This year’s musical, “Mamma Mia!,” is being put into action by the theater and music students. The upbeat sing-along show is a perfect choice for any musical and prepping for putting on a show this intriguing is a long and time-consuming process.

  Choosing the right musical to put on can be a tedious process, and making sure that the materials and cast are spot on definitely narrows down the selection. Without the right materials, limits are set on what the musical can be. Making sure that the casting is perfect is also one of the main objectives when making the big decision.

   “The first thing we do is that we look to make sure that there are the right kids to fill the spots,” Choir teacher and musical director Eric Wangeman said.

   Ensuring that the cast is ready is also another challenge that the cast overcomes each year. Rehearsals for the musical are every day from the end of the school day until 5:30 p.m. and on Saturday for four hours.  Rehearsals began in January and continue to occur until the musical airs. 

  “We practice every day after school depending on what scenes you are in. Most leads [and] ensemble practice every day except Sunday,” senior Kaylee Niezgoda said.

  Everything you see in a musical is meant to happen and is practiced over and over again. Memorizing each line and movement is a big part of rehearsal. Another big part of the musical is learning all of the singing, as well as all of the choreography that goes along with the singing. A more hidden aspect of the musical is needing to learn the set pieces that are needed to move in order to create the perfect scene and when to move them. Timing is and pulling the musical together is a large focus of the practices closer to opening night.

  “We usually warm-up and do some conditioning because it’s actually a lot of work to sing well and dance at the same time. Most rehearsals have a particular scene or dance that we focus on that day,” Niezgoda said.

  This year’s musical begins showings on March 11, 12, and 13 and then later in the month on the 18, 19, and 20. Make sure to get your tickets for this year’s show to support the musical students and staff.