Mamma Mia: Murray Bridge's players and singers return with an ABBA musical

This sponsored post is brought to you by Murray Bridge Players and Singers.

Here we go again.

Tickets have gone on sale for Murray Bridge Players and Singers’ first show in two years.

Mamma Mia tells the story of Donna, a hotelier preparing for her daughter’s wedding with two old friends; and her daughter Sophie, who secretly invites three men from her mother’s past in the hopes of having one of them – whichever is her real father – walk her down the aisle.

At the helm as directors will be Robyn Bates and Trent Baker, two thirds of the team behind the local production of Chicago in 2017.

The mother-daughter story had a certain resonance for Bates – she took a week off after auditions to give birth to a daughter, Lauren, who has accompanied her to every rehearsal since.

But she said it had been the third member of the Chicago trio, Mari Reu, who had urged her to put on the ABBA musical.

Reu had wanted to be in Mamma Mia and Bates had wanted to be in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, so the friends put in submissions to stage both shows this year.

Leading the cast of 36 will be Eboni Parst as Donna and Breigh Angove as Sophie, her daughter.

The mother’s friends will be Reu and Cathy Miegel, in her MBPS debut; the three dads will be played by Noel Kneebone, Steve Mattner and a familiar face to many, Dr Martin Altmann; and Alex Pfeiffer will also feature after injury prevented him from playing football this season.

Behind the scenes, company stalwart Peta Davis will be the musical director, while newcomers Abby McIntosh will choreograph and Cathy Schiller and Olivia Grinter will lead the costume team.

Players and Singers usually tried something new with each of their productions, and this one would be no exception, Bates said.

One of the performances – a matinee on May 16 – will also be a sing-along show, with audience members encouraged to join in during the musical numbers.

“Everyone knows ABBA and they sing along anyway, but we’ll bring the lights up and have some ensemble songs you can sing along with,” she said.

Evening performances will be staged at Murray Bridge Town Hall on Fridays and Saturdays from May 7-22, and there will be matinees on May 9, 15, 16 and 22.

Ticket holders will be given a face mask for all performances except the sing-along matinee, and entry into a door prize draw.

The director said everyone should come and see the show, even if they didn’t like ABBA.

“It’s a community-based theatre group showing off our community’s talent,” she said.

“And they’re doing such a great job.

“I’m so proud of them.”

• Tickets: $30/25 at mbplayersandsingers.com.au/book-tickets or Ray White Murray Bridge, 42 Bridge Street.