From May 21-23, the cast of this school’s very own musical production of “MAMMA MIA!” put on a spectacular performance, entertaining the school community. Each show was held inside this very school, on the stage located in the cafeteria.
This performance not only dazzled those who came to watch, but also held quite a lot of sentimental value to the cast, most of whom are going to graduate this year. This only motivated everyone more to put on the show of a lifetime– which they absolutely did.
Some fan favorites from the shows were “Lay All Your Love on Me” and “Voulez-Vous”, both of which seamlessly encapsulated the feeling of the original 1999 stage musical. Through well-crafted props, stunning costumes, and of course, one-of-a-kind talent, the cast was able to pay homage to their respective characters.
Rivka Seraphim, who played the lead role of Sophie Sheridan, brought emotional depth to the character. When asked about her favourite part of this production, Seraphim exclaimed, “Overall my favourite part was performing! Being able to see all of our hard work being put into a production at the end was amazing!” The ninth grade actress adds, “I have always been a musical person, so when I heard the opportunity of our school having a production, I knew I wanted to be a part of it somehow,” her eyes still shining from the final bow.
Alongside her, Harman Ghuman, who starred as Sky, mentioned the importance of working together. “Being a part of ‘MAMMA MIA!’ taught me the importance of collaboration and trust. Having to build chemistry with the cast and needing to adapt to last minute changes is challenging, but also very rewarding. Most importantly, it helped me step outside of my comfort zone, as I have acted in front of the school before, but never sang in front of anyone,” Ghuman remarked. He’s one of the seniors who will be graduating this June.
Apart from the main cast, the amazing ensemble provided the backing vocals and cool dance moves. Goransh Gujral, a tenth grade student, talked about his mental journey leading up to the performance. “From this production, I was able to work on my stage fright,” Gujral noted, “Even though I love performing and giving presentations, I can get really nervous, so this production allowed me to work on calming myself down and being more confident in front of large crowds.” He discovered drama to be an outlet for him to “Live what younger [me] would have wanted.”
Last but not least, Avery Vanderkwaak, who flawlessly executed the role of potential father Bill Austin, shared, “The magic of theatre really comes from the people you perform with and this cast was the best one I’ve had the pleasure of performing with. I still remember sobbing while we sang ‘Dancing Queen’ together on the final night. It was an honour doing my final performance with them all,” Vanderkwaak said. He is another senior who will be saying goodbye to this school in June.
From heart-touching vocals, to rhythmic dance moves, this performance will remain one to remember for both the audience and cast alike.
THE NORTH STAR 