“Mamma Mia!” brings music, dancing, crowds to Washington Park
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
From left, Krista Kaley-Strosnider as Donna, Kristin Pacelli as Rosie and Summerlea Klinar as Tanya in “Mamma Mia!” at Washington Park Thursday.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Kayleigh Stultz as Sophie performing in “Mamma Mia!” at Washington Park Thursday.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
From left, Dewayne Curry as Sam Carmichael, Jeff Zollars as Harry Bright and Charles Nyswaner as Bill Austin performing in “Mamma Mia!” at Washington Park Thursday.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Kayleigh Stultz as Sophie and Andrew Ayers as Sky performing in Mamma Mia at Washington Park on Thursday, June 27, 2019.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Kayleigh Stultz as Sophie, center, Margo Craig as Lisa, left, and Amanda Reilly as Ali performing in Mamma Mia at Washington Park on Thursday, June 27, 2019.
Here we go again! The Washington Community Theatre has sold out shows this week for their summer production of “Mamma Mia!” in the Main Pavilion in Washington Park.
Tuesday night was a soft opening, followed by a sold out opening Wednesday night. The show will run at 8 p.m. each night through Sunday.
“It seems to be a very popular draw,” said the director Joe Wagner. “It’s fun, upbeat music, and crowds seem to like it.”
He said the rights to “Mamma Mia!” were released to the community level of performance last fall. He and producer Patty Thompson said community theaters across the nation have been performing the popular musical since the rights were released.
“A lot of places are doing it this year – a lot of theaters and even schools,” Thompson said.
Wagner said it was perfect timing to have a bright new show to perform during the theater’s 50th anniversary year.
“It’s pretty amazing that a community theater lasts that long,” he said.
“Mamma Mia!” is a newer jukebox musical, Wagner said, which takes the music of one group, in this case ABBA, and gives it a story line.
“It takes a lot of people to perform it and luckily, we have the people who are qualified to do it,” he said.
Two people in particular, the stars of this week’s show, are Krista Kaley-Strosnider, who played Donna Sheridan, and Kayleigh Stultz, who played her daughter Sophie Sheridan.
“I’m super honored and blessed to be a part of the production,” said Kaley-Strosnider, of Oakdale. “To play this role has been an absolute dream come true.”
Kaley-Strosnider has performed with WCT in the past, it’s been about 10 years, she said. She’s also performed with Stage 62 and South Park Theatre. She said she really enjoys working with WCT for the “community factor.”
“You have such an amazing mix of people and they’re up there because they absolutely love what they’re doing and they have a passion for it,” she said.
She said the music and excitement from the audience makes the “Mamma Mia!” show stand out from the rest.
“I think ABBA is music for all ages,” she said. “The show relates to everyone on some level. You want to dance and sing along, it’s bright and happy, and it has a fun little story line that’s silly and not too heavy.”
Her co-star Stultz had similar feelings about the show.
“It’s always been one of those shows that you dream of being part of the cast,” she said.
Stultz, 27, of South Strabane, graduated from Washington & Jefferson College in 2014. Her first theater performance was in “Anything Goes” when she was in high school at Trinity.
“That’s when I fell in love with theater,” she said.
She said the best word to describe the “Mamma Mia!” performance is “invigorating.”
“Every scene has so much energy, and it just makes you feel good,” she said. “With a show like ‘Mamma Mia!,’ you have to cater to the audience because everyone knows this music and everyone is going to want to be up on their feet.”