Sophie is about to get married, but she can’t figure out which of three men will walk her down the aisle.
Will it be Sam Carmichael? Bill Austin? Or Harry Bright?
After all, each is a candidate for the role of “Dad,” courtesy of a wild fling each had with Sophie’s mom on a Grecian island 20 years ago.
The story of Sophie’s quest to find the identity of her father — as she ties the knot on the same island — is the basis of the jukebox musical Mamma Mia!
Next Friday (April 21), musical theatre students at Port Moody’s Heritage Woods Secondary open the high school version of the production, which runs in the David Avenue theatre at 7:30 p.m. until April 29.
It’s a frothy show, theatre teacher Shanda Walters told the Tri-City News last week during a rehearsal, noting last year’s offering was the dark musical Chicago.
“We do something different from the last year on purpose,” she said. “We’ve gone from murders to a beach party in Greece.”
For Mamma Mia!, the scene is a Mediterranean paradise, where abodes are washed in white and blue and wrapped in flowers, and the music sparkles, too: ABBA’s songs are woven throughout, via a soundtrack, to move the plot along.
Its star, director and choreographer, Jaime MacLean, is equally bubbly and excited to be back on stage.
A Grade 12 student who’s attending Sheridan College in Ontario to study musical theatre in September, MacLean, 17, is well-known for leading her school's shows.
“It’s been my thing to do,” she said. “It makes me happy.”
Her character, Sophie Sheridan, is the daughter of Donna, “a 20-year-old just trying to find her life and she’s searching for something that will make her life complete,” MacLean said.
Anna Mianroudi, who is in Capilano University’s theatre program in September, said she’s honouring her mom when she portrays Donna, while each of the “dads” said they’re looking forward to the audience’s reaction to the musical.
Evan Newson plays Sam Carmichael while Andrew Pawlak takes on the romantic Bill Austin and Parsa Najafi débuts on stage as Harry Bright — a wealthy man who is in a same-sex marriage and wants to have children.
Tickets for Mamma Mia! at Heritage Woods Secondary (1300 David Ave., Port Moody) are $14/$12 and available through brownpapertickets.com. The show runs April 21, 22, 27, 28 and 29.
