MAMMA MIA!

Music and Lyrics by BENNY ANDERSSON

And BJÖRN ULVAEUS Some songs with STIG ANDERSON

Book by CATHERINE JOHNSON Directed by ASHLIE CORCORAN

Set and Costume Design by CORY SINCENNES Lighting Design by KIMBERLEY PURTELL

Sound Design by PETER McBOYLE

Play Guides sponsored by

ENRICHMENT GUIDE

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MAMMA MIA!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THEATRE ETIQUETTE 3

WHO’S INVOLVED 4-5

CHARACTERS 6

ABOUT THE CREATORS 7-11

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION 12

SCRIPT REFERENCES 13-16

SYNOPSIS 17-18

THEMES 19

PRODUCTION ELEMENTS 20

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 21

FURTHER READING/REFERENCES 22

CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT 23-24

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MAMMA MIA!

THEATRE ETIQUETTE

Going to the theatre is an engaging and interactive experience. We want you to be an active participant when you

see our shows; laugh when it’s funny, cry when it’s sad, gasp when it’s shocking, and enjoy the experience as much

as possible. But we want you to do this in the most respectful way possible, for both the performers and your

fellow audience members.

To ensure the most positive experience, please review the following information prior to arriving at the theatre.

The following items are not allowed in the theatre:

•Food and drink (except that which is sold during intermission and/or permitted by the Citadel Theatre, such as

bottled water and ice cream).

•Cameras and other recording devices (please note that taking photographs or other recordings in the theatre is

strictly prohibited by law).

Basic courtesy:

•Turn OFF and put away all electronic devices such as cell phones, iPods, video game systems, etc. prior to

entering the theatre.

•Do not place your feet on the seat in front of you.

•The actors onstage can see and hear the audience during the performance – it is important that audience members

not talk, move around, or fidget during the performance, as this can be distracting for the actors, as well as fellow

audience members.

•There is no dress code at the Citadel Theatre, but we respectfully request that patrons refrain from wearing hats

in the theatre.

•For the safety of those with allergies, please refrain from using perfumes or scented products before coming to

the theatre.

•Please do not place backpacks or other bags in the aisle in front of your feet, as this may impair the ability of

persons to exit the row in an emergency.

Inappropriate behaviour:

Citadel Theatre representatives watch carefully during performances for inappropriate behaviour, especially

behaviour that could endanger an actor or audience member. Inappropriate behaviour includes, but is not limited

to:

•Talking in the audience

•The use of laser pointers or other light or sound-emitting devices

•Interfering with an actor or the performance (tripping, throwing items on or near the stage, etc.)

Audience members identified as engaging in this type of behaviour will be removed from the theatre during the

performance or at intermission.

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MAMMA MIA!

CAST

CAST:

CHRISTY ADAMSON Tanya

THOMAS ALDERSON Ensemble

TESS BENGER Sophie

JENNI BURKE Rosie

KARINA COX Ensemble

MICHAEL COX Sky

JULIO FUENTES Ensemble

JJ GERBER Eddie

TARA JACKSON Lisa

ALEX KELLY Ensemble

CORBEN KUSHNERYK Ensemble

TRUDY LEE GAYLE Ensemble

MELANIE PLATOCHA Ensemble

ALISON ROBERTS Ali

ROBBIE TOWNS Pepper

JOHN ULLYATT Sam

ASHLEY WRIGHT Bill

LEON WILLEY Harry

SYNTHIA YUSEF Ensemble

PATRICIA ZENTILLI Donna

Production Sponsors

Season Sponsor A-Level Seats Sponsor

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MAMMA MIA!

CREATIVE TEAM

Media Sponsors

CREATIVE TEAM

Director ASHLIE CORCORAN

Set & Costume Designer CORY SINCENNES

Lighting Designer KIMBERLY PURTELL

Sound Designer PETER McBOYLE

Music Director DON HORSBURGH

Choreographer LAURA KREWSKI

Assistant Director BRENLEY CHARKOW

Stage Manager MICHELLE CHAN

Assistant Stage Manager KERRY JOHNSON

Assistant Stage Manager SANG-SANG LEE

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MAMMA MIA!

CHARACTERS (in order of speaking)

Sophie Sheridan: Donna’s headstrong 20-year-old daughter, Sophie, is determined to have what

her mother never had: a traditional family.

Ali: One of Sophie’s close friends, she has come for Sophie’s wedding.

Lisa: Another one of Sophie’s close friends, she has come for the wedding.

Donna Sheridan: Sophie’s fiercely independent and hard-working mother, Donna, is the owner of a

taverna (a small restaurant) on a beautiful Greek island. She is the former lead singer of Donna and

the Dynamos.

Tanya: One of Donna’s oldest and best friends, Tanya has married several millionaires, but has

never found the right man. Wild and sensual, she catches Pepper’s eye.

Rosie: Another of Donna’s old friends, Rosie is an author of cookbooks.

Sky: Sophie’s fiancé is a former stockbroker who got tired of the cutthroat world of Wall Street.

Pepper: One of Donna’s employees, Pepper, is a member of the bar-staff, a waiter, a boatman and

provides general help around the Taverna. He is relaxed and good-natured.

Eddie: Another one of Donna’s employees, Eddie, is a member of the bar-staff, a waiter, a

boatman and provides general help around the Taverna. He is relaxed and good-natured.

Harry Bright: Although he was known as the wild “Head Banger” when he first knew Donna, today

Harry is a respected banker.

