SHS to host production of Mamma Mia! musical

By Reader Staff By Reader Staff

The Pend Oreille Arts Council will host its penultimate 2022-’23 Performing Arts Series event on Saturday, March 25 at the Panida Theater, with two showings of Red Riding Hood, a Missoula Children’s Theater production featuring local thespians in grades K-12.

Before the show can come to life, those students must audition on Monday, March 20 from 3:305:30 p.m. at Forrest Bird Charter School. It is advised that participants arrive 15 minutes early and plan to stay the full two hours. Some cast members will then be asked to stay later, depending on their role.

There are approximately 5060 roles open to all local children, and it is free to participate. Rehearsals are held each evening leading up to the Saturday shows.

MCT’s Red Riding Hood, adapted and written by Michael McGill, is a retelling of the iconic tale of the little girl in red. Now not so little, Red and her pre-teen pals navigate the woods they call home. The plot thickens, thanks to the Big Bad Wolf and his young counterparts, the Shadows, a handsome Woodsman, Three Little Pigs, a gaggle of mischievous Raccoons and many more characters.

Viewers of all ages will learn what it means to “stay on the trail” and depend on friends when times get tough.

Performances will take place Saturday, March 25 at 1 and 4 p.m. at the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave.). Doors open one hour before each showing. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for youth. Those with questions can reach POAC at 208-263-6139.

Musicals don’t get much bigger than Mamma Mia!, the story of a young woman preparing to get married on a fictional Greek island, but who first must figure out the identity of her father so he can give her away on the big day.

Her search results in hilarity, a little heartache and a whole lot of high-energy music, as the production is based on the music of 1970s and ’80s Swedish rock group ABBA — widely regarded as among the most internationally beloved bands of all time.

Opened on the West End in London in 1999, the musical written by Catherine Johnson, with songs by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, ran on Broadway from 2001 until 2015, making it the longest-running jukebox musi- cal in Broadway history. It was also adapted into a 2008 film and 2018 sequel, both starring Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried.

Now, Mamma Mia! is coming to Sandpoint High School as the 2023 musical production presented by theater club Mime & Masque.

Show dates are Friday, March 17-18 and Thursday, March 23-Saturday, March 25. All performances will take place at 7 p.m. — with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, March 18 — at the SHS auditorium (410 S. Division Ave.). Tickets are $12 general admission and can be purchased at Eve’s Leaves, Eichardt’s and from cast and crew members.