The Kelowna Actors Studio expects to break box office records this summer with the local production of the global smash hit musical Mamma Mia!
“The exciting thing is that the Kelowna Community Theatre is 60 years old and we are the longest-running show of three weeks in its history,” said Randy Leslie, director of the Kelowna production.
Mamma Mia! transports the audience to the fictional Greek island Kalokari while preparations are being made for a wedding. In the Okanagan production, musician and actress Anna Jacyszyn steps into the lead role of Donna Sheridan.
In the musical, Donna’s daughter Sophie, played by Joanne Ryan, gets ahold of her mother’s diaries from the year she was pregnant and quickly comes up with a plan to find out who her father is in time for him to walk her down the aisle. This is all set to the greatest hits from ABBA.
“(Donna has) potentially three baby daddies, and it is the eve of (Donna’s) daughter’s wedding and she without me knowing has invited all three of them to the island,” said Jacyszyn.
In her overalls, Jacyszyn proves she can do it all, she sings, dances, acts and commands the stage.
“I love her and I love the songs and they are so fun,” said Jacyszyn. “I love the fact that I have to sing in different ways.”
The cast has spent at least 80 hours a week learning the choreography over the past five weeks guided by choreographer, Gracelynn Sali to bring one of the most anticipated shows of the summer in the Okanagan to life.
“Everybody expects something because it’s ABBA and it’s Mamma Mia! and people come in with expectations,” said Sali.
“I have tried to blend what people are expecting with also a new twist to make it exciting for people.”
Audiences are invited to travel to Greece with the cast of the Okanagan production of Mamma Mia! at the Kelowna Community Theatre Aug. 1 to Aug. 17. Ticket information is available at www.theatre.kelowna.ca