Mamma Mia! Here we go again…

A heartwarming story full of laughter, love, and familial dynamics, “Mamma Mia!” is not to be missed! Told through the music of Swedish quartet ABBA, “Mamma Mia!” follows the story of Sophie Sheridan as she prepares for her upcoming wedding to Sky. Sophie’s mother Donna owns and operates a hotel on a small Greek island, and that’s where the wedding is set to take place. The only thing that could make Sophie’s day perfect is the presence of her father, but there’s a small problem. She isn’t sure who he is. So what does she do? She finds the names of three men whom Donna had relationships with years ago, and invites all three to her wedding in the hopes that she’ll recognize her father at first sight. This goes about as well as expected, and only serves to confuse Sophie further and send Donna into distress. Now Sophie has to juggle three potential dads while readying herself for marriage, and Donna is forced to revisit feelings she thought she buried long ago. 

This production is made stronger by the incredibly talented cast! Alisa Melendez (Sophie) and Christine Sherill (Donna) light up the stage with their solo performances (“I Have a Dream”, “The Winner Takes It All”), and the supporting cast absolutely lit up the stage and brought the energy into the crowd. Carly Sakolove (Rosie) and Jalynn Steele (Tanya), portraying Donna’s best friends and former bandmates, stole the spotlight in every scene they were in – and Steele’s performance of “Does Your Mother Know?” opposite Patrick Park (Pepper) and ensemble was nothing short of phenomenal. Every single song is guaranteed to make audience-goers dance in their seats and maybe even sing along quietly to the well-loved tunes, or if you are new to ABBA, each song will stick in your brain for many days to come. 

The stage design and choreography were also very impressive. The production team, touring staff, wardrobe and hair design, band members, director Phyllida Lloyd, choreographer Anthony Van Laast, and the dozens of other staff and crew members deserve a special shoutout as well for the incredible quality and the level of detail in each and every performance and scene. Without these talented individuals, such a production as this could not have existed. 

Overall, this production of “Mamma Mia!” at Madison’s Overture Center of the Arts is not to be missed. A mixture of laugh-out-loud funny and romantic, with beloved music and characters, set against the background of an idyllic Greek island, is the perfect recipe for a great way to spend a night.

Highly Recommended 

Reviewed by Emilie Giardina 

This production is playing March 19-25 at Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, WI. Overture Center is located on 201 State St. in Madison, WI 53703. 

Tickets can be purchased online through https://www.overture.org or by calling the box office at 608-258-4141.