Over the course of the weekend, the Stanner Players presented the hit musical Mamma Mia! Directed by Ms. Shannon Winters ‘06, the show exemplified the hard work, talent, and dedication of our theater department! Ms. Winters shares, “I am so pleased to have had Mamma Mia! be the first show in my 10 years as director which sold out the entire weekend! Even in spite of technical difficulties for the second half of Saturday’s show, the cast and crew were professional and knocked their performances out of the park! Audiences were excited to sing and dance along with their favorite ABBA songs, and I’m so glad that this show was a success!”
Jada Chico ‘24 played Donna Sheridan, a hotel owner getting ready to host her daughter's wedding. Her daughter Sophie, played by Sofia Crino ‘26, is using the wedding to find out who her father is. Both actors did a remarkable job singing the musical numbers, dancing, and making the iconic ABBA songs truly come to life! Sofia said “playing the role of Sophie was truly a dream!” She continues, “Sophie is such a bubbly and free-spirited young woman and stepping into her shoes and embodying her character has been so rewarding! Theater is one of my biggest passions and I am so grateful to have been able to portray her in a modern and fun way. It has truly been an unforgettable experience that I will cherish forever!” As a senior, the musical was bittersweet for Jada. She says, “Leaving the Stanner Players was one of the hardest things I did this year, but going out by playing Donna and having a sold out weekend was the best way it could’ve gone! My time portraying her only brought me joy, and I want to thank the cast, crew, directors, and especially Ms. Winters for being so supportive of me. I’m so thankful everyone could ‘dance and jive’ while ‘having the time of their lives’ with us!”
Other leads included Michael O’Neill ‘25 (playing Sam Carmichael), Jake Xuereb ‘25 (playing Harry Bright), and Miles Docil ‘25 (playing Bill Austin), Juliana O'Keeffe '26 (playing Sky) as well as Jackie Capra ‘25 and Megan Zapanta ‘24 (playing Rosie and Tanya, respectively). Sophie’s friends Ali and Lisa were played by Isabella Fortunato ‘26 and Michelle Ramirez ‘24, and each one gave a performance to remember! Every cast member contributed memorable moments, making the audience members feel like they were in Greece, tangled in family drama right before a big wedding!
Thank you to Director Ms. Winters, Assistant Director Joanna Troyanos ‘15, Music Director Christopher Quintana, Choreographer Teej Garcia-Lawson ‘19, Assistant Choreographer Charlie Siguenza ‘14, Set Designer Tatianna Egas ‘22, and everyone else in the production crew for making this show one of the best Stanner Player performances yet!