Narrows Community Theater Brings the Music of Abba to Bay Ridge

It was another triumphant production for the Narrows Community Theater (NCT). There was no need to send out an “SOS.” “Fernando” may have been missing, but almost every other Abba hit was performed in the new production of the hit play and musical “Mamma Mia,” at the Fort Hamilton Army Base Theater.

The play is another success story for the Bay Ridge theater group whose past triumphs include “Into the Woods,” “The Pirates of Penzance,” “It’s a Wonderful Life” and most recently “School of Rock.”

Marla Gotay, president of the NCT, served as a producer of the play along with Steve Jacobs. She thanked all the members of her group including director and choreographer Chaz Wolcott, musical director and conductor Carter Lesky, assistant director and choreographer Trent Soyster and Fort Hamilton Army Base Commanding Officer Col. Andrew Zieseniss.

The music and lyrics of the play were written and composed by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of the group Abba and based on a book by Catherine Johnson.

The female leads especially shone. Michaela Marymor played Sophie, the young bride who finds her mother’s diary and secretly invites three men from her mother’s past in hopes of meeting her real father and having him escort her down the aisle on her wedding day. The part was played by Amanda Seyfried in the 2008 movie version.

Luisa Boyaggi was exceptional in her role as Sophie’s mother Donna, which was performed by Meryl Streep in the film. She opened and closed the play with a stunning performance of the Abba ballad “I Have a Dream.”

Sophie and Sam (played by Patrick Nash) received the biggest applause for their performance of “The Winner Takes All,” a top-10 hit for Abba in 2008.

A highlight of the performance was a medley of Abba hits including “Mamma Mia,” “Dancing Queen” and “Waterloo” performed by the entire cast at the end of the show that had audience members out of their seats and dancing along with the performers in the aisle.

The NCT is a non-profit organization that was started in 1975 and offers individuals the opportunity to learn stagecraft, musical theater performance, acting technique and dance.

Gotay said that upcoming NCT productions include the comedy “Lend Me a Tenor” at St. Patrick Catholic Academy Theater in early 2019 and the musical “On the Town” at the Fort Hamilton Army Base Theater in spring 2019.

“When all is Said and Done,” another winning production from the Narrows Community Theater.