112 hours. It is truly remarkable how much can happen in that amount of time. You may be thinking, what is significant about specifically 112 hours? That is the amount of time it took to create our production of Mamma Mia! Living through it, it feels like a lifetime since January 29, the night of our first table read. However, in the grand scheme of things, that is such a short amount of time for a show. On average, productions take 4-6 months to create. Between stage blocking, set design, tech set up, singing, and choreography, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication just to get it done in that time frame. We did it in just under 3 months, and with rehearsal time, the hours correlate to a little over 4.5 days.
For the actors, between remembering lines, lyrics for 26 songs, choreography, props, and scene blocking, while still making the performance seem effortless is no easy feat. For the tech crew, the challenge was remembering queues, keeping track of the 10 scene changes we had, and handling any issues that would arise at any given moment. For everybody involved, performing Mamma Mia! is a 2 and a half hour long marathon.
Now imagine doing that 4 times in 3 days. To say the weekend of the show was exhausting would be the understatement of the century. However, we managed to put on a highly successful show. There were good crowds every show, even when we had our expectations low, and everybody seemed to love it. We even exceeded people’s standards, including our own. The hard work, late nights, and stress paid off. We created magic.
Despite a good public showing, that wasn’t even the best part of it. It was the memories we made along the way. In my opinion, the beauty of theater is how it brings people together. Throughout rehearsals, naturally people grow close due to spending a lot of time together, but we became a family. We showed up for each other through support, endless amounts of hugs and words about how much we love one another, and just generally lifting each other up. This rehearsal process was very tough just based on how much work had to be put in, both physically and mentally, and I think everybody involved would agree that we got each other through it. Theater is a place where connections are made, and people are brought together to create art, and that is a truly beautiful thing.
Additionally, the energy created between all of us is unmatched. From before the shows, when we were all hyping each other up, to the end when it’s an overwhelming sense of joy and accomplishment that we did the show, and we did it well. Anyone who went to the shows knows that we would be jumping around on stage hugging each other and screaming for at least 5 minutes before doing anything else. That’s one of the many testaments to how close we truly are, and how we are more like family than anything else.
In the weeks leading up to the show, and actual show weekend, we were at the high school auditorium more than our own homes, and saw each other way more than we saw our actual families. Spending that much time together, naturally one would assume we would get tired of seeing each other. Personally, there were definitely moments where I wanted to be alone and at home, but most times, the second I would get home, I would find myself missing everybody. It’s especially hard after shows, going from seeing the same people every day, to getting back into day to day life. As we all say, the “theater blues” are very real.
In conclusion, Mamma Mia! was a show that will go down in Hawthorne High School history because of how big the show was, and how much it took to put on. However, the memories we made along the way, and the community that was created through the production is the thing that I have the most pride in being a part of. I walked out of the auditorium on the final day of the show knowing that I made lifetime friends, and made connections with people that would always have my back, and I would always have theirs. Hopefully after reading this, you will understand the importance of 112 hours, I know I will never forget them.