Bill Austin: A well-known travel writer, Bill has visited the far reaches of the earth, but is afraid of

making a commitment.

Sam Carmichael: An architect, Sam has regretted leaving Donna all his life.

Father Alexandrios: The minister of the island.

CHARACTERS

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MAMMA MIA!

ABOUT THE CREATORS

Benny Andersson is a musician who played keyboard for 1970s pop super-group ABBA.

ABBA really took off with their third album, anchored by the popular song Mamma Mia, which placed ABBA atop the U.K. chart, a spot it would hold nine times between 1974 and 1980. Its two greatest hits collections were hugely successful, while singles such as Dancing Queen and Take a Chance on Me sparked a wave of popularity for the band in the United States.

EARLY LIFE

He was born Göran Bror Benny Andersson on December 16, 1946, in Stockholm, Sweden, to a musical family. Andersson's father and grandfather both loved to play music and, at the age of six, the future ABBA star was introduced to the accordion. Like he would with almost every other instrument he'd pick up later in life, Andersson took to it without much effort. Following his time in high school, Andersson signed on as the keyboardist for The Hep Stars, a successful pop band in the 1960s that was affectionately known as “The Swedish Beatles.” While touring, Andersson met Björn Ulvaeus, a songwriter and member of the folk band, The Hootenanny Singers. ABBA's foundation was slowly being laid. Not only did Andersson and Ulvaeus quickly become friends, but Ulvaeus' group had signed with the recording label Polar Music, whose owner, Stig Anderson, would eventually become ABBA's manager. Following the demise of The Hep Stars in the late 1960s, Andersson and Ulvaeus put out their own LP. The record, however, only sold

moderately well. FOUNDING ABBA In 1969, Anderson and Ulvaeus met two other musicians, Anna-Frid “Frida” Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog. The two couples (Ulvaeus and Agnetha married in 1971; Andersson and Frida exchanged vows in 1978) soon began playing together. At first, the collaboration took the shape of working on one another's respective recordings. Finally, the four came together as a single group known as Festfolket. But success was not easily found. It was only in 1972, after the group had reorganized under a new name, Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid, that the four made a name for themselves with the moderately popular single, People Need Love. The group's harmonies, and catchy musical structures in particular, were a big draw for audiences. In 1973, the band maintained its momentum with another hit single, Ring Ring. The song took third place in the highly influential Eurovision Song Contest, and received airtime on radio stations around Europe. (Continued on the next page)

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MAMMA MIA!

ABOUT THE CREATORS Cont ...

A year later, the band, working under the new name of ABBA, an acronym of their first names, was rewarded with top honours at the Eurovision Song Contest for the single Waterloo. The song shot up the charts around Europe, and their debut album of the same name proved to be popular, as well. But it wasn't until their self-titled third record that ABBA truly took off. The album was anchored by the wildly popular single Mamma Mia, which placed ABBA atop the U.K. charts. In all, the

group owned the pop charts in U.K. and Australia for much of the 1970s. Its two greatest hits collections, both issued in 1976, were hugely successful, while singles such as Dancing Queen and Take a Chance on Me sparked a wave of popularity for the band in the United States. Over the course of its run, the band achieved unrivaled success. Between 1975 and 1982, ABBA released 17 consecutive singles that occupied a spot in the U.K. Top Five. From 1975 to 1980, the group sat atop the U.K. album charts for 35 weeks, the only band ever to do so. Overall, ABBA would go on to sell more than 350 million records, with a good portion of the success attributed to Andersson, who, with Ulvaeus, wrote and produced all of the group's work. THE BREAK-UPS With the onset of the 1980s, however, cracks in ABBA's foundation began to show. In 1979, Ulvaeus and Agnetha divorced; two years later, Andersson and Frida followed suit, ruining the group's image of two happy couples making music together. There was interest, too, from Andersson and Ulvaeus in creating projects outside of ABBA. Finally, in 1982, the group took what its members called a temporary break. In the years since, ABBA has still not reformed, despite heavy interest from fans. For a time, there were even reports the group had been offered $1 billion to reunite. Andersson, for one, dismissed the rumour and also squashed any hopes ABBA fans might have of seeing the band take the stage one more time. “We all feel the same,” he told Rolling Stone in 2010, after it was announced that the group would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “It's been too long. It's been almost 30 years. There is no reason. I can't understand the bands that reunite, because there will always be a reason, whether it be economic reasons or the fun of it ... being on the stage again. We don't have that.” That's not to suggest Andersson hasn't been making music. Since ABBA's end, he's had his hand in a number of different projects, a portion of it harkening back to his early interest in Swedish folk music. Occasionally Andersson, now a grandfather of five and the proud recipient of an honourary doctorate from the University of Stockholm, has worked with his old friend, Björn Ulvaeus. A good portion of Andersson's post-ABBA work, however, has revolved around his group, The Benny Andersson Band, which released its most recent album, Story of a Heart, in 2009. Source: http://www.biography.com/people/benny-andersson-17168238#synopsis

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MAMMA MIA!

ABOUT THE CREATORS Cont ...

