Oak Harbor sings along with Mamma Mia!

Oak Harbor’s Whidbey Playhouse transformed into a disco inferno last Friday as people put on long-forgotten, halter-neck catsuits and sung along to ABBA tunes.

Playhouse staff screened the 2008 film “Mamma Mia!” after recently picking up a one-year license to play movies.

Using songs from ABBA, the 1970s titans of disco, “Mamma Mia!” tells the story of a free-spirited, bride-to-be trying to track down her real father.

The playhouse added “Sing-Along” to the event promotion, and saw an eager response. The screening sold out a few days before the event.

“We really wanted to bring music fun to the community,” theater board president Allenda Jenkins said. “And we made it affordable at $5.”

The audience applauded the opening credits, and blue and yellow captions prompted them to sing such hits as “Money, Money, Money” and “Dancing Queen” during the first half.

At intermission, the staff awarded the best-dressed disco fans, including 11-year-old Elise Still. She appeared in a tie-dye shirt, leopard-print pants and hooped earrings.

Sisters Heather Reagan, Carmen Harris and friend Julie McNutt said ABBA was part of their generation and they were having fun revisiting it. They each graduated high school in the ‘70s.

“I was never a fan growing up, but I knew the music,” Harris said.

Jenkins said the playhouse has a catalogue of films to try out this year, and with the success of “Mamma Mia,” Oak Harbor will likely see another musical.

“We were thinking we could do ‘Grease’ next. Or ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show,’” Jenkins said.

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