Eisley Adams Morrison as Sophie, Lily Rice as Lisa and Paisley McDonald as Ali in “Mamma Mia!” opening at 7 p.m. Friday at Parkersburg South High School. The show, a production of Theatre Troupe 1540, is directed by Doug Parks. (Photo by Charles Crookshanks)

PARKERSBURG – “Mamma Mia!” featuring songs by the global rock band ABBA opens Friday at Parkersburg South High School.

“Mamma Mia!” takes place on a Greek island where Sophie is getting married to Sky, but is trying to find out who her biological father is. She invites three men to the wedding who had flings with her mother, Donna, 20 years ago and chaos ensues upon their arrival.

The show by Theatre Troupe 1540 is directed by Doug Parks, a teacher and theater director at Parkersburg South.

“It’s just a fun show,” Parks said. “I like the music. The kids like the music.”

Songs in the show include “Dancing Queen,” “When All Is Said and Done,” “Mamma Mia,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” “Take a Chance on Me” and “Winner Takes All.

Sophie played by Eisley Adams-Morrison, a junior, in the Parkersburg South High School Theatre Troupe 1450 production of “Mamma Mia!” opening at 7 p.m. Friday. (Photo by Charles Crookshanks)

“Mamma Mia!” opens at 7 p.m. Friday with shows at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 20 and 21 and a matinee at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, which is singalong Sunday, Parks said.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.onthestage.tickets/parkersburg-south-hs/individual-tickets and at the door, where tickets are $12 for adults over 12 and $10 for seniors and children, Parks said.

Saturday’s show is the dinner theater at 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria, Parks said. Tickets for the dinner and show are $25, but only 200 tickets for the dinner will be available, he said.

Mary B’s will cater the dinner with chicken, Parks said.

“The parents will do the rest,” he said.

From left, Landon Henthron as Bill, Paisley McDonald as Ali and Ali Evans in the foreground as Donna rehearse a scene in “Mamma Mia!” that opens at 7 p.m. Friday at Parkersburg South High School. Tickets are available online and at the door. (Photo by Charles Crookshanks)

About 30 students are in the musical, on stage and in the technical crew.

“I am so excited,” Eisley Adams-Morrison, a junior, who plays Sophie, the bride-to-be.

Adams-Morrison is no stranger to the stage in school and local theater. She enjoys the participation.

“I’ve done about every show that I possibly can,” Adams-Morrison said.

Among her credits since the fourth grade are performances at the Smoot Theatre, “Legally Blonde,” “Beetlejuice,” “Cinderella” and the “Wizard of Oz.”

“I was a Munchkin,” she said.

“Mamma Mia!” is among her favorite shows. Sophie is among her favorite parts and Adams-Morrison was overjoyed being cast as the bride.

“I see a lot of myself in Sophie,” she said.

Playing the part of Sky, Sophie’s betrothed, is A.J. Peollot, a sophomore.

Sky is among the most intelligent of the characters, certainly the most emotionally intelligent, Peollot said.

He was once a stockbroker, but tired of the hustle and bustle and obligations and now wants a slower, less-stressful life, according to Peollot.

“He wanted a change of pace,” Peollot said.

“Mamma Mia!” is Peollot’s first major production. He was in “Moana Jr.” in the seventh grade at Edison Middle School, playing the part of Maui.

He, too, is excited to be cast as Sky. Peollot learned he was cast at a Christmas party where he and his friends jumped up and down in glee and joy over the news.

Peollot also can’t wait for opening night on Friday.

“I’m with a great cast. I’m with a great director,” he said.

Making his acting debut is freshman Bronson Linville as Eddie. Eddie helps Donna run the hotel.

Linville said he got involved after persuasion by his choir teacher last year at Jackson Middle School who is assisting Parks. He has enjoyed the experience.

“I never really thought about doing theater. This has been good,” he said. “So I’ll probably do it next season, too.”

The cast of “Mamma Mia!” is:

* Eisley Adams-Morrison, junior, as Sophie.

* Ali Evans, senior, as Donna.

* Macie Forshey, junior, as Tanya.

* Keilan Jagdmann, senior, as Rosie.

* Noah Church, senior, as Harry.

* Landon Henthron, senior, as Bill.

* Gabe Rice, senior, as Sam.

* A.J. Poellot , sophomore, as Sky.

* Paisley McDonald, junior, as Ali.

* Lily Rice, junior, as Lisa.

* Zander Parks, junior, as Pepper.

* Bronson LInville, freshman, as Eddie.

* Henry Cain, senior, as Father Alexandrios.

* Ensemble: Lorelie Shamblin, Shaylee Carpenter, Kennedy Lee, Bella Hunt, Bryanie Pasadyn, Averie Whitacre, Tyler Wingrove, Lena Skidmore, Elaina Koskey and Jayla Riddle.

* Technical crew: Chloe Lesher, Marlee Lesher, Lily Sundstrom, Hannah Gump (set painter), Ethan Gump, Lou Reed and Peyton Moon.

* Stage manager, Lydia Gump

* Costume Assistant, Sierra King

Troupe 1540 was chartered in October 1967. Its season includes a fall play, a competitive one-act production and a spring musical accompanied by a live student pit band. This year the troupe was selected as an Outstanding Show for both its studio performance and one-act, qualifying them to attend the Southeastern Theatre Conference at Chattanooga, Tenn., earlier this month.