydence Flagg and Haylee Callaghan all sang well. Aubrey and Haylee sang very passionately in all the songs that called for it. In high school, many teenage male singers tend to struggle with their maturing voices, but not these lads! Sean Wood, John Fallon, Jack Dukette and Bryce Richer all produced solid vocals. Their acting too was very believable and we particularly enjoyed the English accent John Fallon developed for his part. On Friday when we took in the show, there wasn’t a line missed or a lyric botched. It was that professional a production. The hard work that went into it by everyone was evident throughout. First up on stage was a curly-haired Stage Director and Sound Man George Cordes who directed the audience’s attention to what he called “an amazing set” in front of them, a two-story version and thought to the first of its kind on the local stage. It was built by Technical and Lighting Director David Naone with construction help from his crew, Maurice Fortune, Marvin Pickering and Breanna Trombley. Helping Dave and his building crew too were skilled set painters who included Breanna Trombley, Jay Granata, Hannah Callaghan, Alison Richer, Jessica Norton, Kimberly Pickering and Carrie Richer. George and his wife Elizabeth have directed the Red & Black Players for over a decade, and they are known from bringing the very best out in their young players. George also applauded in advance the other artistic personnel who helped, including his wife, as musical director, Danielle Gilette, assistant stage director, Kendall Davison, choreographer and Backstage Manager Samual Brown. He acknowledged what he called “the musical’s amazing pit band, who are actually not in the pit,” but on stage within the set and behind a curtain. The musicians included Mrs. Cordes on keyboard and who was also conductor of the small group, Laura Davison, auxiliary percussion and pit band manager, Wayne Davison on bass, Bill Stokes on guitar and Jeff Lefebvre, drums. The lighting crew working under David Naone were Rain Skiff and Patricia Tallman, both spot operators. Mr. Cordes thanked Rickey Dattola and Tupper Lake Supply for donating set materials. Other special applause went to Jamie Gachowski, Jessica Norton, Rebeca Striney and all the other Red & Black parents, plus Laura Davison, Ezra Gillette of Elevate Outdoors, Wayne Davison, Christielee Geiger, Miles Gillette, Lisa Augustine, the Tupper Lake Rotary Club and all school officials and staff who helped in one way or another. “So then, let’s rock out and enjoy the show!” George encouraged the crowd. -And it did! When the musical opens on a small Greek Island the audience first meets the young blonde-haired Sophie Sheridan, incredibly well performed by Ava Nadeau as she sends off three envelopes in the mail as the pit band performs the overture as a prologue. It was the “Mamma Mia” theme song. Ava nailed her part and her singing was strong and clear from her opening solo “I Have a Dream,” through the dozen or so other songs she sang with other characters and the company as a whole. She began by announcing the names of the men they're addressed to: Sam Carmichael (Bryce Richer), Bill Austin (Jack Dukette), Harry Bright (John Fallon). Lisa (Ava Facteau) and Ali (Eliza Bujold) , Sophie's friends, arrive and reveal that Sophie's wedding is tomorrow. Sophie confesses to them that she's invited her father to the wedding…or at least the three men who could possibly be her father. She learned that after going through her mother's diary from the year she got pregnant, and the three of them sing the popular song, "Honey, Honey”. Sophie had determined that Sam (Bryce Richer), Bill (Jack Dukette), and Harry (John Fallon) are the candidates to walk her down the aisle. Donna, Sophie's mother (Haylee Callaghan) greets her lifelong friends Tanya and Rosie (Lacey Pickering and Caydence Flagg), who had just showed up for Sophie’s wedding. The trio used to perform as the group “Donna and The Dynamos”. Even after the band, the three ladies obviously hadn’t lost their touch and all three of them sang well in their lead roles in various songs they performed together and with the cast at large. Alone and running the inn on the island, Donna laments constantly working and puts it to song, "Money, Money, Money”. Sam, Harry, and Bill arrive at the inn. Sophie greets them, shocked to see them all there. Spotting his old guitar, Harry begins to strum a tune and Sophie joins him in another popular ABBA tune, "Thank You For The Music”. Sophie admits to the three men that she was the one who sent the invitations. Sam is clearly distressed by this. Just as Sophie is about to take them to their rooms, Donna comes out and sees them all there. Once she spots Sam, she is overcome with mixed emotions and together with the three men, and the help of the cast comes the well-loved song, "Mamma Mia”. Rosie (Caydence) and Tanya (Lacey) try to console Donna (Haylee) singing together "Chiquitita”. Donna tells them that although she always told them that Sam (Bryce) was Sophie's father, she wasn't really sure. She also tells them that Sam and the two other men who might be the father are at the inn. Rosie and Tanya rouse