The lights are set, the stage is built, and excitement is high as Norwell High School’s Fourth Wall Players prepare to open their production of the hit musical “Mamma Mia!” on Thursday, November 13.
“This was a fan favorite production,” said director Samantha Kelly. “The kids really wanted to do it and been asking for it for a long time, and we finally got the right group that had the right skills to do it.”
The show features 29 students participating both on stage and behind the scenes. Kelly said planning began right after last year’s performance ended, with every production tailored to the students’ strengths. “That includes the group of kids, they get what their skills are, what type of set we think we can build,” she said. “So for instance, how good are the kids at dancing? So this year we don’t have any tap dancers, so a show that had a big tap number was not in the cards for them.”
Tryouts were held in June, allowing students to begin rehearsals early in the school year. “Rehearsals for ‘Mamma Mia’ started on the third day of school,” Kelly said. “So even though we’re early in the year, this week, which is opening night, will actually be the 11th week of production.”
The production’s choreography, led by volunteer Lauren Lenihan, has brought new energy to the stage. “She really took the dancing to the next level,” Kelly said.
The story of “Mamma Mia!” follows Donna, an independent hotelier in the Greek islands, as she prepares for the wedding of her daughter, Sophie, while confronting memories of her past. Sophomore Sophia Mousseau stars as Sophie, while senior Adriana Mendez plays Donna.
Kelly said she’s optimistic for opening night. Asked if she had any superstitions preparing for the big night, she said that “A bad dress rehearsal is always a sign that they’ll have a good show. That’s because they get all the mistakes out.”
Tickets for Norwell High’s “Mamma Mia!” are available at norwellarts.org/tickets