Vail Mountain School performs ‘Mamma Mia!’ this weekend
Popular musical features hit songs from the Swedish pop group ABBA
Sloane Thompson/Courtesy photo
Little did ABBA, the Swedish pop group of the 1970s and 80s, know that when they released its song, “Mamma Mia” in 1975 it would stick for generations to come. Not only is it a hit tune, but the title also prompted a musical 25 years ago and a movie in 2008. “Mamma Mia!” was chosen by Vail Mountain School students to be this spring’s theatrical production.
“For years, “Mamma Mia!” has been on the short list of musicals we’ve considered and this year, we decided—why not now? With the incredible talent we have and the enthusiastic cast ready to bring it to life, it felt like the perfect time to make this beloved musical a reality,” said Christi Howell, theater director at Vail Mountain School.
34 students make up the cast and crew and they have been working on this juke box musical since early January. A juke box musical is a musical that features hit songs of a popular music group or genre rather than original music composed for the musical. The kids were familiar with many of the melodies and lyrics and had a lot of fun with the plot line.
“What makes ‘Mamma Mia!’ so endearing is its universal themes of love, identity and belonging, told through humor and heartwarming moments,” Howell said. “The characters are vibrant and relatable, with their own quirks, fears and dreams. The mix of lively ABBA songs, like ‘Dancing Queen’ and ‘Take a Chance on Me’ adds a fun and uplifting energy that draws people in.
Rehearsals have ramped up recently and the students have been doing a lot of work to put the finishing touches on this production.
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“Their commitment, passion, and hard work have been evident in every rehearsal, and it’s clear that everyone involved is giving their all to bring this production to life,” Howell said.
Howell points out that the theater program is not only a fun extra-curricular activity students can participate in while in school, but also teaches lessons that students can take with them once they leave high school.
“Being involved in a production teaches collaboration, effective communication, time management, creativity and adaptability,” Howell said. “In life, situations often require thinking on your feet and making quick adjustments, much like on stage.”
Come see “Mamma Mia!” at 6:30 p.m. Thursday – Saturday at Vail Mountain School. Tickets can be purchased at VMS.BookTix.com/ and are $15 for adults and $10 for students. On Saturday, Vail Mountain School is hosting a Spring Open House at 5 p.m. All attendees will enjoy a pasta dinner buffet, student-led tours and free entrance to the “Mamma Mia!” performance. Guests must RSVP for Saturday’s Open House here: bit.ly/MusicalOpenHouse.