Donna's spirits, telling her that although she used to be the life of the party, it was still inside her. The three plus the company sing popular and awaited ABBA song, "Dancing Queen”. Sophie (Aubrey) asks Sky (Sean Wood), her fiancé, to promise her he will never leave her like her father left Donna. Sky promises his constant love to her, telling her in song, "Lay All Your Love On Me” with help from Sophie, Pepper (Ghost Switzer) and Eddie (Oliver Roberts). Eddie and other friends then lead Sky off for his stag night. At Sophie's "hen night" (bachelorette party), Donna, Tanya, and Rosie perform in their old costumes as “Donna and The Dynamos,” doing a great job with the song "Super Trouper”, with help from others on stage that evening. Sam, Bill, and Harry show up, and Sophie and her two friends, Ali and Lisa, let them join in the fun, all singing "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme”. Sophie gets a moment alone with Sam (Bryce), who asks her why she's invited him to the wedding. Sophie, unable to tell him the truth, dances away with Harry Bright (John) and tells him she does not know who her dad is. Before he can respond, Harry is whisked away by other dancers. Bill (Jack Dukette) gets to dance with Sophie, who tells him that his great-aunt Sophia was the one who left Donna the money for the tavern in her will. Once Bill learns how old Sophie is, he has an epiphany, but Sophie is taken away by the party dancers before either can say anything else. Bill and Sophie have another moment alone. Bill tells Sophie to come clean to Donna about trying to find her father. Sophie tells him she's tired of secrecy spelling it out with the rousing and popular song, and joining Bill, in "The Name Of The Game”. She asks him to give her away at the wedding and to let it be a surprise for Donna. Bill agrees. Sky and his stag party-goers return and join Sophie's bachelorette festivities as the entire company sings "Voulez Vous”, the last song in Act 1. Sam (Bryce) then takes Sophie aside and declares that he will give her away, clearly convinced he's her father. Before Sophie can object, they are swept up in the dancing. Harry then takes Sophie aside and claims that he will be the one to give her away. Overwhelmed, Sophie breaks away from the dance in a state of shock. After a short break the players all returned for the second act. After the "Entr'acte" is played by the pit band, the curtain comes up on Sophie having a nightmare about her anxiety over her three prospective fathers and wakes up in distress. She is joined by the Nightmare Chorus, singing "Under Attack.” Donna Sheridan thinks her daughter, Sophie, is upset because she secretly wants to call the wedding off. Sophie fires back that she would never want to raise a child without a father figure and storms off. Donna is left alone, feeling hurt and full of regrets. Her pain can be seen as she sings well a very convincing version of "One of Us.” Sam approaches Donna, and they look back on how things used to be between them, performing a duet, "SOS". Pepper (Ghost Switzer), one of Sky's friends, approaches Tanya on the beach and tries to flirt with her. Tanya (Lacey) chides him and tells him off in song, “Does Your Mother Know?” singing along with Pepper, Ali, Lisa and company. Sophie finds Sky (Sean) and confesses to him about her plan to bring Sam, Bill, and Harry to the wedding. Sky accuses her of using their wedding as a ploy to find her father and walks off. Sophie tries to go after him, but Sam (Bryce) stops her. Sam explains to Sophie that he left Donna to get married and have kids, only to end up divorced and remorseful for settling down too young, singing the very popular and moving ABBA tune, “Knowing Me, Knowing You”. Like many that evening, the song rocked through the auditorium and the folks in the packed house moved to it. Sophie, convinced that her love for Sky is stronger, leaves to find him. Harry (John) finds Donna (Haylee) and offers her a check to help pay for the wedding. They reminisce about their time together years ago and sing about "Our Last Summer”. Sophie enters with her wedding dress and asks Donna to help her get ready. Donna gets her daughter in her wedding dress, seeing her little girl all grown up and together they do a wonderful job with the song, “Slipping Through My Fingers”. Sophie asks Donna to be the one to give her away. After Sophie leaves, Sam comes in and tells Donna he should walk Sophie down the aisle. Donna refuses to hear it and tell him he's done enough to her with a great solo version of “The Winner Takes It All,” another great ABBA piece. Bill (Jack) comes to Rosie (Caydence) and tells her of his anxiety over marriage and children, having sworn to a life of adventure. Seeing a kindred spirit, Rosie (Caydence) woos him and together she and Bill appropriately sing "Take A Chance On Me”. Bill is about to succumb when guests arrive for the wedding. Donna walks Sophie down the aisle. As the ceremony is about to start, Donna announces that Sophie's father is present but doesn't know which man he is. Sam, Bill and Harry are bewildered. Harry says he is overjoyed to be one of Sophie's three dads and admits to Donna