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Casting Announced for Mamma Mia

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The Charlottetown Festival: Complete Casting Announced for Mamma Mia!

Co-production between Charlottetown and The Grand Theatre has begun rehearsals in London, ON

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The Charlottetown Festival returns to an idyllic Greek island for Mamma Mia! this summer, and rehearsals are underway for the first leg of the show’s co-production with The Grand Theatre.

The blockbuster musical plays in London, Ontario from April 23 to May 18 and then The Charlottetown Festival company makes its homecoming to “the other island paradise” to begin work on Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™ and Kronborg—The Hamlet Rock Musical.

Mamma Mia! will play in Charlottetown from August 9 to September 28. Artistic Director of Confederation Centre of the Arts, Adam Brazier is directing the ABBA-driven phenomenon, and has announced complete casting. This week marks 20 years since the world-wide smash hit first premiered in London’s West End.

As previously revealed, the production stars Katie Kerr, as bride-to-be ‘Sophie’ and Rebecca Poff as her single-mother ‘Donna’. Aaron Hastelow plays Sophie’s beau, ‘Sky’, while her two best friends ’Ali’ and ‘Lisa’ are anchored by Hailey Lewis and Kim Truong.

Sophie is to be married but wants to first find her father so he can walk her down the aisle. She invites three possible men from Donna’s past to the wedding—Cam MacDuffee (the Festival’s On the Road with Dutch Mason) as ‘Harry’; Stephen Guy-McGrath (Million Dollar Quartet) as ‘Bill’, and Festival newcomer, Michael Torontow as ‘Sam’.

Rounding out the principal cast are Festival favourites Nicole Dawn Brook (Bittergirl—The Musical) and Susan Henley (Anne™) as the Super Troupers, ‘Rosie’ and ‘Tanya’; as well as Connor Lucasand Anthony MacPherson as party boys, ‘Eddie’ and ‘Pepper’. See complete casting in addendum.

Mamma Mia! is sponsored by Tim Hortons and plays the Homburg Theatre at Confederation Centre of the Arts. Musical direction is from Craig Fair, choreography by Lisa Stevens, set and costumes by Cory Sincennes, lighting design from Renée Brode, and sound design from Peter McBoyle.

Confederation Centre wishes to acknowledge the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Government of P.E.I., and the City of Charlottetown for their continued support.

PEI Professional Theatre Network

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PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse
News Flash

Casting Announced for 2019 Charlottetown Festival

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Select Casting Announced for Mamma Mia! and Kronborg—The Hamlet Rock Musical

The 2019 Charlottetown Festival launching 50% off sale, November 17 to December 1

Artistic Director Adam Brazier, on behalf of Confederation Centre of the Arts, has announced select casting for The 2019 Charlottetown Festival. Sponsored by CIBC, the Festival includes six productions and runs June 28 to September 28.

Rebecca Poff and Katie Kerr will star as mother and daughter Donna and Sophie in Mamma Mia!, a co-production with the Grand Theatre in London, playing in the Homburg Theatre August 9 to September 27. Poff turned heads in the Festival’s  2018 concert performance of The House of Martin Guerre and also appeared in Jesus Christ Superstar and Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™. A native of Sudbury, Ontario, Poff has performed throughout the continent, including in the Canadian National Tour of The Phantom of the Opera and the U.S. National/Broadway tours of Show Boat.

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Kerr returns to the Greek Islands of Mamma Mia!, having previously starred as Sophie in the blockbuster 2016 production in Charlottetown, as well as with two other theatres. Kerr’s other credits consist of multiple roles in Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™, including the title role from 2013-14, and in the world premiere of Evangeline. “Sophie is really the driving force in Mamma Mia!” says Brazier, who will once again direct the musical. “It’s no wonder Katie has since played the role across Canada; she is a tour de force as Sophi

The Festival’s new production of Kronborg—The Hamlet Rock Musical runs June 28 until July 20 in the Homburg Theatre. Directed by the Festival’s associate artistic, Mary Francis Moore, the powerhouse rock musical is an electric experience, following Hamlet’s quest for vengeance upon his uncle Claudius for killing his father. Aaron Hastelow stars as Hamlet and will also appear in Mamma Mia! as Sophie’s beau, Skye. 

Brazier is pleased to welcome back Festival favourite Cameron MacDuffee opposite Hastelow as Claudius, King of Denmark. MacDuffee recently appeared as a scene-stealing King Herod in the Festival’s Jesus Christ Superstar, and has performed across Canada, including four seasons at Shaw Festival. His Charlottetown highlights include turns in Evangeline, Ring of Fire, and On the Road with Dutch Mason. He will also reprise his role as Harry in Mamma Mia! at the 2019 Festival.

Making her mainstage debut in Kronborg—The Hamlet Rock Musical will be Kimberly Truong as Ophelia. Truong hails from Prince Rupert, B.C. and was previously part of the Confederation Centre Young Company in Les Feux Follets. She has appeared in productions of Les Misérables, West Side Story, and A Chorus Line. Last year, she made her Broadway debut in the celebrated revival of Miss Saigon. “It is thrilling to have Kimberly back at The Charlottetown Festival,“ remarks Brazier. ”She has an extraordinary voice and an undeniable presence onstage.”

The other big news is that the Festival is once again offering a ‘50% Off Sale’ ticket sale for the 2019 Festival. This sale is a favourite for Islanders searching for tickets every summer and is on sale for a limited time only. From November 17 to December 1 these can be purchased at the Centre box office, online, or by phone at 1 (902) 566-1267 or 1 (800) 565-0278. This sale is available for Founders’ Circle members as of November 16.

Additional casting, including a new leading star for Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™ and a new Gilbert, will be announced in the months ahead.