Will MAMMA MIA work as a high school show?

[aces25]

Posted: 10/28/17 at 12:50pm

Do we think this show will work as a high school show? 

 

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/28/17 at 2:08pm

The concept is moreso cheeky than provocative.

I assume these kids have watched at least one episode of Jerry Springer in their lifetime and will probably get a kick out of it.

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 10/28/17 at 2:43pm

My overall sense is that if the kids are talented enough to pull it off, most things work out just fine for a high school show and if they're not talented enough, very few things work out well. 

[TheSassySam]

Posted: 10/28/17 at 3:09pm

Yes, it would, but why not give the kids an older musical and produce Carmelina instead? It's the same story and who knows if it will ever be revived again. 

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/28/17 at 8:27pm

No.  It'll probably be done, but no, having all teens of the same age play the middle-aged characters, which are the real focus of the show, as well as the twenty-somethings representing the younger generation will never really "work". But it doesn't matter, does it?  Parents and friends will gush and giving a standing ovation to whatever the students perform, whether it works or not.  The school mostly wants to sell tickets, which is far more likely with Mamma Mia (pending approval...which would be iffy in a lot of school districts, given the subject) than with the unknown flop Carmelina (which has a real snooze of a score).

[Valentina3]

Posted: 10/28/17 at 9:15pm

Short answer - Yes.

I personally don't think Mamma Mia has anything controversial in the material itself. Overarching theme of the show is do hard work, empower women to be independent, and don't get married too young. Kind of perfect for high schools. But the book is very weak and requires good performers to actually pull off believingly. What makes Mamma Mia work is the songs themselves. The authors rely very heavily on audience's familiarity with these songs to get them to overlook the glaring lack of character development and the fact that a 30 minutes short story is an overblown 2.5 hour extravaganza. So just make sure you market to the right people to actually show up in the theater and you'll be fine.

Also - embrace the costumes. This show should be a history lesson for 2017 high-school students on how huge ABBA was and why. They're are criminally underrated by the younger generation.

[David10086]

Posted: 10/28/17 at 9:21pm

Mister Matt said: "No. It'll probably be done, but no, having all teens of the same age play the middle-aged characters, which are the real focus of the show, as well as the twenty-somethings representing the younger generation will never really "work". But it doesn't matter, does it? Parents and friends will gush and giving a standing ovation to whatever the students perform, whether it works or not. The school mostly wants to sell tickets, which is far more likely with Mamma Mia (pending approval...which would be iffy in a lot of school districts, given the subject) than with the unknown flop Carmelina (which has a real snooze of a score)."

I agree. It would be tough having all teens playing the middle-aged characters, but the parents / grandparents will stand and cheer and have a great time.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/28/17 at 10:24pm

I personally don't think Mamma Mia has anything controversial in the material itself.

Neither do I, but school in right-wing conservative suburbs won't take kindly to their kids playing characters who can't remember which man got them knocked up and a young couple who choose to go on vacation rather than get married.  That's just how things are. The parents probably danced in the aisles when they saw it on tour, but it's an entirely different thing when it's their kids and in a school.  In their minds, anyway.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/28/17 at 11:14pm

RaisedOnMusicals said: "My overall sense is that if the kids are talented enough to pull it off, most things work out just fine for a high school show and if they're not talented enough, very few things work out well."

With arts funding (sadly) being cut, many of these school drama clubs subsist entirely off of the money they make in ticket sales. Mamma Mia will sell tickets because of the ABBA connection and familiarity with the material. Carmelina, whatever its virtues, will not.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/29/17 at 12:04am

Arts funding seldom (in my experience) gets to the high school area  I've run a drama program for 25 years now, and I've always had to be concerned abou ticket sales.  Our musical is the (usually) the only profitable show and has always carried the rest of our season on it's shoulders.  

 

One of our shows, since it is a competitive entry has no possibiity of making money and we've only once in the last ten years had a profitable non musical.   So, it's VERY hard to also choose a musical that no one has heard of. 

 

Will this do well?  Probably, I know there are many school districts that don't have to worry about those things, mine being one of them.  That doesnt' mean there won't be complaints, but I don't think I'd have to work to hard to sell it.   Does that mean I plan on doing it?    Ehhhhhhh, I haven't considered it yet.

Updated On: 10/29/17 at 12:04 AM

[Isaac River]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 6:57pm

I really can't see this as a high school show, that's just how it is. I've been providing essay writing services from high school and onwards, so I'd know a thing or two about high school. But I'm just not sure in this case.

[JBradshaw]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 7:04pm

Isn’t this a high school production? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XJMbQ7GpmvA
 

 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 7:07pm

My granddaughter's school did MAMA MIA earlier this year and there were no problems or complaints. That said, it was a dreadful production, directed by a music teacher who had no idea of how to put a show together.