“Mamma Mia!,” the ninth longest running musical in broadway history, is in town at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts. Featuring music from ABBA, a 1970s Swedish band, this fantastic production of “Mamma Mia!” is simultaneously a fun, escapist show while also leaving the audience questioning what it means to be a “perfect family.” This review will contain spoilers for the show.
Sophie Sheridan has had a carefree life growing up on the idyllic, albeit fictional, Greek island of Kalokairi. She was raised by Donna, her strong willed single mother who runs her own hotel. Sophie doesn’t know who her father is due to Donna’s refusal to tell her. In the touring cast performing at the Kentucky Center, Sophie is played by Amy Weaver and Donna is played by Christine Sherill. Despite being only 20 years old, Sophie is going to marry former stockbroker Skye, causing tension between Sophie and her independent mother. Three months before her wedding, Sophie finds her mother’s old diary and learns about three men who dated her mother in the summer of 1979, surmising that one of them is her father.
Without telling her mother, Sophie invites the three men to her wedding, hoping to determine who her father is and have him walk her down the aisle. The day before her wedding, the three men arrive. First, Harry Bright, a wealthy English banker who is unfulfilled with his life is played by Rob Marnell. Second, Bill Austin, an eccentric travel author who has no plans to settle down anytime soon is played by Jim Newman. Lastly, Sam Carmichael, a divorcee with two sons and who is still in love with Donna, is played by Victor Wallace. As information about the men’s history with Donna is revealed, each man comes to believe that he is Sophie’s father, and each decides that they will walk Sophie down the aisle.
The show seamlessly works in some of ABBA’s biggest hits into the story, such as “Lay All Your Love on Me,” “Dancing Queen,” “Chiquitita,” and “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” The phenomenal renditions of these songs had the audience dancing in their seats as the drama of Sophie’s wedding unraveled. In particular, Sherill’s astounding singing highlighted the emotional aspect of Donna wrestling with her feelings for past lovers vs her desire for independence.
The drama of Sophie’s parentage is balanced out with well paced humor. For example, following Donna’s discovery of her three ex-boyfriends at her hotel, she returns to her room to find her best friends rehashing their old days as a rock and roll band. Her friends, Tonya, played by Jalynn Steele, and Rosie, played by Carly Sakolove, cheer Donna up with a hilarious rendition of “Dancing Queen,” filled with jokes about the now middle aged women’s age. Later in the show, Sakolove delivers a comedy filled version of “Take a Chance on Me” as Rosie chases Bill around the wedding venue.
Music isn’t the only avenue for storytelling in this show. The lighting and simplistic set help convey the carefree feel of the island. During Sophie’s bachelorette party, the striking purple lighting with gold specks conveys the fun nature of the party and brings in the classic 70s disco feel. After new information is revealed during various conversations at the party, flashing red lighting highlights Sophie’s growing stress over the situation she is in. This use of lighting is a clever way of both setting the mood for the party and as a means of storytelling.
“Mamma Mia!” isn’t just an escapist show set to catchy 70s disco tunes. It defies the idea of a “perfect family” as having one mom and one dad. Donna raised Sophie as a single mother while running her own business. By the end of the show, Harry, Bill and Sam decide that they will each act as Sophie’s dad, and it doesn’t matter which one of them is her actual father. This story does a great job of showing that a family doesn’t have to be the people related to you or follow traditional family models.
“Mamma Mia!” is in town until Sunday, Dec. 8. Tickets can be purchased online at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts’ website here.
