Through January 15-17th, the Palisade High School Performing Arts department made sold out audiences cry, sing, and dance while watching Mamma Mia!, Palisade’s annual spring musical. Directed by choir teacher, Matthew Doty and theater teacher, Sarah Matney, the production perfectly blended hits by ABBA with relatable themes of family and love, engaging generations of audiences. As for Palisade’s reinvention of the 2008 movie, family, friends, students, and staff packed the Kamas auditorium for three consecutive nights to celebrate the hard work of the Bulldog theater department.
Mamma Mia! is a lively production set in Greece following the mother-daughter duo, Donna and Sophie. As a mother figure, Donna prioritizes female independence which strikes internal challenges when Sophie is preparing for a hyper traditional wedding. Sophie invites three men from her mother’s past, hoping to identify her real father and have a proper escort on her big day. Senior Regyn Coolbaugh played Donna, saying, “It was definitely a challenging role at first. Donna is a headstrong and confident person, which I wouldn’t necessarily define myself as. So, I was able to be more outgoing while taking on this role.”
Coolbaugh comments, “The second night of the show was pretty much sold out. That was the fullest I’ve ever seen our auditorium. Hearing the audience crying with me was an insane experience.” One of the most moving moments of the musical was the ending of “Winner Takes it All”, a solo performed by Coolbaugh with tear jerking high notes and an insane stage presence that left audiences speechless. “Every single time during the ending of “Winner Takes It All”, I walked off the stage crying. Everytime. It was just so amazing,” Coolbaugh reflects.
Although it provoked fear or discomfort, several Palisade Bulldogs new to the performing arts participated in Mamma Mia!, such as junior Beckett Carlton who played Sam, one of Sophie’s potential fathers. “I enjoyed the process of creating something. It was really fun to learn choreography and lines while slowly building bigger and bigger things until we eventually had a show,” states Carlton. After four solid months of preparation from set designing to rigorous rehearsals, the show was a smashing success, for both new and old cast members. As Sam, Carlton sang several duets, solos, and major parts in ensemble compositions as well. “I’ve never sung before. I don’t know if it was terribly difficult, but it was really scary. I had to remind myself, “I’m not going to get less scared, so I just have to go out and do it while I’m scared,” states Carlton.
Entering high school and searching for a sense of community can be tough, but Palisade’s drama department is the best place for theatrical talent and enthusiastic individuals. Freshman Braelyn Brown auditioned for this year’s musical coming from a serious dance and musical theater background. She is in the intermediate choir, Chantez!, but was eager to become a part of the Bulldog theater sector. “Seeing the audience clap, dance, and sing along with us was very fulfilling,” notes Brown. With Mamma Mia! being her first Palisade production, Brown is surely continuing with Palisade theater, partly as a result of “connecting with the upperclassmen and learning from their experiences.”
Something uber unique to Palisade’s productions is the inclusion of band and orchestra students serving as a live pit accompaniment. Conducted by band teacher Lucas Regnell, two percussionists, one bassist, two guitarists, and three pianists provided masterful and musical support. Senior Macie Cembelisky played percussion instruments including the xylophone, tambourine, glockenspiel, cabassa, timpani, and windchimes. This was Cembelisky’s first pit experience, in which she admits, “It was scary to go from pit rehearsal to the full musical, but it went really smoothly. I liked that we got to be on stage, but that was also very nerve-wracking at first.”
A common result following each school production is the immediate cultivation of community between new and veteran theater members, all grades, pit players, and performing arts directors. Cembelisky adds, “A lot of the actors have been saying hi to me in the hallways recently, so that’s been nice.” Similarly, Coolbaugh praises, “I really found a family, especially with our new theater members. I’ve been able to find myself through all these people that I’ve never really had a strong relationship with before.”
That sense of accomplishment many Bulldogs felt after Mamma Mia! was truly unmatched. After each showing, Palisade High School’s lobby was filled with joyful tears, passionate hugs, and countless flower bouquets, affirming the cast’s successful performance. Even Coolbaugh wished it could go on for six more weekends.
