Gateway theater camp builds on ‘Mamma Mia’ momentum

If sports teams can build on momentum, performing arts programs can do so, too.

On the heels of a hugely successful spring musical at Gateway High School, supporters from the school district teamed with Monroeville’s Parks and Recreation Department to offer a weeklong summer theater camp for aspiring actors, singers and dancers.

Youngsters started working July 31 toward putting on a production of “The Lion King Kids,” adapted from the Disney franchise, to wrap up camp on Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the high school theater.

In April, the high school presented “Mamma Mia,” featuring the music of ABBA, to a tremendous reception.

“It was wonderful,” producer Mary Chase said. “My job was to do all the business side of it and bring some money in. Well, ‘Mamma Mia’ is a good way to make money.”

Financial support from the school district helped make the production possible, and audience support demonstrated the venture’s viability following a bit of a theatrical lull caused by the covid-19 pandemic

“We sold out two of our four shows,” Chase reported. “The other two nights, we had less than a hundred seats left.”

Meanwhile, the pandemic’s onset squashed plans for Gateway’s Evergreen Elementary School to put on “The Lion King Kids.” So it became the musical of choice for the summer camp organizers, including Evergreen’s principal, Mike Matteo, and speech therapist, Janine Hribal, along with Danielle Cole, program and event coordinator for the recreation department.

In addition to his administrative post, Matteo co-produced the spring musical, and he and the others brought in Chase to assist with camp. Two family members offered to volunteer their time, as well: Jayla, a member of Gateway’s Class of 2024 who had a lead role in “Mamma Mia,” as choreographer, and Heath, a 2022 graduate now studying theater at Slippery Rock, as assistant director.

Hribal, who has a leadership role in Penn-Trafford High School theater, took on the role as music director for “The Lion King Kids.” Morgan Bruni, her daughter and an Indiana University of Pennsylvania student, offered to lend her skills to making costumes.

Director Eric Phelps brought a wealth of experience — from his New York University education, performances in off-Broadway plays and musical, and TV appearances on ESPN, Starz and “Saturday Night Live” — to lead the Gateway campers.

“He’s spending time with them every day teaching them some of the technology side of theater, something as simple as, what’s stage right? What’s downstage, upstage? It’s good that the kids are learning that,” Mary Chase said. “They’re also learning that sometimes they have to sit there and be patient, which is not always the easiest thing.”

As far as the summer program, Chase always is happy to see more opportunities for performing arts in the Monroeville area.

“My goal here is to build within our district, to get the kids knowing that the district cares about theater productions,” she said.