that he is now in a committed relationship with a man back home. Sophie proposes to Sky that they not get married and instead go see the world. With a priest still present, Sam (Bryce) proposes to Donna (Haylee), who accepts, singing with Rosie, Tanya and the company, "I Do, I Do, I Do”. There ends up being a wedding after all! The show ends with Sky and Sophie leaving the island to go on a new adventure together with Sophie (Aubrey) and the cast singing "I Have A Dream”. All the players then take their bows along with vocally producing some audience-rousing hits, "Mamma Mia", "Dancing Queen" and “Waterloo.” The finish is very strong as the lead characters all return in very colorful and space-like costumes to the trilogy of wonderful ABBE songs. The entire cast did a wonderful job with the musical. We loved how the ensemble (Ash Barber, Victoria Hudak, Isabelle Sauvageau, Clem Sears, Martinez-Gates, Lance Shaffer and Claire Snye) provided a backdrop of fun and humor and the funny faces they used throughout the entire production, helping out with strong voices in many of the musical numbers. Noah Spitzer was very comical as Father Alexandra’s, who conducted the marriage. His facial expressions, which varied from scene to scene, brought laughter from the crowd a number of times. The ensemble was on stage for almost the entire production, with members sometimes singing along as they hung out the second story windows of the unique set. There have been many excellent spring musicals here these past four decades and most recently those under the direction of George and Liz Cordes. But none we’ve ever seen in our 40 or so years covering them and enjoying them have been as good as “Mamma Mia!”. -And while we are certain there will be more good spring musicals ahead in years to come, these talented young Red & Black Players and the folks guiding them and supporting them have set the bar very high! A wonderful show “Mamma Mia!” was! -Dan McClelland
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‍ ‍About the musical...‍ ‍
‍ ‍Mamma Mia! has been performed in more than 40 countries and across five continents, including: Belgium, Greece, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.  The first non-English production started in Hamburg, Germany, on November 3, 2002.  Mamma Mia! has grossed $2 billion worldwide since premiering in 1999.Over 54 million people have seen the musical in 40 different countries. It is said that, on any given day, there are at least seven performances of the musical being performed around the world. At the time of this writing, the Broadway production was ranked the tenth-longest running musical in Broadway history. Mamma Mia! has brought a renaissance to ABBA's music. Following the London premiere in 1999, the album, ABBA Gold, topped charts in the United Kingdom for the second time in fifteen years. The London production of the musical was one of the first times that three women (producer, Judy Craymer; book writer, Catherine Johnson; and director, Phyllida Lloyd) collaborated as a creative team. Its immense commercial success has been significant to the image of female creators in musical theatre. In June 2005, the Las Vegas production played its 1000th performance, becoming the longest-running West End or Broadway musical to ever play in Vegas. Mamma Mia! has premiered in more cities faster than any musical in history. Mamma Mia! has been translated into fourteen languages, including: German, Japanese, Spanish, Danish, French, and Chinese.The show is the first major musical to play concurrently in three German cities, with productions in Hamburg, Stuttgart and Essen all running in 2007. The Chinese premiere at the Shanghai Grand Theatre on July 11, 2011, was the first time a contemporary Western musical was presented in Chinese in Shanghai. A film adaptation of Mamma Mia! was released in July 2008. Featuring much of the creative team from the original London production, it starred Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried and Pierce Brosnan. Critical Reaction "Mamma Mia! flies as tuneful as a lark and as smart as a cuckoo. It offers one of those nights when you sit back and let a nutty kind of joy just sweep over you.... The true hero is British playwright Catherine Johnson, who took all these songs and cobbled a cohesive book around them. Genius."
– The New York Post

"A  triumph, passionate and sharp.... The beauty of Judy Craymer's original idea and the irresistibility of Johnson's book lie in the mutual enrichment between the characters and the Abba songs. Ulvaeus's eloquent lyricism can slide by unnoticed behind Benny Andersson's infectious musical arrangements, but Johnson simply read the songs' words in order to write their innate emotional dramas seamlessly into the narrative songs and story help each other."
– The Telegraph

"The show is pleasing as it passes and it certainly features a generous swath of songs that caught the world's fancy during the '70s and '80s."
– Theatermania

"The theatrical equivalent of comfort food."
– The New York Times

"A certified hit.... A giddy guilty pleasure."
– Variety‍ ‍
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