By: Claire Fung ’25, The Crozier contributor
This year’s spring production Mamma Mia! delighted the O’Dowd community. In the romantic comedy jukebox musical, Sophie Sheridan prepares to get married on a fictional island in Greece. Sophie reveals to her bridesmaids a few days before her wedding that she invited three men, Sam Carmichael, Bill Anderson, and Harry Bright, to her wedding without telling her mom. Sophie was raised by her mother, Donna, and never knew who her father was. However, in the months leading up to her wedding, Sophie discovered that her mother was romantically involved with three different men within the period coinciding with Sophie’s conception. The musical takes the audience on Sophie’s mission to discern who her father is.
Sounds simple enough, or is it?
During opening weekend, many in the Dragon community came to the performances to support the student actors. Many students have seen the movie adaptation of Mamma Mia! and enjoy the catchy songs, incentivizing them to see the show. Additionally, the theater was packed with O’Dowd alumni, loved ones of the performers, and even students from other high schools who came to watch the show.
Students put a lot of dedication and time into the production. The performers spent hours learning their lines weekly, memorizing the choreography, and perfecting their acting skills. The theater tech crew also played a vital role; they built and decorated the sets, handled the lighting and sound, and carried out other tasks to ensure the musical ran smoothly and the mood was great.
In addition, Ashkon Davaran, Director of the Drama Department, and Jonathan Angeles, Director of Theater Tech, worked extremely hard to coordinate and direct the musical, making it a production to remember. Tej Wong ’25, the actress who plays Ali, one of Sophie’s bridesmaids shares, “The musical is super fun, especially because it’s more well known. I can’t wait to see how excited the student body is to see it.”
In particular, the set has wowed viewers as they enter the theater. Its colorful and Grecian aesthetic adds to the performers’ charisma. Audience member Maddie Karaca ’25 shared, “Everyone has a good voice, and it looks like everyone on stage is having a good time!” Adults also enjoyed the production. “Mamma Mia! was amazing,” said Ms. Schoendorf, a religious studies teacher. “It was an upbeat and positive experience. I love seeing another side of my students and watching them do something I never see in class.”
Journalism teacher Damian Barnes, who saw the opening night performance, raved, “From my VIP seats in the middle of the theater, I felt close to the action and dare I say, a fourth Dynamo with how much my hands were clapping and my feet were tapping! The show may have ended with a standing ovation, but we all wanted to float out onto the Villa Donna and dance the night away to ABBA.”