MAMMA MIA! MUSICAL NUMBERS

ACT ONE:
Prologue/I Have a Dream Sophie
Honey, Honey Sophie, Ali, Lisa
Money, Money, Money Donna and Company
Thank You for the Music Harry, Sophie, Bill, Sam
Mamma Mia Donna and Company
Chiquitita Rosie, Tanya, Donna
Dancing Queen Rosie, Tanya, Donna
Lay All Your Love On Me Sky, Sophie, Company
Super Trouper Donna, Tanya, Rosie
Gimmie, Gimmie, Gimmie Company
Voulez Vous Company

ACT TWO:
Under Attack Sophie and Company
One of Us Donna
S.O.S. Sam and Donna
Does Your Mother Know Tanya, Pepper and Company
Our Last Summer Harry and Donna
Slipping Through My Fingers Donna and Sophie
The Winner Takes It All Donna
Take a Chance On Me Rosie and Bill
I Do, I Do, I Do Company
I Have a Dream Reprise Sophie and Company

MAMMA MIA! TOUR DATES

Mar 12-Mar 17 Columbus, OH Ohio Theatre
Mar 19-Mar 24 Madison, WI Overture Center
Mar 26-Mar 31 Pittsburgh, PA Benedum Center
Apr 2-Apr 7 Hershey, PA Hershey Theatre
Apr 9-Apr 14 Buffalo, NY Shea’s Performing Arts Center
Apr 16-Apr 21 Baltimore, MD Hippodrome Theatre
Apr 23-Apr 28 Detroit, MI Fisher Theatre
Apr 30-May 19 Chicago, IL James M. Nederlander Theatre
May 21-May 26 Oklahoma City, OK Civic Center Music Hall
May 28-May 29 Fort Wayne, IN Embassy Theatre
May 31-Jun 2 South Bend, IN Morris Performing Arts Center
Jun 4-Jun 9 Greenville, SC Peace Center
Jun 11-Jun 16 Dayton, OH Schuster Performing Arts Center
Jun 18-Jun 23 Charlotte, NC Belk Theater
Jun 25-Jun 30 W Palm Beach,FL Kravis Center
Jul 16-Jul 21 Fort Worth, TX Bass Performance Hall
Jul 23-Jul 28 Memphis, TN Orpheum Theatre
Jul 30-Aug 4 Durham, NC Durham Performing Arts Center
Aug 6-Aug 11 Philadelphia, PA Academy Of Music
Aug 13-Sep 1 Washington, DC Kennedy Center Opera House

It’s the 25^th Anniversary, so Here We Go Again!

MAMMA MIA!, the now-classic tale of a mother, her daughter, and three possible dads gathered on a picturesque Greek island ahead of a wedding, all set to the soundtrack of timeless hit songs from Swedish supergroup ABBA, is back out on a National Tour, with a Kansas City stop running through March 10 downtown at the Music Hall.

It’s the story of young Sophie and her quest to discover the father she’s never known, by inviting all three potential men from her mother’s two decades ago romantic past, to her wedding at the taverna and bed and breakfast in the paradise location she’s grown up in.

While no one would have thought of this improbable storyline when initially listening to those classic 70’s and 80s disco era songs, the tale of love, friendship, and true identity truly ends up working, as evidenced by its long live theater runs and successful pair of films.

The musical’s origins date back to 1983 when producer Judy Craymer met ABBA songwriters Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson when they were working with Tim Rice on the musical, “Chess”. Skip ahead to 1997 when Craymer commissioned Catherine Johnson to write the book for the musical with director Phyllida Lloyd joining the following year.

The musical first opened in the West End at the Prince Edward Theatre in April 1999 with its US debut in San Francisco in 2000 and going to Broadway in 2001, earning five Tony nominations the following year. Multi and International tours followed, with the film adaptation hitting screens in 2008, and now, its 25^th Anniversary Tour.

This touring production captures the fun essence of the story, with Alisa Melendez as the daughter Sophie, in exceptionally clear projecting voice and a fine range for singing. Christine Sherrill as Donna the mother, comes to the tour very experienced, having assumed the role for its Las Vegas residency and truly shines during the second act’s “The Winner Takes It All.”

Supporting players Carly Sakolove and Jalynn Steele bring a lighthearted comic brevity to their roles as Donna’s girlfriends, with Steele also hypnotic during her lead vocal numbers. The trio of potential fathers (Rob Marnell as Harry Bright; Jim Newman as Bill Austin; Victor Wallace as Sam Carmichael) each bring levity with their distinctive character’s personalities and backgrounds, with Newman taking a nice vocal turn on a duet of “Take a Chance on Me” that included some well-timed physical comedy.

Set design and lighting are somewhat minimal, but effectively capture the sun-soaked environs of a small-town island bed and breakfast and this is the kind of musical you don’t look at with an over-critical eye; rather it’s one you lean back to take in and enjoy, maybe working in a disco move or two, from the confines of your theater seat.

After the company bows, the ensemble returns for a jubilant three-song encore of “Mamma Mia (reprise)”, “Dancing Queen” and “Waterloo” with The Dynamos (Donna, Tanya and Rosie’s former group name) wearing bright, primary colored ABBA 70s-inspired outfits, and the dads and company voices all coming together for a happy crescendo to end the evening with flair and fun.

ABBA has enjoyed a renewed popularity in the last couple years, improbably releasing new album, “Voyage” at the end of 2021, followed by a still running and very popular London performance with virtual performers, so it makes sense that MAMMA MIA! has returned as well, now in its 25^th year. So join in on the fun – “See that girl and watch that scene” as you awaken your own inner dancing queen.

(National Tour Photos by Joon Marcus provided by their website) / Click on any image to enlarge and see in full)