The big-screen release of musical romantic comedy “Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again” is creating plenty of buzz this weekend and this year’s Bridgeport High School senior class showcase is also expected to stir up plenty of excitement.

 

The Senior Class of 2019 Play, “Mamma Mia,” will take the BHS stage Oct. 25-28, 2018 and auditions will take place after the start of the new school year.

 

“We’re still in the very early stages. We just contacted the publisher and got our license quote,” said Jared St. Martin Brown. “We spent a couple months talking it over and weighing it against a couple of other choices, but (staff members of BHS Theatre) had a meeting about a week ago and decided we were on board with this.”

 

Brown said he and his coworkers, including BHS Thespian Troupe Show Director Trina Byard, Musical Director Josh Stubbs and Tech Director Troy Snyder, have been dabbling with the idea of doing “Mamma Mia” since this past spring when they heard that in addition to professional theater, the show would be released for community and high school theater groups.  

 

“It was in April or May that we heard it was becoming available and we were very interested. It’s a very popular show and a fun show and one that we and many other high schools have been waiting sometime for it to be available to the public.”

 

The original movie of the same name, as well as the 10-year reprise which hits theaters this weekend, “Mamma Mia” stars Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried and features the tunes of Swedish pop group “ABBA.”

 

“There are a lot of parts and our tradition is to try to cast every senior who auditions,” Brown said. “The play can’t be done with less than 20, but I think we can use as many as 40 or 50, depending on the size of the ensemble, so that’s what we’re shooting for.”

 

Auditions will be held within the first couple weeks of the new school year, which starts for students Aug. 15.

 

The show will run Oct. 25, 26, 27 and 28.

 

Editor's Note: Pictured is St. Martin Brown and wife Albani.