MAMMA MIA! HE'S MADE IT

Local actor lands lead role in Toronto musical

by Ian Nathanson [Wednesday, June 27, 2001]

When Derek Eyamie first entered this world on Sept. 17, 1978, ABBAmania was in full bloom, though fans were more likely humming Take A Chance On Me than Mamma Mia.

The Swedish pop quartet's late-1977 release ABBA -- The Album -- the one with Take A Chance On Me on it -- vaulted to become their highest-charting U.S. album ever (reaching No. 14). Members Anni-frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson would marry in October 1978, months after Bjorn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Faltskog celebrated their seventh year of wedded bliss.

Fast forward to August 2000. Ottawa actor Eyamie and pal Sweeney MacArthur audition for roles in the Toronto production of Mamma Mia, the hit musical written by Andersson and Ulvaeus spinning ABBA's greatest hits into three love stories.

"Benny and Bjorn were around for my audition in August," says Eyamie, who was selected for the understudy roles of Eddie and Pepper. "But Bjorn did come to see the show about two months ago, came on stage and took a bow with us. And then we all got to meet him backstage afterwards.

"It was a meet-and-greet thing -- he had his limo backstage so we all just mobbed him asking for autographs and thanked him for the privilege of working on his musical."

BEACH BUM

Yet Eyamie, who also works under the nom de pop Derek J, has been granted a greater privilege. Beginning this fall, the 22-year-old takes on the lead role of Pepper (currently played by Raymond Miller), a beach bum who loves to win over every woman he meets.

For the Gloucester Collegiate grad, his acting experience in local productions of Crazy For You, Fame, West Side Story and A Chorus Line, not to mention his overachiever work ethic as a Mamma Mia understudy, have paid off beyond his expectations.

"If the director notices you and thinks you're working hard , basically you have an in. That's how it went for me," says Eyamie, who is also trained in singing and dancing.

"I feel special because it's the kind of business where mostly if you're well established, chances are you do get promoted to principal roles. But in my case, this is the first professional show I've done, and it's happened so fast.

"And I am the only one in the company to be promoted. I'm still in shock. For me, this is a blessing."

Though Eyamie says he's on "Cloud 18" over getting a lead role, he humbles himself when explaining how many lead actors often adopt a holier-than-thou attitude.

GOSSIP AND POLITICS

"Oh that happens," he says pointedly. "Last October, there were five of us that had a little discussion, saying, 'Okay, this is a business. We have to watch out for these little things we don't want to get involved in, such as the gossip, the politics ... '

"It's hard to stay out of that, but if you're conscious about it, then in the end you can come out on top."

Yet Eyamie clamours for more. In his Derek J persona, Eyamie is looking to release a collection of pop numbers in the near future. He is currently in the studio putting the final touches on his next single, The Language of Love, a song offered to him by Jason Blume, a songwriter for the Backstreet Boys.

"It's really good when you see role models such as Alanis Morissette, Celine Dion and all these people coming from Canada who are making it so big," he says. "The inspiration for me comes from knowing that there's so much talent out there that 'making it' can be done."

[ Source: http://www.fyiottawa.com ]