In a year where cherishing precious memories felt more important than ever, the UHS drama department chose a musical that celebrates exactly that. Their production of “Mamma Mia!” challenged the cast, crew, and audience to treasure the moments of magic and memories.
A story that fit the year
As the award-winning UHS drama department walked into their 30th-year anniversary, they had planned one of the biggest musicals possible to honor the department. Director Stephen Ward mentioned, “After last year’s themes of a Season to Die For—with Night of the Living Dead and Little Shop of Horrors—I wanted something completely different; I want every season to have its own vibe. Knowing this was our 30th year, I wanted to do something joyful and fun to celebrate the occasion. I’ve always wanted to do Mamma Mia—I was just waiting.”
Mamma Mia!, in its core, has always been a show filled with upbeat songs, vibrant characters, and heartwarming themes of family and identity. For this cast and crew, the show offered all of these while still allowing enormous amounts of fun.
Mamma Mia! is a story that centers around Sophie preparing for her wedding and her mother, Donna, a fierce singer managing a taverna. When Sophie secretly invites her three possible fathers from Donna’s path, chaos, comedy, and heartfelt revelations unfold.
This year’s production captured this blend of humor and heart perfectly. Every student embraced the show’s emotional core while leaning into its playful energy.
The uplifting music and choreography
With the help of Tina Bruley, as the vocal director, and Marlon Moran, the pit conductor, the music of Mamma Mia came to life in a way like no other. From the first notes of “Honey, Honey” to the ending bows, the pit and cast captured ABBA’s iconic sound with confidence and charm.
Some of the standout songs were found to be Voulez Vous, Super Trouper, and Dancing Queen. The cast mentions these songs have such magic to them; regardless of being given such advanced choreography, everyone was having fun during every dance and vocal rehearsal. Senior and props crew manager Alaeya Bilal mentioned, “I learned the Dancing Queen choreography, and I really don’t know how the actors do it every day for more than one song; it takes so much stamina to be able to sing and dance at the same time.”
Then with UHS alumna Kiara Lu choreographing, it really brought the energetic fun of Mamma Mia! to each number. The cast moved with confidence, creating dynamic stage pictures that kept the show visually engaging from start to finish.
Overall, the vocals and dances were a standout in the show, but what really brought everything home was the cast’s commitment to storytelling. Each lyric and moment is directly related to each character’s journey, allowing the audience to hear the music for the first time again.
Outstanding crew
While this wasn’t a crew-heavy show, each crew member knew they had to give it their all. With mid-song transitions, dynamic sets, incredible lighting, and more, the crew truly left everything they could on stage to give the best 30th anniversary show possible.
According to stage manager Alison Hoffacker, “The biggest challenge was not having enough people,” but she talked about how much this taught the crew. She focused on the crew’s growth, increased determination, and collaboration.
Turning over to scenic design, after Christphor McGuire drew up plans for the set, student leaders and parents of the cast and crew got to building. Each set build, happening once a week for around three months, people were working together tirelessly to build one of the biggest sets Urbana had ever seen.
Senior and scenic design manager Felicia Assurian said, “I saw the plans for the set during the play (Miracle on 34th Street), and I was shocked. The details, the massive size, everything was to the extreme to give the talented actors a place to shine onstage.”
When it came time, scenic design crew managers, Felicia Assuiran and Leah Jeffries, began painting, and after over 70 hours of painting and flower arranging, the set was finished.
“Hard work to say the least,” Felicia mentioned. “Seeing it finished was like a fever dream.”
It soon became time for lighting. After raising 30 thousand dollars at the beginning of the school year for lights, students knew this wasn’t a show to miss. Director Stephan Ward, technical and assistant director Christopher McGuire, choreographer Kiara Liu, and more worked hours upon hours, even over spring break, to hang and program lights.
When students came back from spring break, they were baffled, to say the least. Senior Leah Jeffries mentioned, “I’ve never seen such professional, well-programmed lights, especially for a high school production. The show with lights is like a whole other production. It makes all the work worth it.”
Then came the tech crew. Mixing spotlights, microphones, and sound effects was not easy, but the tech crew did it flawlessly. Alaeya Bilal commented, “The tech crew is insane; they add so much to the show, more than audiences realize.”
But the crew doesn’t stop there; Mamma Mia! also includes a costume crew, hair and makeup, front of house, and a props crew. Everything these crews contribute shapes the world the audience steps into. From the moment they walk through the doors to the final bow, the crew’s work builds the atmosphere and ensures every detail onstage feels true to the story. Without them, the show wouldn’t be the same at all.
Exceptional Cast
The cast of Mamma Mia brought an energy that transformed every rehearsal into something electric, fun, and upbeat. Each performance poured personality and fun into the show. Alaeya Bilal reflected on the emotional side of the process, saying, “There was this moment during ‘Slipping Through My Fingers’ when I looked around and realized we were building something we’d remember forever.”
The cast poured their hearts out on stage four days a week for four months straight, desperate to give the best performance possible. Mamma Mia! even brought in theatergoers who had never done shows before. Director Stephan Ward mentioned, “We had two individuals who never auditioned before earn lead roles.”
Then turning over to the returning seniors of the cast, they knew that this show was going to be like no other. With new lights, crazy talent, and a fun atmosphere, the students were buzzing as soon as the show was announced.
Aidan Traub expressed, “I got to do this amazing show as my final show, and I’m very proud of what I’ll be leaving behind with that final show. It was a great experience, and I could not think of a better way to leave this department.” Chris Doyle-Wandell was quick to follow up, saying, “I think this show is truly a culmination of my four years in this department. Everything about it—there are so many moments and memories that make it so special. I’ll remember this for the rest of my life. Mamma Mia! will always be with me.”
The positive community
“Genuinely the only reason I wanted to do Mamma Mia! was to be with the community,” Junior Ademide Akinsola mentions.
Many students were quick to point out the community Mamma Mia! created. Many felt the cast became more like a second family, spending hours upon hours doing what they loved.
Students specifically mention friends who made their experience and environment even more lively, as a good show is nothing without its positive environment. Chris Doyle-Wandell mentions, “It never felt like work with Aidan (Traub)—he added so much—not just through his role but also through his natural whimsy and sense of fun.”
Melisa Seber also added, “Charlie Leembruggen was someone that really inspired me during the rehearsal process because she always put in so much effort.”
The Outcome
Luckily, Mamma Mia had an incredible, record-breaking turnout. Performing 4 shows, two of which sold out, the cast and crew were proud of what they put on stage. The show even wound up on the radio after their Friday-night performance. The energy in the auditorium, the laughter, the applause—it all reflected how much heart went into the production. Audience members were stunned at what this high school was able to put on.
UHS alumni Hannah Jeffries mentioned, “The show was insane. I’m not sure a high school show could get much better than that. It was clear everyone went all out; I’m not sure I saw one person that wasn’t having the time of their life up there performing.”
Beyond the numbers, what truly defined the success of Mamma Mia! was the sense of unity it created. Every rehearsal, every costume fitting, every late night spent perfecting choreography or adjusting lighting cues paid off the moment the cast stepped into the spotlight. It was the kind of response that reminded everyone involved why they fell in love with theater in the first place.
