Amelia Dennis ‘25 stands on the stage in front of a sold-out crowd in the Simpson Center wearing a summery dress, transporting the audience away from the blustery February day to a sun-soaked Greek island. The months of hard work she has spent refining her acting, dancing, and singing in order to take on one of the musical’s starring roles—the part of bride-to-be Sophie Sheridan—are clear to see. 

But Dennis has been surrounded by music since long before Baldwin’s production of Mamma Mia. She is a part of the Baldwin chorus and the select a capella group, the B-flats. Her bubbly personality brightens the room, and, seeing her perform, there is no doubting her passion for music.

How did you get your start as a singer?

I’ve been singing since I was very young, and I always did chorus in elementary school. I watched a lot of Broadway shows growing up with my grandmother; she would take me to New York, so I’ve always enjoyed them.

What do you love about singing?

What I love most about singing is being able to convey certain emotions that you have been feeling in a productive way instead of spiraling. I think another amazing part of singing is the way you can connect with other people, especially in the context of chorus or a production— or the B-flats, of course.

What do you love about acting?

It’s really interesting to take on a character that you may not think you relate to at the beginning, but as you go through the process, you find ways in which you can really relate to that character and put a spin on the character with your own personality.

What is your favorite musical?

My favorite musical is Hairspray. It’s one of the musicals I first saw in a high school theater [production] and I just love the message of it. It’s very inclusive and I really like all the dance numbers. I saw it at Lower Merion, and Lizzy McAlpine was in it. I have her playbill on my bulletin board! 

What was it like playing Sophie in Mamma Mia for a sold-out audience?

It was really exciting. There was this energy to the audience that made it so fun to play a character that everyone knows. I really enjoyed playing a character that is so beloved and to try my best to bring her to life.

What was your favorite scene in Mamma Mia?

My favorite scene was “Does Your Mother Know” because of the hilarious performances by Marin Alter ‘24 and Sione Brown-Alexander ‘24. Just the fact that everything came together with the ensemble—they were all amazing— and the choreography, and, of course, Pepper surfing across the stage! I don’t think anyone understood what this play was going to entail, so when they saw it, they were like, “What!?”

Do you have any future plans for your singing and acting career?

I am going to Interlochen, which is a camp in Michigan, this summer to pursue songwriting for a couple of weeks and to get a better sense of another musical community that I could be a part of.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

If you liked Mamma Mia, I would highly encourage you to just take a chance (pun intended) and do something musical or join the musical next year, because it truly is such an amazing experience.