Sooner Theatre presentation of 'Mamma Mia!' runs through next weekend

Oct. 17—Fans of ABBA and musical theater can visit the Sooner Theatre this month and check out the production of a popular Broadway musical.

The talent, staff and crew at Sooner Theatre on Main Street has spent the last eight weeks preparing for their presentation of "Mamma Mia!," a musical inspired by the works of the Swedish pop group.

The story follows a bride-to-be on a Greek island as she devises a plan to discover the identity of her father before her marriage and brings three men from her mother's past back to the island, according to Internet Movie Database.

The theater debuted the musical this weekend, and three more performances are scheduled this upcoming weekend.

The musical weaves ABBA hits together to tell the story, Sooner Theatre director Nancy Coggins said. Larnan said between the recognizable music and the empowering story, audience members are in for a treat. Justin Larnan, director for "Mamma Mia!," said the show's high energy is fueled by its music.

Coggins said an important part of taking a successful film and turning it into a musical is keeping it engaging and entertaining for the audience.

She said the film is lighthearted and funny, which makes for an enjoyable live theatre experience.

"There's some poignant moments, but not a lot of sadness," Coggins said. "ABBA was such a super band, and I know there are people who have grown up listening to their hits like 'Dancing Queen' and 'Super Trouper.'"

"If you feel the need to get up and dance, we probably won't stop you," she said.

Larnan, who choreographed and directed ELF at Sooner Theatre in 2019, said wearing masks when rehearsing can present a challenge because much of one's face is covered. All of the staff, talent and crew at Sooner Theatre practice roles with a mask to ensure the safety of everyone involved, Larnan said.

"We are actually wearing clear masks for the show, so the audience doesn't tend to notice that too much, but it's for the safety of our actors," Lanan said.

Vaccinated or not, Coggins said they request audience members bring a mask with them.

Coggins said many will recognize people from around Norman who are a part of the production.

"We've got doctors, community volunteers, business owners, artists, chefs and students involved in this, so it makes a really great cross section of a community," Coggins said. "Although all these people are talented at what they chose to pursue, they are incredibly skilled performers, and it's fun to see them in a different light than you see every day."

Coggins said she hopes the production serves as a contrast to the challenging events of the last year and a half.

"I think it's a nice reprieve from what we've all been dealing with, whether that's the pandemic, hailstones or something else," Coggins said.

Upcoming performances are at 8 p.m. Oct. 22, 8 p.m. Oct. 23 and 2 p.m. Oct. 24. For tickets, visit soonertheatre.org/tickets.

Jeff Elkins covers business, living and community stories for The Transcript. Reach him at jelkins@normantranscript.com or at @JeffElkins12 on Twitter.