When it was announced that the Dover-Sherborn High School Spring Musical would be Mamma Mia this year, few were more excited than Dover resident Laura Villalobos. Four years ago, Villalobos’ daughter, Marisol Saenz, was a sophomore at DSHS and played the leading role of Donna in Mamma Mia at the time. They both worked together on the hundreds of costumes needed for the show.
“We decided to make the ‘Abba jumpsuits’ that the leads wear for the grand finale. They are an iconic part of the show, and even though they are worn only for a few minutes, we wanted to create them instead of renting them,” said Villalobos. The mother/daughter team made one for each actor, totaling twelve very bright and embellished 70’s suits for the double-casted leads. These were just a few of the hundreds of costumes that the duo made and sourced for the show.
When the school shut down due to the pandemic just days before the show was to go live in front of an audience, Villalobos and Saenz made the decision to keep all the costumes—over 500 pieces of clothing—in their dining room, with the thought that school would be back in session in a couple of weeks and that the show would go on. After a month, they moved the vast wardrobe to their basement. “After six months had gone by, we finally made the sad decision to pack everything up and put the 500 costume pieces in the attic,” Villalobos recounts.
Now, four years later, Mamma Mia is back on the stage in Mudge Auditorium rehearsing for the upcoming performances in mid-March. Villalobos’ daughter, Marisol, has moved on to college and is a sophomore at Rice University. However, as luck would have it, her youngest daughter, Lucia Saenz, is a freshman at DSHS and is now a member of the Mamma Mia cast in the comedic role of Rosie Mulligan, Donna’s free-spirited friend and a former member of the Dynamos. Villalobos is dusting off the 500-piece wardrobe and is happy to have saved it over all these years. She exclaims, “We are using most of the costumes, changing and adjusting many so they fit the new actresses and actors. We are also working with Sheridan Miller from the Dover Foundation, using costumes from their vault for scenes such as the wedding ceremony.”
The costumes for the show are vibrant and fun, adding a lot of sparkle and pizzazz to the lively dance numbers. While a Greek isle wardrobe may sound relaxing to many, it is no walk in the park for some.
Kelli Kamphaus, a senior at DSHS, is cast as the wild, fun-loving, flirtatious Tanya. The nature of her character requires her to wear 4” high stilettos in the first act and 4” high wedges in the second act, with go-go boots making an occasional appearance throughout. For the past two months of rehearsals, Kamphaus has been wearing the high heels to get her feet accustomed to them and to learn how to walk and dance in them, all while making it look “natural.”
In one song and dance number, Kamphaus is front and center, leading the line. She is required to get into position quickly at the right time and place, with the cast following her lead. This is one of the more challenging parts of the entire production for her. “I am trying really hard to remain upright in this song,” Kamphaus says. “I am taking giant steps, traveling fast and far, and trying not to trip over myself, all while singing, dancing, and trying to look natural.”
The boys have their own challenge—a song number where they have to wear Lycra wetsuits and do an entire dance wearing large flippers. When asked about dancing with flippers, Alex Chen, a senior in the role of Pepper, clearly states, “It’s pretty tough! They are a bit of a struggle to move around in, both onstage and off, so personally, I find myself waddling a lot when I have them on. It’s definitely a new experience to be wearing flippers in a drama production though—the costume committee never fails to surprise me!”
Chen has another unique challenge in that he doesn’t attend DS High School and has to drive an hour to get to rehearsals after school. As a Sherborn resident, he has been doing Dover-Sherborn drama since 6th grade. However, he ended up attending the Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science in Worcester in his junior year, which made it difficult to continue participating during the school year. His senior year schedule was more accommodating, though. “I thought I’d give it a try!” Chen said. “The DS drama community is so supportive and exciting that I wouldn’t let something as small as an hour-long drive keep me away from it.”
Scott Walker, the DSHS Director, describes Mamma Mia as “a party from beginning to end. It is flashy and fun with great music, lots of incredible dancing, and really heartfelt moments about the importance of family.”
Put on your platform shoes, get ready to release your inner Dancing Queen, and come see the ultimate feel-good show, Mamma Mia, at Mudge Auditorium! A large cast, non-stop laughs, and explosive dance numbers combine to make Mamma Mia a must-see! In addition, there will be an Art Exhibit from the Dover-Sherborn Middle and High School Fine Arts' Students in the cafeteria for viewing before the show and during intermission.
Show dates are tonight, Thursday, March 14th, at 6:30 pm, Friday, March 15th, at 7:00 pm, a Saturday matinee on March 16th at 1:00 pm, and an evening performance at 7:00 pm. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.ticketstage.com or at the door.
