MFL MarMac’s ‘Freaky Friday’ to share entertaining, relatable message
Maria Stavroplus (left) stars as Katherine Blake and Taryn Moser as Ellie Blake, a mother and daughter who swap bodies, in the musical “Freaky Friday.” Performances will be held Friday and Saturday, Nov. 8 and 9, in the MFL MarMac high school auditorium in Monona. (Photos by Audrey Posten)
Brodyn Blietz (left) plays Adam, a teen who starts a scavenger hunt, while Vincent Torkelson is Fletcher Blake, Ellie’s younger brother and Katherine’s son.
By Audrey Posten | Times-Register
Audiences are in for a fun, entertaining show with a heartfelt message when the MFL MarMac High School Theatre Department presents “Freaky Friday: The Musical” on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 8 and 9. Performances are slated for 7:30 p.m. on Friday and 2 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, in the high school auditorium in Monona.
The musical has a similar premise to the 2003 Disney movie starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, in that a twist of fate causes a mother and daughter to switch bodies.
“They break a magical hour glass and switch bodies because of it. They have to go through this journey of living in each other’s shoes. Throughout that experience, they learn things about each other and they grow and become closer in the end,” explained senior Maria Stavroplus, who’s starring as mother Katherine Blake.
From there, the story line largely diverges from the movie, according to director Diane Fisk.
“The only thing that’s really the same is you have the mom who’s getting married the next day, the daughter who wants to do something the night of the rehearsal dinner, the soon-to-be-stepdad and then the little brother,” Fisk said. “Instead of going to a rock concert, here they’re doing a scavenger hunt where they go through the whole city and have to go to certain places and take pictures.”
Throw in a wedding that could financially make or break the family and the fact teen daughter Ellie Blake is failing at school, and there’s a lot to unravel, Fisk noted.
The director, who also assists with the speech program, selected Freaky Friday after she learned group speech coach Cheri Moser was considering the production for a large group musical number.
“I looked into it and thought, ‘Why not do the musical too?’ That way we have the music for speech already. Plus, there’s a [movie sequel] coming back out again: ‘Freakier Friday.’ It’s a fun musical with lots of really good music, but hard music,” Fisk said.
Stavroplus is no stranger to playing a mom. She was Morticia Addams in “The Addams Family” in 2022. This time, it’s admittedly more difficult.
“I’m not just playing the mom,” she said. “Sometimes, it’s a little confusing to keep separated when I’m Ellie and when I’m Katherine. That’s been a challenge, but, overall, I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve been up for the challenge.”
Moser has had a similar experience.
“I’m the daughter, but also the mom. It’s been kind of hard because I’m not used to switching back and forth and having a big separation between two characters. But, overall, it’s been really fun,” she shared.
Also challenging, acknowledged Moser, is the limited time to prepare for “Freaky Friday.”
“But we’ve really pushed through as a group,” she said.
Fisk faces a similar time crunch each year. Musical participants are busy in a variety of extra-curricular activities.
“We’re, right now, at that crunch where everyone’s thinking, ‘Oh my god, it’s next week.’ So they are a little nervous. I’m a little nervous. But I’m always nervous at this point. Then, they get it together,” she said.
It helps to have some experienced cast members. Stavroplus and fellow senior Isabella Torkelson have participated throughout high school—and even before that. Other students have been active in the middle school plays and, like Moser, involved in Elkader Opera House Players productions.
“Having the ones who have been here really is important. You need that base,” Fisk said. “We have a lot of freshmen and sophomores in this cast—probably 80 percent of them. I only have three seniors this year. And musicals are a different breed. It’s a little more challenging.”
Fisk and the students believe “Freaky Friday” will be well received by audiences.
Said Moser, “It’s a very different story line than has been done in the past here. I think it’s going to be really good.”
“Usually we have a more Disney, child-like approach,” added Stavroplus. “This is still a child friendly show—I think kids will really enjoy it—but it’s something different I think adults and teenagers are going to be able to relate to a little more and be able to get into.”
To Fisk, the musical transports parents into their child’s shoes and children into their parent’s.
“They realize mom isn’t telling me to do this, that and the other thing to be mean. They realize there’s a reason Ellie is failing school and been having issues. Even the stepdad makes a comment, because Ellie really doesn’t like him because she thinks everyone is trying to forget her dad. He says, ‘It’s OK if she’s mad. I still love her.’ If you really listen to it, there’s a really strong lesson,” Fisk said.
The link to purchase tickets to “Freaky Friday” can be accessed at mflmarmac.com. Under “Useful Links,” click on “Links and Livestreams.” Tickets can also be purchased at the door.
