BrightSide Theatre to Preset MAMMA MIA!

The show will run June 3-19, 2022.

By: Chloe Rabinowitz Apr. 18, 2022

Artistic Director Jeffrey Cass and Executive Director Julie Ann Kornak will present the final show of BrightSide Theatre's 10th Anniversary Season - BrightSide is Back! The twice postponed production closes out the season with the music of ABBA in the musical that has entertained over 60 million people around the globe - Mamma Mia!

Production Details:

Mamma Mia!

Music & Lyrics Benny Andersson & Bjorn Ulvaeus | Book Catherine Johnson

Director Jeffrey Cass

Choreographer Jeni Donahue

Music Director Rex Meyer

June 3-19, 2022

Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm/Saturdays & Sundays at 2 pm

Performing at Meiley-Swallow Hall Theatre at North Central College

31 S. Ellsworth St. in Naperville

Tickets are on sale now at www.brightsidetheatre.com, or by phone at 630-447-TIXS (8497).

$31 for adults/$28 for seniors and students. For Group Ticket pricing for 10+, please call 630-447-8497.

The press performance is Friday, June 3, 2022 @ 8 pm.

PLEASE NOTE: (4/1/22) Due to the recent change in CDC guidelines, BrightSide Theatre will no longer require proof of vaccination, or a negative Covid-19 test. For the safety of our actors who will be unmasked during performances and due to the unique, intimate theatre spaces in which we perform, all visitors must wear a face mask, worn properly over the nose and mouth, for the duration of their time in the theatre. Learn more at BrightSideTheatre.com/brightside-cares.

Prepare to have the time of your life at Mamma Mia! Sophie, a 20-year-old bride-to-be, is on the search for her father. After reading her mother's diary, she discovers there are three potential suitors. Unbeknownst to her mother, Donna, Sophie invites each of them to her wedding, in the hopes of having one of them walk her down the aisle. As the big day draws near, surprises abound with old flames and old friends. Get ready for a big cast, big dance numbers, and a whole lot of laughs through the infectious catchy score of ABBA chart-toppers. Mamma Mia! is packed with 22 ABBA hits, including Dancing Queen, Super Trouper, Take A Chance on Me, and The Winner Takes It All. This worldwide 'guilty pleasure' megahit will have you shouting Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! more!

A collage of people

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A talented ensemble of actors makes up the cast of Mamma Mia!:

Madelyn Allender (Chicago)........................................Ensemble

Stan Austin (Winfield)..................................................Bill

Aurora Boe (Chicago)...................................................Ensemble

Sabrina Bowen (Chicago).............................................Lisa

Kelley Dale (Lombard)..................................................Donna

Angel Diaz (Joliet)..........................................................Ensemble

Thomas Ferro (Chicago)...............................................Ensemble

Beck Hokanson (Chicago).............................................Eddie

Noelle Jay (Arlington Heights).....................................Sophie

Julie Ann Kornak (Naperville)......................................Tanya

Max Martin (Chicago/Formerly of Naperville)..........Sky

Robert McDonough (Chicago).....................................Ensemble

James Mueller (Chicago)..............................................Pepper

Paul Mullen (Naperville)...............................................Harry

Sarah Obert (Chicago)...................................................Ensemble

Maureen O'Hara (Geneva)...........................................Ensemble

Ben Paynic (Downers Grove)........................................Ensemble

Joey Prette (Chicago).....................................................Ensemble

Christine Ronna (Wilmington)......................................Rosie

Dennis Schnell (Oak Park)..............................................Sam

Gabriella Smurawa (Chicago)........................................Ensemble

Matt Whalen (Woodridge)............................................understudy Sam, Bill, & Harry

Emma Widlowski (Park Ridge)......................................Ali

About the Creative Team:

Benny Andersson (MUSIC & LYRICS) Born 16 December 1946 in Stockholm.
1952 Received accordion lessons from his father and grandfather.
1964-68 Member of the Hep Stars, Sweden's most popular rock band in the 1960's. During this time, he began composing music. "Sunny Girl" and "Wedding" were huge hits for the Hep Stars.
1972 - 82 ABBA.

1982 - 84 Composed the music (together with Björn Ulvaeus and Tim Rice) for the musical, Chess.

1987 Began collaborating with Orsa Spelmän. Recorded three albums deeply rooted in Swedish folk music: Klinga Mina Klockor, November 1989 and Fiolen Min. In 2001, this collaboration led to the formation of Benny Andersson's Orchestra, a 16-man constellation with vocalists, Helen Sjöholm and Tommy Körberg. Thus far, this has resulted in seven CD albums and several summer tours.

1990 - 95 Composed the music to Kristina from Duvemåla. Premiered in October 1995.
1995 Received the title of professor from the Swedish government.
Inducted to in the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 2007.

Appointed Honorary Doctor of the College of Humanities at Stockholm University in 2008.

Benny Andersson is married to former TV producer, Mona Nörklit. They have one child, Ludvig Andersson. Benny Andersson also has two children from a previous marriage, Peter Grönvall and Helene Odedal. He has five grandchildren: Charlie, Felix, Fabian, Malin and Viola.

