‘Mamma Mia!’ set to take Pine-Richland High School stage

Perhaps Volvo owners and IKEA shoppers would disagree, but America’s favorite Swedish import appears to be ABBA.

The pop quartet’s album sales in the United States are somewhere between 12 million and 20 million, but a better gauge of the group’s popularity may be on movie screens and theater stages, where ABBA songs feature prominently in various audience-pleasing permutations of the musical “Mamma Mia!”

“It’s a show I’ve always wanted to do, but you have to wait until you have the right kids. You base it on the students you know you have coming up,” Kathy Morrissey said.

In that context, the director of Pine-Richland High School’s spring musical finally felt it’s time to stage the production, which features 50-plus cast members plus dozens more in the stage crew and playing music.

“That’s the most kids we’ve had in years,” she said. “It’s a huge, huge undertaking.”

As such, rehearsals started in early December — not long after Morrissey wrapped up directing the high school fall play, “The Man Who Came to Dinner” — and continued through winter break. Along the way, students and their parents constructed a massive set to replicate the fictional Greek island of Kalokairi.

The plot of “Mamma Mia!” has Kalokairi as the site of a hotel owned by a woman named Donna Sheridan, who’s hosting the wedding of her daughter, Sophie. Unbeknownst to Donna, Sophie invites three men who may or may not be her father.

Much music ensues, including ABBA hits “Dancing Queen,” “Take A Chance On Me,” “SOS” and, of course, the show’s title track.

Pine-Richland’s cast features senior Lauren King as Donna; sophomore Elise Duckworth as Sophie and junior Jake Pazin as her fiancée, Sky; Conor Barcaskey, Nicolai Ezolt and Owen Russell as the possible dads; and Anna Karmanos and Jillian Uzelac as Donna’s pals Tanya and Rosie.

Jillian further serves as the student choreographer, and Michael Lattari is the student director.

“We have lots of student leadership roles, all of the sound, the lights, stage managers,” Morrissey explained. “Everything backstage is all students.”

A free senior citizens’ preview is scheduled for 4 p.m. March 14, and regular performances of “Mamma Mia” are at 7:30 p.m. March 15, 16, 22 and 23. On the final Saturday is a 2 o’clock matinee.

Morrissey is enthusiastic about welcoming members of the community.

“Everybody is going to come and sing and dance along with the kids,” she said. “It’s just a huge concert party.”

Tickets range from $12 to $15. For more information, visit www.pinerichland.org/musical.