‘Mamma Mia!’ offers a welcomed relief from finals blues with high energy, fun show

Pradyot Sharma In the hectic weeks leading to the summer, the Department of Theatre and Dance’s rendition of “Mamma Mia!” was a welcomed relief to many. Built around the music of ABBA, the show follows the life of Donna Sheridan and her soon-to-be-wed daughter Sophie, who in the quest to find her father, invites three of her mother’s former lovers to the wedding. What follows is a well-orchestrated comical and rhythmical storytelling. Troy’s rendition of the play was unique, as the cast members were comprised of current students, faculty and former students of the department. An issue some raised was incorporating faculty members would be taking away from the roles available for students, a concern I am sure was considered before casting faculty. On the contrary, some of the roles, including Donna (played by Jesse Graham, a lecturer in the theatre department) demanded a mature voice, something difficult for students to portray. Rosie was hands down the crowd favorite due to her powerful stage presence and meticulously expressive acting, despite being a secondary character. Her presence alone makes the case in defense of including non-students. The biggest complaint against the show was the scheduling aspect, with a limited run of only three shows within a two-day period on Easter weekend. Considering this was a hotly anticipated show, the department could have done a lot better when it came to the organizational aspect of the show. Nevertheless, what we did get of the show was a complete package which efficiently utilized not just their stage but the entire theatre, truly bringing the show to life. The ensemble made sure the audience was not only watching the show, but rather living in it. If you happened to be the lucky ones pulled out to dance after the show, you just made your theater debut!