memories..

we appeared on the Star.

Saturday November 17, 2007

Secondary students tackle Mamma Mia

Story and photos by JUSTIN YEOH

MAMMA Mia, the high-energy smashhit musical based on the songs of ABBA, was chosen for a year-end play by the Seafield Secondary School choir members in USJ recently.

The 20-member cast of 13 to 15-year-old students gave a spirited rendition of British playwright Catherine Johnson’s funny tale about a young bride who chooses to discover the identity of her father on the eve of her wedding on a sunny Greek Island.

All ears: The cast of Mamma Mia singing their hearts out to an appreciative audience at the concert.

The teenagers had fun dancing to and singing Swedish group ABBA’s many hit songs such as Take a Chance on Me, Dancing Queen and, of course, Mamma Mia, as they brought across the sad and hilarious aspects of discovering one-self and one’s past as well as the joy and pain of reaching adulthood.

Justin Wong took on the leading role of Sam while lead actress Shin Ying (spelling error!) played the bride. Gan Carmen was the mother (Donna) of the bride and Brian Seow, Keith Emanuel and Justin Wong acted as the mother’s three former boyfriends.

Behind the scene: Musical director Timothy Chi with producer Puan Loh Aik Ban who is in charge of the SMK Seafield choir.

The musical was performed to a packed SMK Seafield hall on the evenings of Nov 3 and 4. Preparations for the show began in June 2007 and RM20,000 in donations was raised from parents and private companies.

Mr Timothy Chi was roped in as musical director to turn a group of inexperienced teenagers into a cast of performers. Datin Rosalind Lee, the head of the school’s parent-teacher association (PIBG), and Puan Zaleha Abu Hassan, the ex-headmistress of SMK Seafield, were the two VIPs at the concert.

The energetic song-and-dance display had the audience of students and parents singing along and hollering for more. ABBA's hit songs, in a way, served as a bridge to the generation gap.

The audience gave the cast a standing ovation for their enthusiastic performance on both nights.

The 20 youngsters dared to “take a chance” on presenting the musical – and, “Mamma Mia”, it was good!