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Another week down for the cast of “Mamma Mia!” and this week was all about dancing. On Saturday, Jan. 25 the cast assembled for a six hour music learn-athon. All of the music was completed with the time left for director and theater teacher Mr. Justin Baldridge to rough stage the first 35 pages of the show.
With the music learned, actions were needed to go with it. So on Monday, Jan. 27 dance teacher Ms. Reesa Zagnoli said hello to the cast and got started on the dance for one of the first songs of the show, “Money, Money, Money.”
Many of the ensemble members, like dance captain and senior Penny Epstein, are dancers first and foremost so they were very excited this week.
“Even though I’m not a singer I have really enjoyed learning the music,” she commented. “And now that we are into dance week, I’m having lots of fun. Everyone is very hardworking and supportive of each other. Mr. Baldridge has made it a very professional space, it really doesn’t feel like a highschool production.”
Senior Ceanna Marie-Feliciano also talked about her first experience in a show at Van Nuys and how excited she was when she first started.
“Since ‘Mamma Mia!’ is my first show here at VNHS, I had no idea what I was walking into, but all I could think about was how excited I was to start the production,” she explained. “As a senior, I’m so grateful for the experience of being able to embrace my passion for musical theater as my last hurrah at this school!
Marie-Feliciano also touches on the hard work that has already gone into the process.
“Despite all the fun we have, it takes a lot of hard work to nail the harmonies and remember all the dance steps for each song,” she said.
With that hard work, another productive week for the cast of “Mamma Mia!” is done but this is only the beginning. Stay tuned next week for much more dancing and a dash of staging. Stay tuned and start saving the dates on your calendar for when the show opens this March!
