Mamma Mia!
at Connelly School of the Holy Child

Reviewed on March 2, 2019

Emily Townley
Rock Ridge High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

You can dance! You can jive! You will also have the time of your life at Connelly School of the Holy Child's production of "Mamma Mia!". The plot revolves around Sophie Sheridan, who invites three of her possible fathers to her upcoming wedding without her mother Donna's knowledge. Chaos ensues. With its catchy songs, hilarious characters, and touching story between mother and daughter, "Mamma Mia" is guaranteed to bring joy to the audience and remind people to find their inner dancing queen!

"Mamma Mia" is a musical based of the discography of Swedish pop group ABBA. Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (the songwriters), were approached by producers to create a musical. Catherine Johnson, a British playwright, was later hired to work on the project. Two years after it's initial premiere on London's West End, Mamma Mia opened in 2001 on Broadway, eventually becoming its ninth longest-running show. With ABBA, Ulvaeus and Andersson penned such classics as "Take a Chance on Me", "Waterloo", and, of course, "Mamma Mia". Taking on these standards is no easy feat. Nonetheless, the students of Connelly School of the Holy Child rose to the challenge.

Arguably, one of the messages of Mamma Mia is the bond between women. There are two strong relationships shown, the one between Donna and the Dynamos, and the one between Sophie and Donna. Maeve McCaffrey (Donna), Khoudia Diop (Tanya), and Elizabeth Lee (Rosie) as the Dynamos have fun with each other and support one another, especially in the number "Dancing Queen". However, Elizabeth Rothenberger (Sophie) and Ms. McCaffrey establish from curtain to closing that there is no stronger connection than that between mother and daughter, as shown in the duet, "Slipping Through My Fingers".

A challenge in a show like "Mamma Mia!" is balancing the tones of the show. From serious to light, the acting ensemble seamlessly transitions when necessary. Ms. Lee, who played the aforementioned Dynamo, Rosie, has a jovial rapport with C.J O'Shea (one of Sophie's suspected dads, Bill Austin) in "Take A Chance on Me". They both show off their comedic timing, all the while transitioning into the bittersweet wedding scene.

While the actors created varying emotional atmospheres, the technical aspects also helped set the mood for the audience. Immediately, the audience is captivated with the stunning set and backdrop. Inspired by the architecture on Greek islands such as Santorini, the azure rooftops and pristine white buildings create a Mediterranean atmosphere which transports the audience out of mid-Atlantic America. The backdrop, hand painted, has the power of changing the mood of a scene with the help of the lighting. In the emotional climax of the show, which takes place during "The Winner Takes it All", the lighting changes from a mild blue to a drastic white. This shade of white takes up the stage, showing the profiles of the actors while creating a tense atmosphere.

"Mamma Mia!" is a fun, dazzling, show filled with cheesy 70s' pop, glamour, and most importantly, love. The love between mother and daughter, the love between friends, and the love in the air. ABBA's music is like coming home, and Connelly School of the Holy Child's production of "Mamma Mia!" is a heartwarming homecoming. The cast and crew were definitely super-troupers, and the lights most certainly found them!

Ryleigh Line
South Lakes High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

What do you think of when you hear the words "maternal mystery", "beautiful Greek scenery", and "Swedish pop"? Why, nothing other than Mamma Mia!, the early 2000s hit jukebox musical featuring the musical genius of the pop band Abba, of course! Connelly School of the Holy Child utilized their abundant vocal talent to bring Abba songs to life on their stage with their 2019 production of Mamma Mia!.

Mamma Mia! follows the tale of Sophie Sheridan, a 20 year-old girl living in a hotel she and her mother run on a beautiful Greek island. It's the eve of her wedding and Sophie has grown up without knowing her father, and is now searching for a dad to walk her down the aisle. It is just her luck, while reading her mother Donna's diary, she realizes that she has three potential fathers. After inviting all three men to her wedding under her mother's name, major miscommunications, flirting, and old feelings lead to a cascade of shenanigans. By the end of the show, with the help of great friends and meddling men, Donna and Sophie realize they may have both been wrong in their preconceptions about love and marriage.

