Mamma Mia! What A Show! by Liam Hart

Juliette M. Ojeda (Sophie Sheridan), and the Company of Mamma Mia! 25th Anniversary Tour. Photo by Joan Marcus.

The moment you stepped into the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis for the opening performance of Mamma Mia!, the excitement could be felt as the curtain rose to reveal a simple set of two walls in the style of a Greek town. The recognizable songs of ABBA made their way into the production and connected the storyline through their similar style. This show-stopping, memorable production far surpassed any expectations I had going in, and is one of the best I’ve seen in every aspect.

Outstanding performances came from everyone in the production, especially Juliette M. Ojeda, who played Sophie, and Jessica Crouch as Donna. Their singing, acting, and movement—whether dance, staging, or anything else—advanced every part of the production, from the funny bits to the most wholesome moments near the end. Of course, every member of the cast exceeded expectations. The choreography (Anthony Van Laast), especially during “Lay All Your Love on Me” where the ensemble wore wetsuits, snorkels, and large flippers and danced in a circle around Sky (Grant Reynolds), filled the auditorium with laughter.

The two Greek town-style walls (Mark Thompson, Production Design), which stayed on stage the whole show, were arranged in at least half a dozen ways to create the feeling of multiple spaces, and did a better job at that than I thought they would. When combined with the various smaller pieces brought in throughout the show, like a bed, tables, and chairs, the settings felt interconnected. The painted floor and path in the middle greatly added to the set and helped avoid the feeling that something was missing. Despite the limitations the painted path created, it didn’t matter, as the designs took advantage of them.

The creative lighting (Howard Harrison) added to the chaotic mood at times, and spotlights highlighted key aspects of the production, such as during “Mamma Mia” when Donna discovers the three men arrived on the island. During that scene, lights shone directly down on Harry (Rob Hancock), Bill (Leland Burnett), and Sam (Victor Wallace), as they froze in place while Donna sang, the opposite lighting as is sometimes seen to freeze the cast. At other points, colors helped set the mood, from calm blues to harsh reds.

At the end of the show, the cast took their bows and all left the stage, but Donna stayed on, and the cast did something adjacent to a reverse bow order. After they had the audience on their feet, they burst out singing three more songs: “Mamma Mia,” “Dancing Queen,” and “Waterloo.” The impromptu concert felt too long and took advantage of the audience, who didn’t see it coming. Choosing one or two songs would’ve felt better as an audience member, simply because of the shorter length.

Mamma Mia! is undoubtedly a magnificent show you shouldn’t miss. The show departs Minneapolis for Milwaukee after their September 20 performance.