By: Kaitlin Zambotti, Eastern Regional High School, Voorhees Twp.
ATCO, N.J. — What’s a proper wedding without a little (or a lot of) family drama? Hopefully you didn’t let Winslow Township High School’s performance of Mamma Mia! go “Slipping Through Your Fingers.”
Mamma Mia! is a jukebox musical featuring a full score of music from the band ABBA as well as an original story conceived by Judy Craymer and written by Catherine Johnson. It originally premiered on London’s West End in 1999, later to be adapted into a film in 2008. The plot follows Sophie Sheridan, a young woman preparing for her upcoming picture-perfect wedding. One problem: she doesn’t have a dad to walk her down the aisle. What will happen when she secretly invites three men from her mother’s past in an attempt to find her biological father?
The cast of Winslow’s production brilliantly answered that question in an explosion of bright colors, high energy, and catchy tunes. Well-blended harmonies and sharp dance moves combined with seamless scene changes ensured that the show’s pacing never dragged for a single moment. Additionally, the detailed two-story set was gorgeously designed, complete with string lights that created a warm Mediterranean ambiance, and the actors navigated it with ease.
Alyvia Janicki utilized many emotive facial expressions to effectively convey Sophie Sheridan’s naive and earnest nature. A particular highlight of the performance was her heartwarming mother-daughter relationship with Donna (Shilo Garnett), which developed in memorable — and tear jerking — moments such as “Slipping Through.” Garnett herself was a vocal powerhouse and took the stage by storm with her original interpretation of such an iconic character. Her ability to switch from quiet introspection to a pitch-perfect belt in the span of two back-to-back songs was an impressive display of her range as a performer.
Of course, the show wouldn’t be complete without Sophie’s three dads. Sam (Sean-Luke Monroe), Harry (Daniel Aasa), and Bill (Anthony Bambino) each excelled in their comedic timing and chemistry with Sophie. Monroe’s high notes were cleanly executed, and Aasa pulled off a convincing Australian accent that enhanced his characterization. Furthermore, Donna’s best friends, Rosie (Cass Juarez) and Tanya (Amaya Albarran), shared a wildly entertaining presence on stage together. Both characters had charming duets with their love interests, whether Rosie was chasing the hapless Bill in “Take a Chance on Me” or Tanya got flirty with Pepper (Zion Young) in “Does Your Mother Know.”
Another notable aspect of the production was its technical marvels. The beautiful lighting work started off strong in the overture and continued to dazzle the crowd throughout the rest of the show, and the microphone technicians executed all cues in a timely manner to ensure every actor’s lines could be heard.
Ultimately, Winslow’s cast and crew understood “The Name of the Game” and put on a “Super Trooper” performance that was both poignant and hilarious.
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