After a successful first production last year, Carlton Comprehensive High School Performing Arts returns to the stage with Mamma Mia! The Musical.
This will be the second musical production after Carlton launched musicals again with Addams Family Musical in 2025. The play is directed by Kayleigh Skomorowski and features Grade 12 students Sarah Veith as Donna Sheridan and Mark Navarro as Pepper.
Veith, who was also in Addams Family, said that the production has been going well.
“I feel like it’s finally starting to like come together,” she said. “Originally you have all the different components and you don’t know where it’s going to fit in. This is where everything’s like coming together and you’re okay, and you’re learning—like muscle memory—the whole show.”
The play runs from April 30 to May 2. Veith said they cast are crew are gaining steam as opening night approaches.
“Now we’re adding in props and costumes and costume changes and like the set, which is cool,” she said.
Veith said that the production is much more complex than last year’s show.
“It’s definitely intense,” she said. “I was also the lead last year and I had two solos. This one I have seven, and then the set is way more complex, which is great.”
This year the set is more advanced than last year with props that are made by woodworking students not theatre arts students. Veith said that this shows Carlton productions are improving every year.
Navarro joined the production after friends who were in Addams Family encouraged him to take part.
The cast of Carlton Comprehensive High School Performing Arts production of Mamma Mia! dances to “Voulez-Vou” at the close of Act 1 during a recent rehearsal at the Carlton Cafetorium.
“I got inspired because of my teacher and my friends,” Navarro said. “Most of my friends are planning on joining the musical this year because they were part of the musical last year. I kind of got hooked because of them.”
Mamma Mia! Is a Jukebox Musical written by Catherine Johnson featuring the songs of Abba. The musical was also made into a successful film series. The music was composed by members Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. The musical’s title is taken from the group’s 1975 chart-topper “Mamma Mia”.
Veith plays Donna Sheridan, the mother of Sophie who is looking for her birth father ahead of her own wedding on a fictional island in Greece.
Veith said that the production of Addams Family created great buzz and this work continues that momentum.
“You see the success of it last year, everybody loved it. I was getting compliments on it for months and then just I guess we just got a better budget for this year,” Veith said.
Navarro plays Pepper an employee at Donna’s Taverna.
“Pepper, he’s a really funny guy. He’s charismatic, I think, and a really energetic guy, if you ask me, and pretty fun, too,” Navarro said.
Navarro said taking part in the play has not only improved his acting skills, it’s helped him learn how to work with a team.
“Teamwork’s the thing that you really need with these kind of shows,” he said. “Without, when someone’s missing (and) you don’t really know what to do.”
Both Navarro and Veith said that working with Skomorowski has been great.
“She’s very dedicated, which is good,” Veith said. “I feel like she’s like, no one else could have like brought Carlton a musical, I feel, and she’s intense sometimes, but that’s a good thing.”
Navarro said that Skomorowski has taught him a lot about teamwork and singing while dancing.
“It’s been really hard, but she gave us a lot of confidence about those things,” Navarro said.
Skomorowski said the goal of the production was to create something bigger building off Addams Family.
“Last year’s goal was just to do a show (and) create something, right? There was no real understanding of what that means around here, to do a production. They had a history of some one acts (one act plays) and that kind of stuff.
“But the amount of tech and kids that get involved with like a two and a half hour Broadway production is a very different scale.”
Skomorowski said that the construction and carpentry program collaborated with them on creating a set.
“That allowed us to up our game right away there,” Skomorowski said.
Skomorowski said the production was been going really well. She said that part of dealing with a bigger build is there is just more things to move around.
“More people and things to get in the way of those people and all that kind of stuff, so yeah, it’s good,” she said.
Skomorowski added that because of Addams Family there is a certain amount of understanding already present.
“Most of the kids in the production are second year kids now, so you’re dealing with a certain understanding as to what it means to be in an ensemble member, what it means to be approaching tech week, what it means to practice and review your choreography on your own and all that kind of stuff,” Skomorowski said.
Skomorowski said last year’s success has also helped attract new crew and cast members. Word of mouth like what made Navarro join the production has also helped.
“Those kids that had that experience are talking about it fondly and wanting their friends to share that experience with them and all that kind of stuff,” she explained.
Unfortunately, they will lose all of the Grade 12 students but she said another generation of performers is ready.
“We’ve got some good 10s and 11s that have been involved that are definitely going to be ready to step in and carry some of those principal roles,” Skomorowski said.
Navarro just hopes everyone enjoys the experience.
“After all of this, all I want to say is just have fun. After everything, just have fun. on the day of the show,” Navarro said.
Mamma Mia! The Musical is at the Carlton Cafetorium on April 30 to May 2 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children and available at the Carlton general office or online through a QR Code.
“Please come to the show, guys,” Veith said.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
