On Tour: Mamma Mia!

Mamma Mia! keeps its beat and leaves you feeling like a dancing queen.

The ABBA jukebox musical has hit the road once again, 25 years after its premiere. This remount of the original production proves how the show found massive success.

Mamma Mia! uses the timeless music of ABBA to tell the story of Donna and Sophie Sheridan — a mother-daughter duo living on a remote island in Greece, entwined with past and future romances. Donna has happily built a life for herself as a single mother, raising Sophie and maintaining an inn on the island. She’s all but thrown in the towel on romance, when Sophie gets a hold of her mother’s old diary. Weeks away from her wedding, Sophie invites three of her mother’s old flames, who each could potentially be Sophie’s father. When all three show up for the wedding, Donna is sent into a tailspin, though Sophie is ecstatic about the idea of finally knowing who her father is. This campy disco musical is a delight for all as Sophie’s plan to include her father in her wedding festivities plays out, much to her mother’s chagrin.

This production is a treat for lovers of big, bright musicals — from big ensemble choreography to bright vocals to brilliant costumes. Mamma Mia! gives ABBA’s discography a second life on stage.

Christine Sherrill is brilliant as Donna, bringing the beauty of a mother who has somewhere lost her youth. Sherrill has brilliant vocals, keeping the audience in the palm of her hand with crowd favorites “Dancing Queen,” “Slipping Through My Fingers,” and “Winner Takes it All.”

At this performance, Amy Weaver effortlessly captured Sophie. Weaver is bright-eyed and brings a hopeful Sophie to life. Her “I Have a Dream” captured the audience, and her on-stage chemistry with Sherrill, Grant Reynolds (Sky), Rob Marnell (Harry Bright), Jim Newman (Bill Austin), and Victor Wallace (Sam Carmichael) was incredible to watch.

Jalynn Steele brought comedic bite to the stage with her Tanya. She keeps Donna on her toes from the moment she arrives on the island, but Steele truly has a moment to shine in “Does Your Mother Know.”

A highlight of this production is its robust ensemble and big, upbeat musical numbers. A stark contrast to many of the musicals of the 2010s, many of which parsed-down casts and productions, Mamma Mia! now feels like a rare gem. Though it is a jukebox musical, Mamma Mia! perfectly interweaves ensemble numbers and upbeat disco into the plot. The transitions can be so seamless that the story moves through song quickly and keeps the plot on beat.

Though the production was initially mounted at the turn of the millennium, it is a testament to the creative team how well it stands the test of time. As trends in musical theatre change, what remains timeless and true becomes apparent. With large ensemble numbers, upbeat music, a dash of heart, and a pinch of comedy, Mamma Mia! finds its timelessness with audiences for years to come.

Mamma Mia! is now touring across North America.