BHS Production of MAMMA MIA Features a Professional Set

The Batavia High School Theatre Department will present MAMMA MIA November 7-9, and the audience will be in for a very special treat. The real star of this Production is the massive and stunning professional set that arrived at the Batavia Fine Arts Theatre after it traveled across the country.

Director Dominc Cattero was asked why a professional set will be used for this show instead of the traditional set built by students and parents. He said “Each show we do our best to try and create new and different opportunities for student cast and crew, and we have never been able to give them the experience of what it would really be like if you were out on the road with a show going from city to city, and this time we are able to do that. We rented a professional set, fully built, designed elsewhere, that came in on a 54 foot Semi-Truck. It was unloaded and assembled in less than 2 days. It’s an exciting process for the students to understand and realize what happens in a different level of theater.” On delivery day when the truck arrived, it was opened to reveal all the set pieces, backdrops and artifacts, and the crew got to experience something totally new and different from what they were used to. Using forklifts and tow trucks created an excitement in the air, which was just the beginning to creating the magic on stage.
“It’s unbelievably stunning” said Cattero. “It is a very polished and finished set with full portals and multiple pieces, very detailed and artistically painted. “
When asked what makes a production of this scale successful, he said “A show like this happens because of lots of people who care; the Administrators of the School District who have shown that they care about the Arts, the parents who take time off work to build the set, volunteer before and during the show. It’s the students who take such pride in all they do. It’s the theatre support group that really funded this endeavor of the set that we have. It’s a passion of so many people jumping on board and saying YES, we are going to do it and go all the way with it. I can’t do my job without all the supporters saying YES along the way, those are the people that make the show.”
“When the overture starts, and the set starts to become exposed, I really think the audience is going to gasp and be stunned. It is a huge set, and it will transform the audience and take them to another place in another time.” said Cattero.
The rental of this set has been secured in part by the funds raised by the theatre parent support group – STAGE, which stands for Supporting Theatre Arts for a Greater Education. For more information on the organization, to donate or become a patron, go to www.bataviastage.org.

Tickets for MAMMA MIA are still available but going fast. Performances are Thursday, November 7th, Friday November 8th and Saturday November 9th at 7:30 pm at the Batavia Fine Arts Centre. Secure your tickets by visiting the website at www.BataviaFineArtsCentre.org or at the box office by calling 630-937-8930.