The Dripping Springs Theatre Department is setting the stage for its first production of 2024, the beloved musical, “Mamma Mia!” After previous successes with performances like “Mean Girls” and “Clue” throughout this past year, this is sure to be an unforgettable experience.
This show truly distinguishes itself from previous adaptations of the story in its imaginative and personalized set design.
“For this particular show, I wanted to capture a more vibrant world than what you can do with a three-colored palette and so I really drew inspiration from home,” theater director Coy Branscum said. “It’s still set in the Mediterranean, but we’re drawing in different inspiration to navigate a new visual reality to what is slowly becoming a classic.”
Technical Director Daniel Baxter elaborated on their vision for the show and inspirations from the Gulf Coast.
“Everybody normally sets “Mamma Mia!” in Greece, but we looked to Port Aransas for a lot of our inspiration,” Baxter said. “Everybody does the white walls and the flowers… We’re gonna do weird colors, and we’re gonna build porches and patios.”
The musical’s set is both distinctive and expansive, not only differentiating itself from other renditions of the show but also standing out amongst Baxter’s previous projects. He stresses the pivotal role students play in crafting the set, commending their ownership and dedication.
“This is the biggest set that I have built with students here,” Baxter said. “It has required a lot of construction… [and] this set is student-built. My favorite moments are always when students take ownership. When I can give away a project, and a student takes it on and really makes it theirs.”
Baxter takes pride in watching as his students take initiative and feel a sense of accomplishment in their work.
“I have to trust the students, and make sure I foster an environment where they feel like their opinions matter, because they do,” Baxter said. “I give a lot of the ownership away. Sometimes they make decisions that I may not agree with, but it’s their show. This isn’t about me; It’s about the program and the students.”
Branscum echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of student involvement in the creative process of this production.
“If you walk backstage you’ll see students building, sewing, painting, designing the lights, and even running our mics and sound,” Branscum said. “I think the way we make all of that unite into one cohesive production is allowing the space for people to communicate and feel like they can approach [us] with anything.”
This seamless collaboration behind the scenes demonstrates Branscum’s exceptional leadership. Sophomore Miller Cochran emphasized the productivity and effectiveness which are characteristics of his teacher.
“My favorite experience working on this production is Mr. Branscum’s style of directing,” Cochran said. “It’s my first big show that I’ve done with him, and out of all the directors that I’ve worked with, I think he has the most efficient way of getting things done.”
Branscum has joined the theatre department with fresh new ideas and endeavors to pursue, such as his casting of a 10-year-old girl to play a younger version of the character Sophie Sheridan.
“I had this idea for Donna as she’s singing “Slipping Through My Fingers,” physically manifesting her flashbacks by casting a little girl to play young Sophie,” Branscum said. “The young girl I ended up offering the part to, Scarlett Turba, [is] just a joy, and she has been absolutely charming from day one.”
Junior Maddi Hooks, starring as the adult Sophie Sheridan, has personally bonded with the young girl, appreciating the distinctive qualities she brings to the performance.
“[Scarlett’s] like a little sister to me, and…she’s perfect for Sophie because Sophie’s supposed to have that pureness about her,” Hooks said. “In [other] “Slipping Through My Fingers” scene[s], it’s just Donna. It doesn’t allow you to get into Donna’s head and feel what she’s feeling. We’re allowing people to connect even more deeply with it. Just seeing the change in someone, set on the stage, makes it a whole lot more emotional for everyone.”
Turba has certainly felt a sense of warmth and acceptance within the high school theater community. The department has welcomed the young actress with open arms, creating a nurturing environment for her to thrive and contribute to the emotional depth of the production.
“I’ve actually had a lot of fun so far, everyone’s really nice,” the 5th-grade student from Sycamore Springs Elementary School said. “I’m hoping the audience will leave crying happy tears because it’s so good. I’m just hoping that they really like it.”
With his addition of this aspiring young actress, it’s become evident that Branscum is striving to create a space for students of all ages, abilities, and experiences to be able to grow in an inclusive and supportive environment.
