Photo Via Marcus Performing Arts Center - marcuscenter.org
'Mamma Mia' at Marcus Performing Arts Center
OK all you ABBA fans. This is one is definitely for you. Again. You already know that Mamma Mia! the musical—featuring the songs of ABBA—is back in town. And the current run at the Marcus Center is every bit as great and fun to watch since its stage debut 27 years ago.
Named after its1975 hit, “Mamma Mia!” this jukebox musical captures all the many hits by Sweden’s super group in comedic fashion that’s every bit as nonsensical and camp as it’s meant to be. That’s really the charm of the production and what makes the music shine in all its shiny spandex and disco ball glory.
The songs came first, written by the two “B’s” in ABBA—Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, with additional songs for the staging by Stig Anderson. The gorgeous, harmonious vocals are by the two “A’s”—Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. Those catchy tunes and seamless vocals make the music and the musical as nostalgic yet timeless as ever.
The challenge is constructing a storyline around the songs, making the lyrics a natural part of the show’s progression. British playwright Catherine Johnson has done just that and, for the most part it works. The storyline has Sophie, getting married on a Greek island where she lives with her single mother Donna. Sophie—and her mom—don’t know who Sophie’s bio dad is. So, Sophie secretly invites Her mother’s three former lovers to the wedding to figure it out. Let the slapstick humor begin! Complete with all its wonderful over the top, exaggerated antics.
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Dancing Queens
Donna (Jessica Crouch) is upset about the men showing up. So, her besties from her former girl group, the Dynamos—Tanya (Jasmine Overbaugh) and Rosie (Kayla Ryan Walsh—tease Donna in the best possible way in numbers like “Chiquitita” and “Dancing Queen.”
Director Phyllida Loyd’s original direction makes the comical hijinks contrast perfectly with the serious lyrics. Ditto for the number “Lay All Your Love on Me” as Sophie (Juliette M. Ojeda) and her fiancée, Sky (Grant Reynolds), profess their love while Sky’s buddies tease him, turning the song into yet another funny bit.
The three father candidates do just as well as their female counterparts, Bill (Leland Burnett), Harry (Rob Hancock) and especially Sam (Victor Wallace’s), the first lover to leave Donna. His powerful vocals turned songs like “Knowing Me, Knowing You” into a regretful remembrance of past mistakes.
The entire ensemble makes the choreography as vibrant and as high-energy as ever, turning Mamma Mia! Into a visual spectacle that complements the ABBA songbook. “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” and “Voulez-Vous” take on a life of their own as it spins the music and the mood right round into a nonstop dance party.
So whether you’re a diehard ABBA fan (count me in) or just wanting a perfectly fun time with great songs and top-notch dancing, Mamma Mia! gets the party started with no end in sight. Here we go again!
Mamma Mia! runs through September 27 in Uihlein Hall at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. Run time: two hours, 30 minutes including one intermission. Recommended for ages six and older. For more information, call: 414-273-7121, or visit: marcuscenter.org