Björn Ulvaeus is best known as one of four members of 1970s Swedish pop sensation ABBA. Born in Gothenberg, Sweden, Björn Ulvaeus first gained recognition in the 1960s in Sweden as part of pop group the Hootenanny Singers. After Ulvaeus met fellow musician Benny Andersson, the two teamed up with vocalists Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad to form ABBA. The group became a major international hit with songs like Dancing Queen, Fernando, and Money, Money, Money. ABBA's music remains popular around the world today. EARLY MUSIC CAREER Björn Ulvaeus was born on April 25, 1945, in Gothenburg, a city on the west coast of Sweden. His family moved to the small eastern town of Vastervik in 1951, and it was there that Ulvaeus spent the rest of childhood. His parents, Aina and Gunnar Ulvaeus, were both passionate music lovers, and they bought Ulvaeus his first guitar for his 11th birthday. Under the tutelage of an older cousin, Jon Ulfsater, a folk and jazz guitarist, Ulvaeus showed rare talent and promise. As a teenager, he became enamoured with rock 'n' roll and skiffle music (a music genre with jazz, blues, folk and American folk influences, usually using homemade or improvised instruments). Ulvaeus was also a gifted student, attending Lund University to study business law. At Lund, he befriended three other aspiring musicians — Tony Rooth, Hansi Schwarz and Johan Karlberg — and, at the encouragement at one of the school's music teachers, formed a group named the West Bay Singers. Playing a mix of folk and Dixieland jazz, the West Bay Singers competed in amateur singing competitions, soon developing a strong local following in the Vastervik area. In 1963, the foursome took a hiatus from school, borrowed an old Volvo and set out to tour across Europe. While the tour did not achieve staggering success, the band's gigs earned enough money to cover food, gas and hotel lodging, and, by all accounts, the group had the time of their lives. Returning to Sweden later that year, they learned that Ulvaeus' mother had entered them in a national talent show whose Swedish name translates to Place on the Stage. “I wanted to cancel our appearance straight away,” Ulvaeus recalled, “because I thought that we weren't ready. And then finally, after some thought, I told myself that maybe we had a chance.” The West Bay Singers reached the contest finals in Norrkoping, and although they did not place, they attracted the attention of music producer Stig Andersson, who signed them to a recording contract. He recalled, “I must confess that when I saw Björn singing and playing, I had a feeling that he had enormous potential. They were a good group, of course, but Björn stood out from the others.” Changing the band's name to the Hootenanny Singers and deciding to sing mostly in Swedish, which was very uncommon for Swedish commercial pop music at that time, the group released a debut single in early 1964. It skyrocketed to the top of the Swedish pop charts. They released their first album, which contained six Swedish and six English songs, later that year. Meanwhile Ulvaeus, who had kept up his studies while touring and recording, passed his exams to graduate from Lund University. For the next two years, from 1964 to 1966, the Hootenanny Singers remained one of Sweden's most popular pop groups, recording during the winter months and touring all across Scandinavia during the summers. On June 5, 1966, in a coincidence that would have a profound impact on the course of pop music across the globe, the Hootenanny Singers' tour bus stopped at a crossroads far out in the Swedish countryside where the tour bus of the Hep Stars — Sweden's other leading pop group — also happened to be stopped. And during that chance encounter, Ulvaeus struck up a friendship with the Hep Stars' keyboardist, Benny Andersson. (Continued on the next page)

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ABOUT THE CREATORS Cont ...

BIRTH OF ABBA Over the next two years, although the Hootenanny Singers and the Hep Stars collaborated on several songs, Ulvaeus and Andersson mostly continued working with their respective groups. In 1969, Ulvaeus met and fell in love with a singer named Agnetha Fältskog; they married two years later, in 1971. Around the same time, Andersson fell in love with another singer, Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The two couples performed together for the first time in 1970 in a cabaret act called Festfolk. Two years later, in 1972, the quartet released a single, People Need Love, which became a minor hit in Sweden. At that point, Ulvaeus left the Hootenanny Singers (and Andersson left the Hep Stars) to focus all their energies on this new lovers' quartet. Renaming themselves ABBA, an acronym of the first letter of each of their first names (Anni, Benny, Björn, Agnetha) and also the name of a popular Swedish canned fish company, the group achieved its big break in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest. ABBA entered a new single called Waterloo, an upbeat, disco-influenced pop track, winning first place in the prestigious international competition. The contest catapulted Waterloo to No. 1 on the U.K. pop charts and to No. 6 on U.S. Billboard Hot 100, announcing ABBA as one of world's biggest new pop groups. Over the next seven years, ABBA enjoyed widespread international popularity on the way to becoming one of the most successful musical groups of all time. Their self-titled 1975 album spawned such hits as SOS, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do and Mamma Mia, all of which were immensely popular in Europe, Australia and the United States. Their next album, Arrival (1976), featured the singles Money, Money, Money, Knowing Me, Knowing You, and Dancing Queen, the only ABBA track ever to reach No. 1 in the United States. ABBA —The Album (1977) featured another iconic international hit in Take a Chance On Me, and later albums Voulez-Vous (1979), Super Trouper (1979) and The Visitors (1981) were all successful across the globe. In support of their albums during these years, ABBA toured extensively in the United States, Europe, Australia and Asia, greeted by throngs of adoring fans everywhere they went. But as they enjoyed professional success, their personal lives were in distress. Ulvaeus and Fältskog divorced in 1980, and Andersson and Lyngstad, who had married in 1978, announced their own breakup in 1981. The divorces sapped ABBA of its chemistry, and the group stopped performing together in 1982. In the aftermath of ABBA's dissolution, Ulvaeus and Andersson took their musical partnership in a new direction to collaborate on writing musicals. (Continued on the next page)