“I think the beautiful thing about theatre is that you can really adapt it to any skill level.” Branscum said. “Whether this is your first show or your fifteenth, theatre is one of the most accessible art forms because every element of it is adaptable… I’m able to meet students where they are, as a whole, as a group but also on an individual level, and give them just enough challenge to elevate them to whatever their next level up is.”`
The students within the DSHS theater program are fortunate to have the support of teachers like Branscum and Baxter. These instructors have helped to grow the confidence within their young actors to truly discover their characters, finding inspiration within themselves and from existing adaptations of the story. For Maddi Hooks, this was the 2008 film.
“I had never seen the “Mamma Mia!” musical, but I saw the movie and- come on, Amanda Seyfried,” Hooks said. “She captured the energy so well, and it just makes you love her…I took a lot of inspiration from her, and the energy that she brought to the role of Sophie. She’s so childlike while being an adult at the same time.”
Senior Sophia Magnani, portraying Donna Sheridan, drew inspiration not only from the film, but from her own mother, as she takes on a maternal role herself in the musical.
“I definitely watched the movie a million times, and this sounds super weird, but I did indeed follow my mom around the house—a whole lot. Just to, you know, see what she does every day. And, wow. It is not easy.”
“Mamma Mia!” has come with unique challenges for the cast, as it requires different skills than previous musicals and plays the actors have taken on. Magnani shared how this role has differed from her performance of Carlotta in “The Phantom of the Opera.”
“Carlotta is very operatic and completely different from Donna. As a whole, “Mamma Mia!” is very contemporary. It’s more upbeat, playful pop, while “The Phantom of the Opera” is depressing, scary and kind of insane.”
Senior AJ Bergeron, playing Sam Carmicheal, starred alongside Magnani in “The Phantom of the Opera,” and feels similarly about the distinct shift in tone going into this musical.
“This has definitely been a very different role for me than other musicals,” Bergeron said. “In “Chicago,” I was a master of ceremony for a jazz club. For Phantom, I was a creepy guy, and now I’m supposed to play some charming, normal man. It’s definitely been a lot more difficult because it’s something I’ve not explored yet… I’m trying to get some inspiration from Pierce Brosnan’s charm and masculinity that he has in all of his movies.”
Seniors like Bergeron and Magnani have experienced both personal and artistic growth, playing a range of diverse roles throughout their numerous performances at Dripping Springs High School. As they approach graduation, “Mamma Mia!” marks a poignant farewell from the stage for many of these actors.
“It’s definitely going to be a little melancholy, I’ve had a lot of fun with these musicals,” Bergeron said. “But, this was inevitable, so I might as well go out and have as much fun as I can rather than thinking about how it might be my last one.”
This performance is sure to be bittersweet for the actor, as this chapter of his life comes to a close. However, Bergeron looks to the future with graduation on the horizon, considering whether he will pursue further studies in the theater arts.
“I currently plan on going to college and majoring in international relations with a minor in drama,” Bergeron said. “I will always love theatre and try to remain involved with it in college and the real world.”
His co-star, Magnani, shares similar feelings about this bittersweet transition.
“It definitely is very sentimental,” Magnani said. “I don’t think it’s hit me yet, but it’s going to, so bad. I know that after the first show, I’m gonna be sobbing.”
Magnani sheds light on her goals and aspirations after graduation, as well as the opportunities this new beginning presents for her to explore her other areas of interest.
“Theatre has always been kind of the dream,” Magnani said. “However, I applied to my colleges undecided, because I want to test the waters. Might as well check out everything else before I make a solid decision on this.”
As these dedicated seniors bid farewell to the stage, they can find solace in the confidence that the theater program is being left in good hands, and their concerted efforts have left an indelible imprint within it.
“I’m just trying to soak it in, and make the theater department a positive, fun place after I’m gone,” said Bergeron.
Because of the hard work of dedicated teachers like Branscum and Baxer, the senior members within DSHS theater can be certain the legacies they will leave behind will become the foundation for many more years of success within the program.
“I want us to be inspiring talent, produced by good, kind, hard-working people,” Branscum said. “If we can continue to achieve that, then I think we are in a great place.”
The audience is invited not only to experience a spectacular show but also to observe and appreciate the growth and progress of the students involved. “Mamma Mia!” is not just a production; it’s a celebration of the passion and diligence that defines the Dripping Springs High School Theatre Department.
“I want the audience to be astounded that high school students can put on a production of this quality,” Baxter said.
