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MAMMA MIA! By ASHLEY CHAN
Staff Writer
The Arcadia Stage Theatre Company here at Arcadia High School (AHS) is excited to present their upcoming, in-person, spring musical Mamma Mia!. This musical will be entirely performed by members of the Arcadia Stage Theatre Company, and will take place in AHS’ Performing Arts Center (PAC). There are four productions: Mar. 17 and Mar. 18 at 7:00 p.m., and Mar. 19 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at arcadiastage.com. Seniors and AHS students can enter at a cost of $10, general admission costs $15, and VIP seating is $30. Mamma Mia! is an uplifting and inspiring musical that will have the audience singing and dancing to the musical tunes of ABBA. ABBA, a famous Swedish pop group, is made up of Agnetha Faltskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. In 1999, ABBA’s music was adapted into Mamma Mia!, and into the sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, in 2018. The music composed for Mamma Mia! and its sequel influenced AHS’ Mamma Mia! production! The Arcadia Stage Theatre Company’s Beginning and Advanced Stage Craft students have created an amazing set design for Mamma Mia!. It is a three-story set with plenty of surprise pieces! Additionally, the L.A. Health Department has lifted COVID-19 restrictions on Mega events, and thus, it is no longer required to check audience member’s vaccination status. However, masks will still be required for all cast, crew, and audience members. In terms of the lead roles in Mamma Mia!, Emily Fang is cast as Sophie Sheridan; Ashley Wearp is cast as Ali; Ariel Alcazar is cast as Lisa; Nat Freese is cast as Donna Sheidan; Meron Girma is cast as Tonya; Katie Siriani is cast as Rosie; Jared Dianels is cast as Sky; Christopher Munoz is cast as Pepper; Kyle Alpine is cast as Eddie; Brian Oh is cast as Harry Bright; Mako Amano is cast as Bill Austin; Kevin Wu is cast as Sam Carmichael; and Ben Porter is cast as Father Alexandrios. The choreographer is Jean Michelle Sayeg, the director is Steven Volpe, and the musical director is Allen Everman. Juniors Emilie Conner and Amber Comanescu describe their roles in the production, and explain how they prepared in advance for the show. “I am cast as a Featured Dancer in Mamma Mia! and it’s a lot of fun!” stated junior Emilie Conner. “With musicals there is a lot of choreography which means hav
-ing a lot of rehearsals for the various numbers in the show. As far as role prep goes, in Advanced Theatre we always take a class day to focus on creating and truly tapping into our character and their environment, regardless if they are main characters or not. Relating the character to yourself is one of the more helpful tactics, for example I dance in ‘Voulez-Vous’ which is one big dance party before Sophie’s wedding, and who doesn’t love dancing at a party with your friends? Breaking down the goals and different achievements of your character is truly what brings them to life in each scene.” “My role in our production, Mamma Mia!, is Lead Dancer,” said junior Amber Comenescu. “I prepared by learning the dance numbers through constant practice and repetition. It is evident that a tremendous amount of effort and dedication was put into this musical, and a large number of memories were made as well. “My favorite memory from Mamma Mia! so far is getting to know the Intermediate Theatre students who were cast in it alongside myself and the other Advanced members,” Conner remarked. “For those who don’t know, Arcadia Stage’s fall productions are performed by just the Advanced cast, while the spring musical is opened up for the intermediate class to audition. It’s definitely a change having the two classes work together on a show, but it’s very fun, and we learn a lot from each other.” “My favorite memory from preparing for the show was learning all the choreography for the dance numbers, and seeing our costumes for the first time,” Comanescu claimed. When considering the efforts put into Mamma Mia!, there are plenty of reasons why you should look forward to the production. “The main thing I’m excited for people to experience when they come and see Mamma Mia! is our set and lighting,” Conner said, “I can’t reveal too much, but I will say that the PAC is going to be one fun disco club! The audience for Mamma Mia! is even invited to get up and dance along with us on stage to all this amazing ABBA music that truly represents the heart of the 1970s. Sophie and Donna’s story of self-discovery will make you laugh, cry, and dance your way out of the theater. We have been working so hard and are all thrilled to share our show when we open in mid March!” “I think what people are going to be looking forward to the most is the music,” Comanescu stated. “Most people know ABBA and will find themselves singing along with the cast and will have a fun time watching the performance.” Keep up the good work to the Arcadia Stage Theatre Company! We hope to see you at Mamma Mia!. achan@arcadiaquill.com Graphic courtesy of ARCADIA STAGE THEATRE COMPANY
FEBRUARY 2022
TOP THREE SONG RECOMMENDATIONS By HENRINA ZHANG
Staff Writer
In this season of love and Valentine’s Day, emotions become a little more intense, from the affection between couples to the feelings of single individuals. Dealing with all these different emotions may be overwhelming, but there is a myriad of things that will help someone express their feelings, one of which is music. Music is an amazing way to feel the indescribable, whether it be love or heartbreak. So to celebrate the season of love, and the season of emotions, here are three songs that might be perfect for you. As the debut single of One Direction, “What Makes You Beautiful”, is a pop song that won’t fail to get you humming. This song was written by Savan Kotecha and producer Rami Yacoub on Sept. 11, 2011. With the upbeat guitar and catchy chorus, this song tells the story of love. “I like vibing and singing to ‘What Makes You Beautiful, especially in the car,” stated sophomore Edward Lai. “It’s really cute and catchy.” “What Makes You Beautiful” is an amazing song to dance to and have fun with. It tells the story of a girl who is very insecure and always puts herself down. But her lover sees nothing but beauty. From her personality to her behavior, down to the very last detail, her lover sees past surface-level flaws, appreciating the person deep down. If you ever feel down, remember, beauty is about what’s within! “I Would Have Given You the Moon,” released on Jan. 28, 2022, is a lovely piano-pop ballad written by American singersong-
through rough times; the beautifully written lyrics evoke the feelings that may be hidden. “I first found it on TikTok,” sophomore Jolene Shen said. “This song makes me feel sad, but that’s good because I really resonate with it. The meaning… hits a little different and it’s one of my favorite songs.” I recommend “I Would Have Given You the Moon” because it’s a fairly new song from an up-and-coming artist, and it deserves attention. If you ever feel taken for granted, or not appreciated enough, I recommend this emotional, heartfelt song. “Paris,” by The Chainsmokers, released on Jan. 13, 2017, is a slow electro-pop song with many underlying themes, from love to addiction. Paris, is a sentimental yearning for a reality that isn’t genuine; an irrecoverable condition for fantasy that evokes nostalgia or daydreams. This song features American singersongwriter Emily Warren, a frequent collaborator with The Chainsmokers, and one of the leading writers of “Paris” is Andrew Taggart. In fact, this song is inspired by a friend of his who struggled with serious drug addiction. But there are also many lyrics that hit close to home in the love department. “Paris” talks about a fantasy world of two lovers who think life is going amazing, but in reality, their lives and the people around them are falling apart. “I like to play this song when I feel nostalgic, like if I’m missing my friends,” said junior Leo Liang. “The song is slow and makes me feel relaxed. I just like to chill to it.” It prompts a nostalgic and longing feeling, similar to how you might feel lying in your bed and staring at the ceiling, dreaming up an imaginary situation. If you’re looking for a song that can carry you into a world of fantasy, “Paris” is the perfect one for you. With the countless supply of songs out there, finding one that matches your mood isn’t that hard. Whether it be something to get you dancing, or something to get you crying, music is one of the best ways to release your emotions.
hzhang@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of FREEPIK and FLATICON.COM
