This has been a difficult year. There isn’t one factor that I can point to and say: “This! This is why life is hard, and if that one thing changed, the world would be so much better!” I wish it were that simple. I feel like, we as a society, yearn so desperately for normality after COVID, and now that we have moved past the pandemic stage, we are all standing, waiting, looking at each other, thinking, “Huh, why aren’t things just magically going back to normal?” I have had to search for my own new normal, and the concept of searching became a major theme in this production.
The first version of our interpretation of Mamma Mia! began with the concept of
vignettes and thread characters. I am blessed to have so many talented students in my production, but as is the case with most musicals, there are only so many speaking parts to go around. That leaves a director with two options: have a smaller cast (which I can’t justify and won’t do) or find purpose and justification for each student on stage. Creating vignettes would allow each song to be its own little dynamic story within a story. Every time a performer entered the stage, they could find a new motivation and reason for being in the scene. Then the speaking parts would be the thread that sews all of the vignettes together into one cohesive story.
As we began work, and the students created their characters, the true theme of our
endeavor took shape. I watched my seniors grapple with the prospect of life after graduation, my freshmen learn their role in high school, and my sophomores and juniors work to carve out a niche for themselves as both leaders and followers. Seeking and finding purpose is the true meaning of the show.
In this post-COVID world, it’s easy to feel a little lost and struggle to find a new path. That is similar to the struggle our characters are going through in this production. The characters are going through life trying to balance others’ expectations of them and their own expectations for themselves. When balance doesn’t present itself, the stress of self-discovery nearly tears sanity apart. Thanks to the support and love of family and friends, by the end our characters might not have all the answers but they are able to find balance and a new path to a better normal.
I hope the love that the students have for each other and for their craft makes its way to you and the theme of the show resonates as you watch the production. No matter how confusing life can be, I know I am immensely lucky to be making art with these students. Additionally, I am not alone in this venture. I want to praise my fellow directors: Mitchell Moore, Vocal Director; John Garner, Pit Band Director; Bria Bannister, Choreographer; and Aimee Klenske, Theatre Arts Booster President. This production really is a team effort, and the show would be lost without them.
Lastly, thanks to you, our audience, for being here tonight. You are the reason that
making theatre is even possible. I hope you enjoy Mamma Mia!
- Tony
