Mamma Mia comes to Naparima Bowl in May

MANY people have seen and loved the movie, maybe even sung along to the songs of Abba in the romantic-comedy musical. Now get ready for the stage production of Mamma Mia, which comes to the Naparima Bowl, San Fernando, for six shows between May 2-5.

Producer Andrew Seepersad, a Trinidadian now resident in Toronto, Canada, told Newsday this musical represents part of a three-four year journey he has taken to rebuild the south theatre community

In a telephone interview from Toronto, Seepersad, the brother of Justice Frank Seepersad, said growing up in San Fernando, the theatre space used to be vibrant. Post-covid19, his observation is that the theatre industry is still suffering from the after-effects of the pandemic.

His long-term goal, he said, is to revitalise music theatre, which he sees as a key contributor to the performing arts landscape.

Being a southerner and having cut his teeth in the industry through his alma mater Presentation College, San Fernando, and at the Naparima Bowl, he now wants to re-establish the Bowl as the home of theatre in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Broadway musical production is being presented by Proscenium Theatre Company (PTC), headed by Seepersad and Mervyn de Goeas.

PTC, founded in 2010, is best remembered for three of its large-scale musicals – Rent, Little Shop of Horrors, and The Wiz – as well as others including Rabbit Hole and Moon on a Rainbow Shawl.

Seepersad said it is the first time this popular Broadway musical, which debuted in London in 1999 and has become a global phenomenon, is coming to Trinidad.

“I don’t think it has ever been played to audiences in the Caribbean.”

The story is about a young woman named Sophie who wants her father to walk her down the aisle, but does not know who he is.

From the pages of her mother’s (Donna) diaries, she discovered that one of three of Donna’s past lovers – Sam, Bill and Harry – could be her dad. She secretly invites them to her mother’s hotel. Their arrival results in conflict, misunderstandings and reconciliations.

The movie, which starred Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth, is told through the use of Abba’s music such as Dancing Queen, Knowing Me, Knowing You, Take a Chance on Me, Thank You for the Music, Money, Money, Money, The Winner Takes It All, Voulez-Vous, and of course, Mamma Mia.

Seepersad explained while he is not authorised to change the script, the cast would be totally local, with no foreign accents.

It is being headlined by real-life mother and daughter Aurora Tardieu and Michelle Tardieu-Attale, who play mother and daughter Sophie and Donna. The two have been members of the Marionettes Chorale.

The show will also feature actor Cecilia Salazar who plays Tanya, Errol James who is cast as one of the potential fathers – Harry, Stefan Williams as Bill, and Wayne Lee-Sing as the third possible dad, Sam.

On the prohibitive cost of staging a play of this quality, Seepersad, said, “The idea of producing musical theatre is crazy expensive. There are not many people who are able to do it or who are willing to take the risk of doing it.”

Blessed with the finance and passion, Seepersad, an MBA/doctoral candidate in innovation management, has been able to combine his business and artistic acumen before investing.

“I am always very thoughtful (about) how I produce, what I spend money on and how we set up something. I am not going to start a show knowing I am going to lose money.

He and de Goeas take on a lot of do-it-yourself projects to save on costs.

“I always do the sets on design and build and Mervyn almost always does our costuming. We do our own make up and generally do our own marketing. We don’t hire anybody to do things we can do ourselves.”

Nevertheless, Seepersad said any production his team undertakes is done with leaving a lasting memory in mind so audiences will want to come back.

“We don’t have a ready or steady audience. and that is what we are trying to build.”

He encouraged people to come out to the shows, saying they will get out of their seats and become dancing kings and queens at each show.