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AFTER ABBA Their first musical, Chess, the story of a love triangle among champion players of the game, debuted in London's West End in 1986 and on Broadway in New York in 1988. The well-reviewed show earned Ulvaeus and Andersson numerous Drama Desk, Tony and Grammy Award nominations, but the pair did not end up winning any of the major awards. Ulvaeus and Andersson then collaborated on a 1995 Swedish-language musical, Kristina från Duvemåla, which also won widespread acclaim. Ulvaeus next worked on the orchestration for Mamma Mia!, the enormously popular 1999 musical featuring exclusively ABBA music. Mamma Mia! became the most-seen musical in history, with more than 42 million audience members worldwide. Ulvaeus co-produced the 2008 film version, as well. Björn Ulvaeus is one of the greatest pop stars in Swedish history and, as a member of ABBA, he is also one-fourth of one of the most iconic music groups in world history. Largely due to the huge success of Mamma Mia!, ABBA songs remain nearly as popular today as they were during their heyday in the 1970s. However, although all four members remain musically active and on good terms, Ulvaeus says there is no chance the group will reunite. “We will never appear on stage again,” he said. “There is simply no motivation to regroup. Money is not a factor and we would like people to remember us as we were.” Source: http://www.biography.com/people/bj%C3%B6rn-ulvaeus-17188976

Catherine Johnson, born October 14, 1957, is a British playwright, producing works for the stage and

television. She is best known for her book for the musical Mamma Mia! and for the screenplay for the 2008 film of the same name, which became the highest-grossing film of all time in the U.K. and was the

biggest selling U.K DVD in 2009.

Johnson grew up in Wickwar, near Wotton-under-Edge and attended Katherine Lady Berkeley’s School in Wotton. She was expelled from school at 16, married at 18 and divorced by the age of 24. She moved to Bristol and, finding herself unemployed and with one child to support and another on the way, she spotted a notice in the local paper for the Bristol Old Vic/HTV West playwriting competition. She wrote Rag Doll, using the pseudonym Maxwell Smart, a play about incest and child abuse. It won the competition and was staged by the Bristol Old Vic. Further plays for the Bush Theatre in London, Bristol Old Vic and Show of Strength followed, along with work on television series, including Casualty, Love

Hurts, and Byker Grove.

In 2007, Johnson instituted the Catherine Johnson Award for Best Play written by the five Pearson Playwrights’ Scheme bursary winners from the previous years. She won a bursary from the scheme in 1991. Johnson is a patron of the Wotton Electric Picture House in Wotton-under-Edge, Bristol’s Myrtle Theatre Company and Arts and Community in Thornbury. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Johnson_(playwright)

ABOUT THE CREATORS Cont ...

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MAMMA MIA!

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

Mamma Mia! is based on the songs of ABBA, a Swedish pop/dance group active from 1972–1982, and one of the most popular international pop groups of all time, topping the charts again and again in Europe, North and South America and Australia. Following the premiere of the musical in London in 1999, ABBA Gold topped the charts in the U.K. again. This musical was the brainchild of producer Judy Craymer. She met songwriters Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson in 1983, when they were working with Tim Rice on Chess. It was the song The Winner Takes It All that suggested to her the theatrical potential of their pop songs.

The songwriters were not enthusiastic, but they were not completely opposed to the idea. In 1997, Craymer commissioned Catherine Johnson to write the book for the musical. In 1998, Phyllida Lloyd became the director for the show. The musical opened in the West End at Prince Edward Theatre on April 6, 1999, and transferred to the Prince of Wales Theatre on June 9, 2004, where it played until September 2012, when it moved to the Novello Theatre. Directed by Phyllida Lloyd, with choreography by Anthony Van Laast, the original cast featured Siobhan McCarthy, Lisa Stokke, and Hilton McRae. Prior to the musical’s Broadway engagement, it opened in Toronto at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in May 2000, where it played for five years. Its U.S. debut was in San Francisco at the Orpheum Theatre on November 17, 2000. It stayed there until February 17, 2001, and then moved to L.A.’s Shubert Theatre from February 26, 2001, to May 12, 2001. Finally, it landed in Chicago at the Cadillac Palace Theatre on May 13, 2001, and ran until August 12, 2001. The musical opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre on October 18, 2001, after beginning previews on October 5. The director is Phyllida Lloyd with choreography by Anthony Van Laast. As of January 2017, it was the eighth longest-running Broadway show and the longest-running jukebox musical in Broadway history. On April 18, 2013, it was announced that Mamma Mia! would transfer to the Broadhurst Theatre later that year to make way for the musical adaptation of Rocky. The show played its final performance at the Winter Garden Theatre on October 19, 2013 and began performances at the Broadhurst Theatre on November 2, 2013. It was announced on April 9, 2015, that the show would close on September 5, 2015. On April 21, 2015, it was then announced that show would play an additional week and would instead close on September 12, 2015. Mamma Mia! played 5,773 performances on Broadway before closing. Mamma Mia! has been played in more than 40 countries in all six continents, and has been translated into 23 languages. More than 60 million people have seen the show worldwide and it has set the record for premiering in more cities faster than any other musical in history. The popular musical was eventually turned into a film, which premiered July 18, 2008. A sequel to the movie, titled Here We Go Again! is set to come out in the summer of 2018. A new production of Mamma Mia! is set to open at the Citadel in the Maclab Theatre in February 2018. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamma_Mia!

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MAMMA MIA!

