The Kelowna Actors Studio expects to break box office records this summer with its local production of the global hit musical Mama Mia!

“The exciting thing is that the Kelowna Community Theatre is 60 years old and we are the longest running three-week show in history,” said Randy Leslie, director of the Kelowna production.

Mama Mia! transports the audience to the fictional Greek island of Kalokari as preparations are made for a wedding. The Okanagan production stars musician and actress Anna Jacyszyn in the lead role of Donna Sheridan.

In the musical, Donna’s daughter Sophie, played by Joanne Ryan, gets her hands on her mother’s diaries from the year she was pregnant and quickly devises a plan to find out who her father is so he can walk her down the aisle, all set to ABBA’s greatest hits.

“(Donna has) possibly three baby daddies, and it’s the eve of (Donna’s) daughter’s wedding and unbeknownst to me she invited all three of them to the island,” Jacyszyn said.

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In her overalls, Jacyszyn proves that she can do anything: she sings, dances, acts and dominates the stage.

“I love her and I love the songs and they’re so fun,” Jacyszyn said. “I love the fact that I get to sing in different ways.”

The cast has spent at least 80 hours a week for the past five weeks learning the choreography, under the guidance of choreographer Gracelynn Sali, to bring to life one of the most anticipated shows of the summer in the Okanagan.

“Everyone expects something, because it’s ABBA and it’s Mama Mia! “and people come with expectations,” Sali said.

“I tried to combine what people expect with a new twist to make it exciting for people.”

The public is invited to join the cast of the Okanagan production of Mama Mia! at the Kelowna Community Theatre from August 1-17. Ticket information is available at www.theatre.kelowna.ca

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