Mamma Mia recently closed with its last show Saturday, March 18th. The cast has been rehearsing since back in December; restlessly learning music, blocking, memorizing, and perfecting what could be the last performance Connecticut sees of Mamma Mia for a while. You see, Mamma Mia is beginning to tour nationally again, which means the rights are off the market for high school productions. So the LOLHS thespians knew they had to give the eighties masterpiece a proper send-off. 

The show opens with Sophie Sheridan (played by Sabina Jungkeit) sending three letters to her three potential fathers: Bill Austin (Cooper Bowman), Harry Bright (Micah Bass), and Sam Carmichael (Aidan Kerrigan). She keeps the secret that she’s invited all three potential fathers to her wedding from both her mother, Donna Sheridan (Tova Toriello), and her fiance, Sky (Mason Wells). What follows is a wild twenty-four hours full of surprises and infectious determination, which leads Sophie to realize who she is and what love really means to her. 

The Old Lyme Players delivered these roles in a way that was nothing short of perfect. But LOLHS’s production of Mamma Mia owes a lot to the people behind the scenes too.

With costumes provided by Mrs. Golden and Chloe Datum, along with the perfect mood-setting lighting directed by Konrad Kissling, any remnant of the kids you see in the halls of LOLHS was gone and completely enveloped in their characters. Not to mention the volunteers that stayed with us from beginning to end: music instructor and pit director, Mrs. Wyman, and choreographer, Ms.Bethany. With the help of these inspiring individuals raising the bar, LOLHS’s production of Mamma Mia was a hit before the actors even took the stage. 

The show was groundbreaking; Old Lyme Players successfully sold out every single show, and even more audience members filed into the mezzanine with their tickets sold at the door. There’s a certain kind of anticipation that comes with a full crowd, and this became the missing piece for the perfect storm. I think it’s fair to say for all audience members–from parents to siblings, to community members across the town, and even throughout the state–Mamma Mia delivered. 

We’re so proud of all of our seniors, who are leaving LOLHS’s theater program with an “odd melancholy feeling,” but also with undeniable pride for all the work they’ve done. However, it’s no secret that Old Lyme Players’ future productions are in very good hands with this year’s (soon-to-be-seniors!) juniors and underclassmen. Time will tell what show will take the stage next, but this year’s performers will always remember the warm world of Mamma Mia!