SCRIPT REFERENCES

THE 1970s History books can only tell us so much: the facts, the figures and the hard data of a time period. A fictional story like Mamma Mia! can help us learn how people felt during a period of time. Mamma Mia! really takes place during two time periods: the present day and the era of the 1970s, when Donna met Sam, Harry and Bill, and sang with Donna and the Dominos. The 1970s was a time of extraordinary change, a pivotal era in American and world history. Events of the decade changed how we saw our leaders, our place in the world, and ourselves. The war in Vietnam led to large scale protests and distrust in government and authority, which was only compounded by the allegations of corruption at the highest levels in the Watergate scandal. Inflation and high unemployment ravaged the economy, while an energy crisis caused long lines at the gas stations. Many turned away from the government and looked to themselves for change. During the 1960s, environmentalists such as Rachel Carson had warned against the dangers of pollution; the 1970s saw the beginning of the environmental movement: a concentrated, public-driven desire to conserve and protect our world. With the 50th anniversary of Female Suffrage (the right to vote) in the United States, the 1970s also saw the growth of the feminist movement to gain equal rights for women in all parts of life. The proportion of women in state legislatures tripled during the 1970s, and by 1979, women surpassed men in college enrollment. Along with social strides, the 1970s saw advances in science. The development of semiconductor silicon chips revolutionized the electronics industry; handheld calculators, digital watches, and video games like Pong and Pac Man became commonplace. The nuclear family (a family unit consisting of one father, one mother, and children), which had been so strong during the 1940s and 1950s, began to lose its importance during the 1970s. Divorce rates were on the rise and women began to believe that they could raise children on their own. Since World War II, the United States had been in the forefront of political, economic, and social history. Now, they were losing ground, and there was a sense – a nameless fear - that something was going wrong. In the 1970s, Americans saw their limits. But through it all, satirical television shows like All in the Family and Saturday Night Live made fun of these changes, never letting them take themselves too seriously!

All in the Family

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MAMMA MIA!

THE SETTING OF THE PLAY—GREECE

Located in Southern Europe, Greece is a

transcontinental country that consists of a

mountainous, peninsular mainland jutting out into the

sea at the southern end of the Balkans, ending at the

Peloponnese peninsula and strategically located at the

crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Due to its

highly indented coastline and numerous islands,

Greece has the 11th longest coastline in the world

with 13,676 km; its land boundary is 1,160 km.

Eighty per cent of Greece consists of mountains or hills, making the country one of the most

mountainous in Europe. Mount Olympus, the mythical abode of the Greek Gods, culminates at

Mytikas peak 2,918 m, the highest in the country. Western Greece contains a number of lakes and

wetlands and is dominated by the Pindus mountain range. The Pindus, a continuation of the Dinaric

Alps, reaches a maximum elevation of 2,637 m at Mt. Smolikas (the second-highest in Greece) and

historically has been a significant barrier to east-west travel.

The islands of the Aegean are peaks of underwater mountains that once constituted an extension of

the mainland. The spectacular Vikos Gorge, part of the Vikos-Aoos National Park in the Pindus

range, is listed by the Guinness book of World Records as the deepest gorge in the world. Another

notable formation are the Meteora rock pillars, atop which have been built medieval Greek

Orthodox monasteries.

Extensive plains are primarily located in the regions of Thessaly, Central Macedonia, and Thrace.

They constitute key economic regions as they are among the few arable places in the country. Rare

marine species, such as the pinniped seals and the loggerhead sea turtle, live in the seas

surrounding mainland Greece, while its dense forests are home to the endangered brown bear, the

Eurasian lynx, the roe deer, and the wild goat.

Islands

Greece features a vast number of islands, between 1,200 and 6,000, depending on the definition,

227 of which are inhabited. Crete is the largest and most populous island; Euboea, separated from

the mainland by the 60m-wide Euripus Strait, is the second largest, followed by Lesbos and Rhodes.

The Greek islands are traditionally grouped into the following clusters: the Argo-Saronic Islands in

the Saronic gulf near Athens, the Cyclades, a large but dense collection occupying the central part

of the Aegean Sea, the North Aegean islands, a loose grouping off the west coast of Turkey, the

Dodecanese, another loose collection in the southeast between Crete and Turkey, the Sporades, a

small tight group off the coast of northeast Euboea, and the Ionian Islands, located to the west of

the mainland in the Ionian Sea.

SCRIPT REFERENCES Cont...

Santorini, Greece

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THE SETTING OF THE PLAY—GREECE

Climate

The climate of Greece is primarily Mediterranean, featuring mild, wet winters and hot, dry

summers. This climate occurs at all coastal locations, including Athens, the Cyclades, the

Dodecanese, Crete, the Peloponnese, the Ionian Islands, and parts of the Central Continental

Greece region. The Pindus mountain range strongly affects the climate of the country, as areas to

the west of the range are considerably wetter on average (due to greater exposure to south-

westerly systems bringing in moisture) than the areas lying to the east of the range (due to a rain

shadow effect).

Taverna

A taverna (Greek: ταβέρνα) is a small Greek restaurant, similar to a tavern, that serves Greek

cuisine. The taverna is an integral part of Greek culture and has become familiar to people from

other countries who visit Greece, as well as through the establishment of tavernes (ταβέρνες,

plural) in countries such as the United States and Australia by expatriate Greeks.

