The Arts

Mamma Mia! Presented by Winsor and Roxbury Latin

by suzanne pogorelec , winsor class of 2024

Of all my time at Winsor, I don’t think there has been a show that has received as much anticipation and excitement as Mamma Mia! The show went up on February 24 and 25 and, given that there were no empty seats in the audience, I think it’s safe to say it was a hit. From the elaborate staging to the singing, the acting and the fantastic music, the adaptation of this famous movie was performed with passion and attention to detail. Although the show as a whole was joyous, exciting and engaging, there were several moments that were definitely my favorites.

One of these moments was the performance of Dancing Queen at the beginning of the show. The song started as a manifestation of youthful times between Donna Sheridan, played by Olivia Sarkis ’23, and her two friends Tanya and Rosie, played by Paige Whalen ’24 and Chloe Chao ’23, but finished as a number that incorporated most, if not all, of the cast. This is not to say that the beginning trio did not do a fantastic job; no, the three actors danced with energy and enthusiasm and their movements were big and broad. They used the whole ground floor of the stage and captured the audience’s attention throughout the entire song—a difficult feat, especially with a number that has so much repetition. Even so, my favorite part was seeing the cast come through the doors at the back of the theater and dance in the aisle.

Another one of my favorite moments was the adaptation of I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, which began directly after Sam Carmichael, played by Tommy Reichard ’23, proposes to Donna. The entire cast was together, dancing in pairs to the beat of the song and concluding the story portion of the show. It was a sad moment— you knew the show was nearing the end—but it was also satisfying, given that Donna ended up with Sam and the wedding between Sophie Sheridan, played by Ava Kee ’23, and Sky, played by Emmanuel Nwodo ’23 was being postponed.

Overall, I was extremely impressed with the performance of this well-known musical. The actors projected well, were dynamic, and drew in the audience throughout the entire production. Congrats to all of the cast for executing such a well-done show. //

Roxbury Latin boys included in Mamma Mia!

Cast: Michael Allen ’23, Ethan Dhadly ’23, Dennis Jin ’24, Emmanuel Nwodo ’23, Tommy Reichard ’23, Mathias Why ’23. Pit Orchestra: John Austin ’23, Theo Coben ’24, Tait Oberg ’23, Joseph Wang ’24