Freeport Area High School expanded its musical theater program, adding a fall musical.

A cast and stage crew of almost 60 students from grades 9 through 12 will showcase “Mamma Mia” on Nov. 16 and 17, with three performances at the Freeport Middle School Auditorium.

Freeport Musical Director Tom Koharchik said eliminating the previous fall play tradition last year and replacing it with a musical selection made sense.

“First of all, students have more opportunities to get involved with a musical, because it requires a significantly larger number of ensemble members than a play and and it provides an experience the students really seem to enjoy. More people in our community seem interested in coming to a musical than a play,” Koharchik said.

Last year’s inaugural fall musical, “Into The Woods,” sold out quickly and Koharchik said previous plays never packed the theater.

“In the past, it was hard to get a full audience for even two performances of the straight plays,” he said.

“Mamma Mia,” the global smash hit, is set on a sun-drenched Greek island during the 1990’s, introducing the audience to Donna, a single mother, and her bride-to-be daughter, Sophie, who seeks paternity answers from three men from her mom’s past.

Sophie turns investigator, trying to solve her “Who’s your daddy?” dilemma while Donna, the former lead singer of a 1970’s pop group called Donna and the Dynamos, is mum on revealing paternity details.

“We decided to do ‘Mamma Mia’ because of its popularity, the musical style, which contrasts from our upcoming spring musical ‘42nd Street,’ and the cast size,” Koharchik said.

“Mamma Mia” features hit songs from Swedish pop band ABBA such as “Dancing Queen” and “Take A Chance on Me.”

Lead roles include: Halle Sturgil as Donna Sheridan, Maddie Beer as Sophie Sheridan, Colton Mell as Sam Carmichael, Jonathan Mago as Harry Bright and Adam Harris as Bill Austin.

“The audience can expect songs they love from ABBA and an amazing story from a talented cast and crew, “ said cast member Halle Sturgil, a senior.

Jonathan Mago wasn’t expecting to land a lead role and said the challenges have been “fun.”

“Playing a lead role for the first time as Harry I’m having to attend a lot more rehearsals, memorize lots of lines and I finally get to showcase my talents, so that’s good for me,” Mago said.

Maddie Beer returns to the stage as Sophie, a 20 year old bride-to-be with wishes that her real father walk her down the aisle at her wedding.

“A fun fact about my character Sophie is I don’t know who my dad is in the show. There are three possible dads from information I get from reading my mom’s diaries,” Beer said.

The show contains some adult content and is suitable for a PG-13 audience.

Colton Mell said he is “loving” his role this year and stepping outside of his comfort zone.

“My character is a cocky, rich and arrogant architect, and I grow as a character and, for my acting, this is the hardest because it’s someone that’s not like me at all. I am more boisterous and my character is mellow,” Mell said.

Student feedback on the addition of another musical has been positive.

“Here at Freeport we are fortunate to have two musicals in a school year. This kind of art form being brought so thoroughly to Freeport is important,” Sturgil said. “We don’t have a live pit orchestra for our fall musical but, other than that, everything else feels the same.”