The earliest evidence of a Greek restaurant, or taverna, was discovered at the Ancient Agora of

Athens (or Athenian Agora) during archaeological excavations conducted by the American School of

Classical Studies in the early 1970s. Large quantities of classical Greek cooking and eating utensils

were found at the taverna such as plates, mixing bowls, lidded casseroles, spits for broiling meat,

mortars for chopping and grinding, as well as a cooking bell and a variety of jugs. Furthermore,

large amounts of fish bones and shellfish remains were discovered revealing the menu specialties of

the classical Greek taverna such as oysters, mussels, murex shells, and large fish. A nearby wine

shop in the Athenian Agora, possibly in association with the taverna, served local Attic wine, as well

as a wide variety of wines imported from Chios, Mende, Corinth, Samos, and Lesbos. In the 10th

century AD, taverns in the Byzantine Empire that served pure wine were subject to a curfew in

order to prevent alcohol-induced “violence

and rioting.”

Tavernes usually open at 12 p.m., with

dinner hours starting at 8 p.m. and reaching

a peak around 10 p.m. As tourism has grown

in Greece, many tavernes have attempted

to cater to foreign visitors with English

menus and touts or "shills" being employed

in many tavernes to attract passing tourists.

Similarly, tavernes in tourist areas pay

commissions to tour guides who send

business their way.

SCRIPT REFERENCES Cont...

A taverna in the Anemomilos district of Corfu town.

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MAMMA MIA!

THE SETTING OF THE PLAY — GREECE

Cuisine

A typical menu for a taverna would usually include

many if not all of the following items:

- Bread, usually loaf bread, sometimes flat bread

- Meat such as lamb, pork, and beef

- Salads such as Greek salad

- Appetizers or entrées like tzatziki (yogurt, garlic, and

cucumber dip), melitzanosalata (eggplant dip),

tirokafteri (whipped feta cheese, with hot peppers and

olive oil dip), spanakopita and dolmades or dolmadakia

(rice mixture with fresh herbs such as mint and parsley

and sometimes pine nuts-and in some regions minced

meat is added-tightly wrapped with tender grape

leaves and served with a thick and creamy, lemony sauce)

- Soups such as avgolemono (egg-lemon soup) and fasolada (beansoup)

- Pasta such as spaghetti napolitano, pastitsio (baked layers of thick pasta and minced meat mixture

topped with a thick béchamel sauce)

- Fish and seafood dishes such as baked fresh fish, fried

salt cod served with skordalia (garlic sauce), fried squid,

and baby octopus

- Baked dishes (magirefta) including a wide variety of

seasonal vegetable dishes such as moussaka (eggplant or

zucchini, minced meat, and béchamel sauce)

- Grilled dishes such as souvlaki

- Wine including retsina, mavrodafni and other Greek

red/white wine varieties

- Beer

- Spirits such as ouzo, tsipouro, and Metaxa brandy

- Fruit

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greece

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taverna

SCRIPT REFERENCES Cont...

Choriatiki, a Greek salad.

Calamari—fried squid.

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MAMMA MIA!

SYNOPSIS

Act 1

On the Greek island of Kalokairi, 20-year-old Sophie is preparing to marry her fiancé, Sky. She wants her father to walk her down the aisle but does not know who he is. Sophie discovers her mother's old diary and finds entries which describe dates with three men (Sam Carmichael, Bill Austin and Harry Bright). Sophie believes one of these men is her father and, three months prior to the wedding, sends each an invitation to her wedding, writing in the name of her mother, Donna,

without letting her unsuspecting mother know.

The day before the wedding, Donna begins receiving guests at her taverna. The first to arrive are her old best friends, Tanya, a rich woman who has been married and divorced three times, and Rosie, an unmarried, carefree woman. The trio used to be a girl group called Donna and the

Dynamos. The three women catch up and talk about how their lives have been.

Later that day, Sophie's three possible fathers arrive: Sam (an American architect), Harry (a British banker), and Bill (an Australian writer and adventurer). Sophie convinces them not to tell Donna that she invited them. Donna is surprised to see her ex-lovers and leaves in tears. Donna, crying, explains to Tanya and Rosie the situation, and they cheer her up. Tanya and Rosie try to convince

Donna that she can still be the girl that she once was.

Sophie had hoped she would know her father the moment she saw him, but is now only confused. She tries to tell her fiancé, Sky, how she feels without confessing what she has done. Sky tells her

he will be the only man she ever needs.

At Sophie's bachelorette party, Donna and the Dynamos don their old costumes and perform a song. Sam, Bill, and Harry accidentally walk in on the party, and the guests persuade them to stay. Sophie first pulls Sam out of the room to talk to him. After he asks why he is here, she is overcome with guilt and goes to talk to Harry instead. But Harry asks if Sophie's father is at the party, and she tells him the whole truth. Lastly, she draws Bill aside to talk with him. She learns that Bill has an aunt Sophia who left all her money to Donna's family. Bill learns that Donna built the taverna with money she inherited from a friend she lived with when Sophie was a baby; that friend was Bill's

aunt. They both think this means he is her father.

Sophie asks Bill to walk her down the aisle, but Bill wants to discuss it first with Donna. This has been her secret, after all. But no one knows yet that even Donna does not know who the father is, because she dated the three men in such swift succession. Sophie insists they must not tell Donna

anything and finally, Bill agrees.

Afterward, everybody crashes the bachelorette party (including the guys from the bachelor party). During the party, Sam pulls Sophie aside and tells her he has figured out why she invited him. He knows he is her father and promises to walk her down the aisle the next day. Then, Harry approaches Sophie, apologizing for being so slow on the uptake; he is also convinced that she is his daughter and promises to walk her down the aisle. Sophie leaves the party, hopelessly confused;

she does not want to turn any of them down.

