BY HILLARY VIDERS
SPECIAL TO NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
ENGLEWOOD, N.J.—Students from Dwight Morrow High School and Academies@Englewood wowed the crowds at the bergenPAC Theater with their production of the hit Broadway musical, “Mamma Mia.”
On Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, the theater on Van Brunt Street showcased a cast of 30 talented teens, and people were literally dancing in the aisles.
The DMHS/Academies@Englewood production of “Mamma Mia” was directed by drama coach Jane Keitel, with musical director Sandy Meltzer and renowned choreographer Nikki Manx, the creative director of Nikki Manx Dance Project.
The show’s producers were Alexander Diaz, artistic director of arts education and outreach at bergenPAC, and Gerrilynn Guerrero, assistant director of outreach, bergenPAC and EPSD.
Technical support was provided by the bergenPAC
professional crew.
Set on the sunny Greek island of Kalokairi, the story of “Mamma Mia” is a backdrop for 28 songs by ’70s Swedish pop group ABBA.
As the plot unfolds, Sophie Sheridan (played by Zoe Papianni) is a young woman who is about to be married and wants her father, whom she has never met, to walk her down the aisle.
Sophie discovers in her mother’s diary that any one of three men—Sam Carmichael (played by Joey Liberti), Harry Bright (played by Enrico Cortezano) or Bill Austin (played by Jeo Dela Cruz)—could be her father. So, she invites all three to the wedding without telling her mother, Donna (played by Veronica Papianni), who was once the lead singer of Donna and the Dynamos.
In the meantime, Donna has invited her backup singers, Rosie (Aiyannah Lewis) and Tanya (Sascha Kaplan). Thus, the play becomes a collage of colorful characters, fun, romance and dazzling song and dance numbers. And, yes, cast and audience members really did dance in the aisles and sing along to some of the songs. After the show, comments from spectators ranged from, “I loved it!” to “Wow!” and “Amazing!”
Now in its fifth year, the collaboration between bergenPAC and the DMHS/Academies @Englewood offers students a unique opportunity to work with theater professionals in an Equity theater.
The teachers as well as the students had a marvelous time preparing for this performance.
Keitel said, “This high school cast is by far the most professional I’ve ever worked with in my career. They are completely supportive of one another, can collaboratively create and refine, take direction beautifully and have an incredible commitment and work ethic. This super-fun show is made even more fun with this cast. I know they love performing on the bergenPAC stage. It is a wonderful opportunity for all of us. Working with Ms. Meltzer and Ms. Manx is an added bonus, as they share my vision for the production and their commitment to the students.”
Manx was also delighted with the camaraderie of the cast and crew.
“Working with the ‘Mamma Mia’ cast has been both an honor and a privilege. Their passion, dedication, and talent is simply unparalleled to any high school students I’ve ever worked with. The students at Dwight Morrow bring the utmost professionalism to every rehearsal. Their ability to take risks and challenge themselves will leave creativity in their hearts forever, with some already pursuing a future in the performing arts and community outreach. Students like these make what seems like endless days and rehearsals worth it. I am grateful to the Outreach Program at bergenPAC for bringing me on for a second season of working with Director Jane Keitel and Music Director Sandy Meltzer.”
Meltzer agreed that “Mamma Mia” was an exhilarating adventure and loved working with the cast and her colleagues.
“Jane and Nikki are amazing to work with. Together, I think we make a great team; all of us working with the same high standards and doing whatever we need to help the cast be their absolute best. The students are especially remarkable. They are talented and gracious, spontaneous and creative. They collaborate and respect one another beautifully. We’ve truly become a family!”
These sentiments were echoed by the cast members. Fifteen year old Syanco Estrada, who sang and danced in the ensemble, declared, “One of the main benefits for the cast was the camaraderie that we developed during the course of the production. I met a lot of great freshmen and they were a blast to hang out with! I also met many juniors and seniors and they became friends. It was amazing to work with this cast!”
Estrada also had great praise for the instructors.
“‘Mamma Mia’ was my first stage performance even though I had been in chorus since age 10. This production required me to learn 10 new songs and practice the dances over and over. But Nikki’s [Manx] choreography was easy to follow and it looked amazing on stage. Everyone loved it!”
Aiyannah Lewis, a 16-year-old sophomore who played the part of Rosie, one of the Dynamo girl group, described the experience as fun and exciting.
“Learning to sing and dance and embody the character all at the same time was a challenge. But, the instructors were wonderful, and helped so much. I wouldn’t be where I am now without their endless encouragement and support. I always wanted to be a singer, but now, I think that musical theater could definitely be a career that I can pursue in the future.”
Joey Liberti, a 15-year-old sophomore, who joined the cast in December, played Sam Carmichael, one of the fathers. Liberti has been acting since he was 4 or 5.
“Our cast was very bonded. This production brought a lot of people closer together.”
Liberti also admitted that the dancing was difficult for him, but “Working with Nikki was very inspirational and she gives a lot of insight into the moves. Her way of teaching the dances makes everyone feel like they can do it.”
“Mamma Mia” was also an emotionally moving experience for the students.
Liberti remarked, “When I was rehearsing one of the love songs with Veronica Papianni, the actor who plays Donna, our acting together was so moving that we almost started to break down and cry. Actually, director Jane Keitel did cry every time we did the final act of the show.”
Liberti believes that attending the Performing Arts School at bergenPAC when he was 6 years old truly launched his acting career.
“I learned that the world is wide and that you should seek as much as you can…” Liberti said.
This is also the credo of the Performing Arts School at bergenPAC and of the dedicated DMHS/Academies@Englewood teachers and professionals who helped produce this spectacular production of “Mamma Mia.”