Underclassmen shine bright in Mamma Mia

Lights, camera, action! The Bowie Theatre students prepare as they are premiering for the new show, Mamma Mia. This year, the show has casted around 25 underclassmen, which allows younger students to be ready to take the places of the upperclassmen when they graduate.

“It has  been a great opportunity for underclassmen to learn important skills that we will need once our upperclassmen leaders leave,” Head stage manager Alyssa Shumaker said.

Many underclassmen believe that they are getting a better insight into theatre, even though many of them are struggling to keep up.

“While some underclassmen have worked a big production before, most of them haven’t,” underclassmen Kaitlyn Muras said. “This is the first time some of them are working a large scale production, and some struggle to keep up with the fast paced environment.”

Being a part of a show that is so memorable for Bowie history is significant in many of underclassmen journey in high school.

“It feels really great to be able to  be a part of a musical that is as large scale as Mamma Mia,” Shumaker

said.  Between the surround sound, disco floor, turntables, and so many more specialty lights is really awesome.”

Many of the underclassmen are returning and are excited to relive the moment of performing in front of the Bowie community.

“It’s pretty crazy being an underclassmen in this show, it’s my second year doing the musical and last year was super fun, but this year is a whole new level,” Sophomore Kaia Pierce said. “However, it definitely can be a little stressful since I feel like I have to live up to people’s expectations of being a good performer,”

Nothing excites the actors more than the lively audience and their reaction.

“I’m most excited for the expressions on people’s faces during, and after the show,” lead sophomore actor Jadon Davis said. “It always makes me so happy to see everyone enjoying the show and coming to support us”

After weeks and months of practice, the cast is eager to perform in front of a audience.
“I’m most excited for finally getting to perform in front of an audience,” Pierce said.  “Everyone in the cast has put so much love and energy into the show and I can’t wait for people to finally see the work we’ve done.”

This year the Starlight Theatre company are implementing an online system where students can buy their tickets.

“Buying tickets online helps us to have shorter lines for tickets on show nights and know how our ticket sales are prior to shows,” Shumaker said. “So far we have already sold more than 1,000 tickets.”

The Mamma Mia musical is guaranteed to make Bowie history.

“The hard work and dedication that everyone has put into this show is bound to show when we open.” Davis said.