The real highlight of Connelly's Mamma Mia! was the talented vocals of their leading ladies. Elizabeth Rothenberger's (Sophie) vibrato combined with Maeve McCaffrey's (Donna) gorgeous low range truly infused the color into the familiar Abba songs the audience knew so well. Jillian Geils, who supported the male vocals, also brought a beautifully toned performance to several songs, and never missed a note. Another fan-favorite was the combination of McCaffrey (Donna), Khoudia Diop (Tanya), and Elizabeth Lee (Rosie) as Donna and the Dynamos, as the actresses played off of each other with just the right hint of familiarity and teasing. CJ O'Shea brought the energy as Bill Austin, dancing and smiling his way through the many upbeat numbers of the show, truly embodying the carefree nature of free-spirited Bill.

On the ensemble side, the harmonies provided by the cast from offstage in many songs were always completely on, evidently well-practiced and finely tuned. While there was some confusion over choreography among the ensemble, several featured dancers wowed the audience by walking handstands across the stage and striking several gymnastic poses in "Does Your Mother Know".

As the cast tied up the production with a lively rendition of Waterloo, the audience surrendered their hearts to the dedicated performers of Connelly School of the Holy Child, and not a man, woman, or child was left without a song stuck in their head.

Ryan Nguyen
Rock Ridge High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

"Night is young and the music's high. With a bit of rock music, everything is fine, you're in the mood for dance." These "Dancing Queen" lyrics perfectly wrap up Connelly School of the Holy Child's production of Mamma Mia! Radiant, jubilant, and dazzling, the story Mamma Mia! was presented with amazing care and tremendous fun, creating an evening of toe-tapping music, a gleaming view of a Greek island, and a heart-warming and uplifting story for all to enjoy.

Written in the late 1990's, this jukebox musical features songs by hit Swedish pop group, ABBA. It tells the story of Sophie Sheridan, a lively bride-to-be who invites three different men from her mother's past to her wedding, with the hopes of discovering the identity of her true father and having him walk her down the aisle on her big day. Her spirited mother, Donna, now has to juggle planning her daughter's wedding and coming face to face with the repercussions of her past. Mamma Mia! debuted in the West End in 1999, making its North American debut in Toronto in 2000, and eventually made its way to Broadway in 2001, running for almost 15 years, with over 5,000 performances, making it the longest running jukebox musical on Broadway in history. With great precision, Connelly School of the Holy Child paid homage to this beloved musical in a culmination of incredibly gifted performers and attentive design aspects.

Mamma Mia! presents a distinct challenge for the performers: it requires exceeding amounts of energy and vibrancy throughout its two acts. One actress who understood and took on this challenge with grace was Elizabeth Rothenberger, who played Sophie Sheridan, the whole-hearted bride-to-be. With an impeccable mezzo-soprano voice, it was a pleasure to see Rothenberger pay tribute to ABBA's greatest hits. From the very first song, the audience was hooked in listening to her soothing, beautiful voice. Playing opposite of Rothenberger, was the other half of the mother-daughter duo at the core of the story, Maeve McCaffrey, who played Donna Sheridan, the exuberant hotelier. McCaffrey, in the mother role, found a perfect mix of Donna's fiery youthful side and loving motherly side. Together, Rothenberger and McCaffrey were undeniably the beautiful core in which the musical was bestowed.

Khoudia Diop and Elizabeth Lee teamed up to play the Dynamos, the long-time best friends of Donna Sheridan. With Donna, the Dynamos were overflowing with chemistry, fun, and friendship. These two actresses took on the hilarious characters of Tanya and Rosie respectively, demonstrating how supporting characters can create a lasting impact.

The technical caliber of Mamma Mia! was superb- transporting the audience to a Greek island where comedy and heart are no strangers. The spunky lighting design helped musical numbers keep the feel of ABBA's pop rock beat. The set featured gorgeous blue domes that made the set designer's attention to detail very apparent. Overall, it was impressive to see how all of the various technical elements were used in telling story.

At the heart of the musical is a demonstration of how friendship and love can overcome the challenges of your past. Connelly School of the Holy Child exceeded in their challenge of bringing the triumphant fun of the music, set, and story of Mamma Mia! to Maryland.

Eamon Raftery-Sweeney
South Lakes High School
Submitted for publication to Maryland Theater Guide

A Greek wedding. Three dads. Swedish pop group ABBA. If you mix all three of these and sprinkle in a bit of charm, you get Mamma Mia!, performed playfully last night by the students from Connelly School of the Holy Child.