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MAMMA MIA!

SYNOPSIS cont ...

Act 2 Sophie's having a nightmare, involving her three possible fathers all fighting for the right to walk her down the aisle, and wakes up despairing. Sophie's upset, and Donna assumes that Sophie wants to cancel the wedding and offers to handle all the details. Sophie is offended and vows that her children won't grow up not knowing who their father is. As Sophie storms out of the room, Sam enters and tries to tell Donna that Sophie may not be all she seems, but Donna won't listen, as she is still angry with him for their break=up so many years before. At the beach, Harry asks Tanya what the father of the bride ought to be doing for Sophie's wedding. Tanya explains that for her part, her father gave her his advice and then paid. Pepper, one of the guys who works at Donna's taverna, hits on Tanya, but she rebuffs him. Sky finds out what Sophie has done in inviting Sam, Harry and Bill to the wedding. He accuses her of wanting a big white wedding only so that she can find out who her father is. He's very hurt that she kept this plan a secret from him. He storms off just as Sam walks in. Sam tries to give Sophie some fatherly advice by describing his failed marriage but Sophie isn't consoled. Harry offers to pay for the wedding, and he and Donna reminisce about their fling. Sophie arrives and Donna helps her get dressed. Donna admits that her own mother disowned her when she learned that she was pregnant. They reconcile and Sophie asks her mother if she will walk her down the aisle. Sam arrives and tries to speak to Donna again, but she does not want to see him, and asks him to leave. He refuses, and a bitter confrontation ensues. Donna tells Sam that he broke her heart, presumably when she found out he was engaged. It emerges that the two still love each other dearly, albeit against Donna's better judgment. Rosie is making final preparations in the taverna when Bill arrives. He's upset because he has received a note that Donna will be walking Sophie down the aisle. Bill reaffirms his commitment to the single life, but Rosie has become attracted to him, and urges him to reconsider. The wedding begins, with Donna walking Sophie down the aisle. Before the priest has a chance to begin the ceremonies, Donna acknowledges to everyone that Sophie's father is present. Sophie tells her mother that she knows about her father. Donna realizes that Sophie invited them to the wedding for that very reason. The issue of Sophie's parentage is left unsettled, as none of them have any idea whether they are actually her father. Everyone involved agrees that it does not matter which one of them her biological parent is, as Sophie loves all three and they are all happy to be “one-third of a Father” and a part of her life at last. Finally, Harry, who has made frequent references to his "other half" throughout the show, is revealed to be in a committed relationship with a man. Suddenly, Sophie calls a halt to the proceedings. She is not ready to get married and Sky agrees with Sophie about not getting married. Sam seizes his chance and proposes to Donna in order to prevent the wedding preparations from going to waste. He explains that he loved her, even when he left to get married. It is revealed that he called off the wedding with his fiancée and came back to the island, only to be told that Donna was going out with another man (Bill). He went back, married his fiancée and had children but he got divorced. Surprisingly, Donna accepts. In the end, Sam and Donna are married, and at the end of the night, Sophie and Sky depart on a round-the-world tour.

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MAMMA MIA!

THEMES

FAMILY AND MARRIAGE As the story of Mamma Mia! begins, Sophie longs for a traditional family: a father, a mother and children. Ironically, the decade when Sophie was born, the 1970s, is the time when the idea of the nuclear family began to fall apart. Divorce was becoming more common, as was being a single parent. Also, Sophie’s mom, Donna, rebelled against the idea of a “traditional” family, and raised Sophie by herself, never telling the father (in fact, she is not entirely sure just who the father is). This would have been considered wild, immoral behaviour at the time, and, in fact, Donna’s mom does disown her when she find’s out her unmarried daughter is pregnant. Sophie is desperate to have the type of family that her mother didn’t think was necessary to have in order to have a good life. At first, Sophie thinks there is only one way to define a family. But, as Sophie learns, the definition of a family is a subjective concept; each of us has a different definition of what family means. In Mamma Mia!, each character is ‘related’ to one another as either a blood relative, though binding friendships or by romantic involvement. WHAT IS “POP” MUSIC? To understand and appreciate the music of ABBA and the story of Mamma Mia!, you need to understand what we mean by the term “popular” music. What do you think of when you hear the word “popular?” The best? Well-liked? “Popular” is really derived from the Latin word “popularis,” or “of the people.” So “Popular Music” (or “Pop” music, as it’s come to be known) is the music loved by the people, not the music critics or professors tell us we should enjoy. And because pop music is the music the people love, listening to it and discussing it are interesting ways to learn about a culture: its history, its concerns, its storytelling, its desires. Pop music is the voice of the people, singing their story. Source: http://www.stgpresents.org/images/education/pdf/Mamma-Mia-Study-Guide.pdf

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MAMMA MIA!

PRODUCTION ELEMENTS

THRUST STAGE

The Thrust stage configuration is one of the oldest in theatre history. It refers to a stage (or

performance space) that extends forward into the audience. A thrust stage configuration is

especially effective for drawing in the audience and actively connecting them with the action

onstage.

