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Carolina Forest High School is bringing the blockbuster hit musical Mamma Mia! to its stage March 12-16 and will feature a nostalgic cameo on opening night.

Director Jen Davis welcomes family and friends of all ages to experience the grand spectacle, and is excited for the community to enjoy the hard work poured into the production. Her direction of the musical emphasizes themes of self-discovery, while being saturated with humor and explosive energy throughout more than 25 ABBA numbers among a gorgeous turntable set created by CFHS theater workshop students.

鈥淭hey sound good, look amazing and on a very short rehearsal schedule they have managed to make magic happen,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淸The students] really have created a beautiful set for this show. I鈥檓 in awe of their skills.鈥�

The opportunity for a final curtain call slipped through the fingers of CFHS junior and senior thespians from five years ago. CFHS鈥檚 2020 cast of Mamma Mia! faced devastating circumstances when, just days before opening night, production ceased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

鈥淭hat was heartbreaking, honestly. There was so much hard work put into the show. All of the people in the cast, we were like family. We spent every single day together, hours on end. So not being able to see our hard work come to fruition was really difficult,鈥� 2020 cast member Ariana Giannuzzi said of the experience.

Only on opening night, March 12, about 15 members from the 2020 production will jump up from the audience and accompany the current cast in the finale song, 鈥淲aterloo,鈥� to pay homage to the 2020 cast and give them their final round of applause. Giannuzzi is currently a senior at Anderson University, pursuing a degree in business marketing, and is excited to return and reconnect with peers she lost touch with after graduation.

鈥淚t鈥檒l be so sweet to get to see everybody and reconnect and have a fun time together on stage doing what we love together,鈥� Gianuzzi said.

Choreographer Erika Pike hosted two rehearsals with the returning cast for placement purposes and said since most alumni were also members of the show choir, incorporating them will be smooth.

A live orchestra will accompany the production and Pike said this brings a vibrancy not found with recorded tracks.

鈥淚t is amazing that these kids get to work with a live orchestra. It really is so different, the energy changes, I can ask the orchestra, 鈥楬ey can you hit that a little bit harder鈥� because [the performer] hits a move and you just don鈥檛 get that from recorded music,鈥� Pike said.

Another full circle moment on stage is lead character Donna, portrayed by Bella Gross. Gross鈥檚 mother, Kelly Rainford Gross, portrayed Tonya in the West End production of Mamma Mia! in London. Pike said the pressure is on knowing such an accredited performer will be in the audience, but is confident the students will exceed expectations.

When all is said and done, play organizers hope this tribute number will provide closure, celebrate resilience and unite the community from past and present. Tickets are available on the CFHS performing arts鈥� website and performances will be March 12-15 at 7 p.m., with an additional 3 p.m. performance on Saturday, March 15. Sunday鈥檚 3 p.m. performance is sold out.