BJÖRN ULVAEUS (MUSIC AND LYRICS)

Björn Kristian Ulvaeus was born in Gothenburg on April 25, 1945. When he was six years old the family moved to the small town of Västervik, and this is where Björn grew up.

In the mid-Fifties Björn fell in love with rock'n'roll and skiffle. By the early Sixties he was a member of a folk group called the West Bay Singers. In 1963 they entered a talent contest arranged by Swedish radio. This led to discovery by songwriter and publisher Stig Anderson and his partner, Bengt Bernhag. Stig and Bengt had recently started a record company called Polar Music. The band acquired a new name, the Hootenanny Singers, and quickly became one of Sweden's most popular groups of the Sixties.

In 1966, Björn had a chance meeting with Benny Andersson, himself a member of Swedens number one pop group, The Hep Stars. They hit it off and wrote their first song together, 'Isn't It Easy To Say'.

Björn recorded a couple of solo singles in the late Sixties, at which point he also started concentrating more on his collaboration with Benny Andersson. In 1970 the pair started releasing records as a duo and also staged a cabaret show together with their fiancées, Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. On July 6, 1971, Björn and Agnetha got married.

From 1972 and a decade onwards Björn was occupied by his work with ABBA. In 1983 Björn and Benny started writing the musical Chess with lyricist Tim Rice. A concept album was released in the autumn of 1984, and in May 1986 the musical opened in London's West End. In 1988 Chess received its Broadway première. A reworked version of the musical opened in Stockholm, Sweden in 2002.

By 1990, Björn and Benny had decided to write a new musical. This time they wanted to write exclusively in Swedish, and they chose the Emigrants novel series by author Vilhelm Moberg as basis for their work. The musical Kristina från Duvemåla (Kristina From Duvemåla) opened in October 1995. The show ran for three and a half years at various theatres in the Swedish cities of Malmö, Gothenburg and Stockholm. Björn and Benny's most recent musical is Hjälp sökes (Help Wanted), a collaboration with playwright Kristina Lugn and Kristina director Lars Rudolfsson. Björn writes many of the lyrics for the Benny Andersson Orchestra, and has involved himself in the stagings of MAMMA MIA!, as well as the 2008 movie version. Björn is one of the producers for MAMMA MIA! The Party, which opened in Stockholm in January 2016.

Catherine Johnson (BOOK)

Theatre: Rag Doll, Renegades, Suspension (Bristol Old Vic), Too Much Too Young (Bristol Old Vic and London Bubble), Boys Mean Business, Dead Sheep, Little Baby Nothing (Bush Theatre, London), Shang-a-Lang (Bush Theatre and national tour) and MAMMA MIA! (worldwide). Through the Wire, a musical for NT/Shell Connections.Television: Casualty, Byker Grove, Love Hurts, Gold, Linda Green. Original screenplays - Rag Doll and Where's Willy? (HTV) and Sin Bin (BBC), series Love in the 21st Century (Channel 4), Dappers (BBC3).

Awards: Catherine has won the Bristol Old Vic/HTV Playwrighting Award, Thames Television's Writer-in-Residence Award and Thames Television's Best Play Award and was nominated in 2002 for a Tony Award for Best Musical Book for MAMMA MIA! Film: Catherine has written the screenplay for the MAMMA MIA! movie released July 2008.

Jeffrey Cass

(Artistic Director/Director) a Joseph Jefferson Award Nominee has successfully directed over 20 Productions for BrightSide Theatre, most recently Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play and most recently played Edna in BST's production of Hairspray. He holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theater Performance from Roosevelt University. He previously served as the Producing Director for Circle Theatre where he directed 8 Productions including The Who's Tommy (6 Joseph Jefferson Nominations including Best Musical and Best Director).

JENI DONAHUE

(Choreographer) is a professional choreographer from Chicago who earned her BFA in Dance and Vocal performance from Columbia College. Jeni has been dancing since age 6 and choreographing professionally for over 30 years. She has worked with all age levels and abilities and has been heavily involved in every aspect of dance including Musical Theatre, Pom squads, dance troupes, color guard & show choir. Jeni is sought after as a clinician, adjudicator and guest speaker at competitions and events throughout the United States. She is currently on staff with High Schools, Universities, and various Theatre companies all over the U.S. Jeni was honored to choreograph the Illinois All State productions of Ragtime, Urinetown & Into the Woods and has also directed productions of Rocky Horror & American Idiot. She is the proud mom of 2 boys, Benjamin and Noah, who have followed in her footsteps of pursuing a degree and careers in the Arts.

REX MEYER

(Music Director/pianist) holds a Bachelor's in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music. Rex joined BrightSide with their 2019 production of A Christmas Carol. He is both excited and thankful to return to musical theatre after a long shutdown. In addition to working with over 50 musical theatre productions in the area as a music director or musician, he is a former member of the Classical Symphony Orchestra, Oak Park & River Forest Symphony and the Wheaton Symphony.