Audience Audience

Audience

The Maclab at the Citadel is an example of a thrust stage. This type of stage is used to extend the

playing space out into the audience. In A Christmas Carol, the director utilizes the entire theatre

and has actors entering and exiting through vomitoriums (voms) and onto the stage. The mise en

scene for A Christmas Carol is especially effective as it amplifies the audiences’ sense of

community. While the thrust stage is a great asset in creating an amazing production it does

require conscientious collaboration between the actors and the audience. Both of these groups

need to be aware of each other to allow the performance to run smoothly. As an audience member

be sure to keep all of your belongings stowed beneath your seat and to remain in your seat

throughout the performance.

Wall/ Backstage Area

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MAMMA MIA!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. How can music influence the creation of characters, emotions and plot lines needed to make

a story?

2. How does the music of ABBA (the style and the lyrics) impact the story of Donna and Sophie’s

lives and the people around them?

3. What is it about ABBA’s songs that make them suitable for a musical? What themes are

explored through ABBA’s catalogue of work, specifically the songs chosen for Mamma Mia!?

4. ABBA was one of the many groups of musicians that redefined music in the 1970s. What other

groups/musicians were important in the creation of popular music in that era?

5. What are some of your current favourite bands/musicians whose music might make a good

musical? What about their work makes the songs suitable to be used in a musical?

6. How does Donna see her daughter, Sophie, at the beginning of the play? What kind of

relationship do they have?

7. How does she see Sophie at the end of the story?

8. What causes this change in Donna’s view of Sophie? How does this change affect their

relationship?

9. Donna was a young, single mother in the late 1970s/early 1980s, a time when single parenthood wasn’t as socially acceptable as it is today. Her mother disowned her, and Donna chose to start a new life for herself and Sophie in Greece. In what ways do you think Donna was groundbreaking in her life choices? What specific challenges would she have had to

overcome?

10. The definition of a “traditional” family is usually: a father, mother and their children. How

do you define what a family is? What representations of family do we see in this production?

11. Has your definition of a family changed since watching Mamma Mia!?

12. What do you think is the appeal of a big, “white wedding” for Sophie?

13. How does Sophie’s desire to have a big wedding and to find her father shape her choices

throughout the story?

14. How have Sophie’s desires and goals changed by the end of the story?

15. At the end of the story, Sophie still doesn’t know who her biological father is. Were you

surprised by her choice not to find out?

16. How does Donna’s determination to be independent shape her choices throughout her life?

17. How does Donna’s choices/attitude shift by the end of the play? Were you surprised when she

changed her mind about her relationship with Sam?

18. The three men who may be Sophie’s father are all very different from each other. In what ways are they different, and in what ways are they similar? Which of their qualities attracted

Donna’s affections?

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MAMMA MIA!

REFERENCES/FURTHER READING

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamma_Mia! http://www.biography.com/people/benny-andersson-17168238#synopsis http://www.biography.com/people/bj%C3%B6rn-ulvaeus-17188976 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Johnson_(playwright) http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-theater-review-mamma-mia-makes-most-of-themes-2011jun02-story.html http://www.stgpresents.org/images/education/pdf/Mamma-Mia-Study-Guide.pdf

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MAMMA MIA!

CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT

Curriculum Connections:

Participation as an audience member at the Citadel Theatre aligns with the Alberta Education Curriculum. We outline be-

low some (but not limited to) objectives which are developed through the viewing of live theatre:

Drama (Elementary)

Third Goal

To foster an appreciation for drama as an art form

Objectives The child should:

1. develop an awareness of an respect for potential excellence in self and others

2. Develop a capacity to analyze, evaluate and synthesize ideas and experiences

3. Develop an awareness and appreciation of the variety of dramatic forms of expression.

Specific Learner Expectations:

Intellectual—develop and exercise imagination; develop concentration

Emotional—explore emotion; control emotion; express emotion

Social—understand others; discipline self; develop appreciation of the work of self and others; cope with emotional re-

sponses

Integrative—learn to respond to stimuli; e.g., music, pictures, objects, literature; test and reflect on the consequences of

dramatic decisions

Drama (Junior High)

GOAL I

To acquire knowledge of self and others through participation in and reflection on dramatic experience.

Objectives The student will:

• strengthen powers of concentration

• extend the ability to think imaginatively and creatively

• extend the ability to explore, control and express emotions

extend the ability to explore meaning through abstract concepts

develop the ability to offer and accept constructive criticism

develop the ability to offer and accept constructive criticism

GOAL III

To develop an appreciation for drama and theatre as a process and art form.

Objectives The student will:

develop awareness of various conventions of theatre

develop awareness of drama and theatre by viewing as great a variety of theatrical presentations as possible

develop the ability to analyze and assess the process and the art

develop recognition of and respect for excellence in drama and theatre

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MAMMA MIA!

CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT

Drama 10-20-30

GOAL I

To acquire knowledge of self and others through participation in and reflection on dramatic experience.

Objectives

The Student will:

extend the ability to concentrate

extend understanding of, acceptance of and empathy for others

demonstrate respect for others — their rights, ideas, abilities and differences (S)

demonstrate the ability to offer, accept, and reflect upon, constructive criticism.

GOAL II

To develop competency in communication skills through participation in and exploration of various dramatic disciplines.

Objectives

The Student will:

demonstrate understanding of integration of disciplines to enrich a theatrical presentation.

GOAL III

To develop an appreciation of drama and theatre as a process and art form.

Objectives

The student will:

• explore various conventions and traditions of theatre

• broaden knowledge of theatre by viewing as great a variety of theatrical presentations as possible (

• demonstrate the ability to assess critically the process and the art

• demonstrate recognition of and respect for excellence in drama and theatre

• develop an awareness of aesthetics in visual and performing arts.