Sophie (Elizabeth Rothenberger) is about to get married to Sky (Jessie Wray) on a beautiful Greek island, but she's run into a problem. She wants her father to walk her down the aisle, but she never learned who he is. After reading her mother Donna's (Maeve McCaffrey) diary, she realizes that in the summer before she was born, Donna had three separate flings with three different men, Sam, Bill, and Harry (Matthew Kopp, Charles Joseph "CJ" O'Shea, and Jake Davidson). One of these men has to be her father. She decides to invite all three of them to her wedding, and sort it out when they arrive. A weekend of flirtation, confusion, and partying ensues, and by the end, both Sophie and Donna realize the mistakes they've made, and agree to move on with their lives, content with the unknown status of Sophie's father.

Throughout the show, McCaffrey and Rothenberger showed off their talents as singers, rarely missing a note. Their chemistry onstage together was abundant, making the audience feel as though they were truly mother and daughter. McCaffrey's role as Donna was one that was a challenge to pull off, having to alternate between comedic and dramatic moments, but she handled it with ease, showing great emotion on songs like "Slipping Through My Fingers" and a more carefree spirit on songs like "Dancing Queen". The chemistry McCaffrey had with Tanya (Khoudia Diop) and Rosie (Elizabeth Lee) was also a joy to witness, creating some of the funniest moments of the show. Diop's sassy attitude was complimented by a keen ear for comedic timing, perfectly delivering humorous lines about the fallacies of marriage. The three fathers all brought good energy to their roles, and were often supported by Jillian Geils during many of their songs, a role that Geils took in stride. CJ O'Shea's performance as Bill was particularly enjoyable to watch, as his charisma brought up the show whenever it lagged a bit. His duet with Lee, "Take a Chance On Me", was a highlight of the show, as the audience watched him slowly (and hilariously) become seduced.

The leads were backed up by a diverse and talented ensemble, who brought good energy to the show's group numbers. They sang and danced well together; any missteps were quickly corrected. Some of the featured dancers pulled off truly impressive gymnastic feats, cartwheeling and hand-standing across the stage during the second act. They had the audience in awe.

Connelly's performance of Mamma Mia! benefitted from a beautiful set. The sloping staircase, the blue shingles, and the crooked "Taverna" sign immersed the audience in the Greek setting. In addition, the set seemed very solid and well-designed; it never shook or shuddered under the weight of the actors. The colorful lighting used during the performance worked well with the set, and helped to set the mood during many of the songs, especially during "Our Last Summer" and "Slipping Through My Fingers", where the sunset wash amplified the nostalgia present in the lyrics. The spotlight sometimes came up on a blank stage, and was occasionally jittery, but it never lasted long, and was corrected pretty quickly.

Connelly's performance of Mamma Mia! was a poppy, playful, and fun rendition of the famous ABBA musical.

Ryan Worthman
Clarksburg High School
Submitted for publication to The Catholic Herald

The idea that the bond between a mother and her daughter is unbreakable was the underlying message portrayed in Connelly School of the Holy Child's exceptional performance of Mamma Mia this past weekend. Featuring music from the iconic 70's Pop group, ABBA, the show proved to be both wildly eccentric and sentimental, not to mention insanely fun!

With music composed by infamous ABBA members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, as well as a book written by creative genius Catherine Johnson, Mamma Mia first opened in London's West End District in the year 1999 and it later made its Broadway debut in 2001. Incredibly, the show lasted for a whopping 5,758 performances before ending its run in September of 2015. Mamma Mia follows the story of Sophie Sheridan as she prepares for her upcoming wedding. After finding a diary that belongs to her mother, Donna Sheridan, Sophie sets out to find out who her father is and invites three men (Harry Bright, Bill Austin, and Sam Carmichael) to her wedding, signing each letter from her mother, and ultimately landing the protagonist in a load of chaos.

Playing the young and adventurous bride-to-be Sophie Sheridan, actress Elizabeth Rothenberger stunned audiences with alluring vocals that stole the show. On top of that, actress Maeve McCaffrey (Donna Sheridan) provided an extra dash of whimsical acting chops and fantastic renditions of classic hits such as "Money, Money, Money" and "Mamma Mia".

Other noteworthy performances include that of Khoudia Diop (Tanya) and Elizabeth Lee (Rosie). Both actresses supplied great comedic moments that had audiences dying of laughter. Actress Jillian Geils (Eddie) was an obvious audience favorite, due to her great supply of energy and entertaining charisma. It is also worth noting that Geils provided vocals for characters Sam Carmichael (Matthew Kopp) and Sky (Jesse Wray), a task of which is not at all easy, but one that was met with utter professionalism and strength.

Connelly School of the Holy Child's production of Mamma Mia was a blast and a half, with the cast working collaboratively to create a wonderful show, they had every audience member channeling their inner Dancing Queen.