Before seeing the show, I had no prior knowledge of theatre or Mamma Mia!. The storyline?. The music? The atmosphere? The implicit rules of the show? I had no clue.. 

When the event was presented to me to cover, I was conflicted. As a music expert, I assumed I would love the show. As a theatre rookie, I feared that I lacked the insight needed to properly cover the musical. I decided to roll the dice to see the Broadway production of Mamma Mia! was all about.

Here is some background of Mamma Mia! for fellow newbies:

The story begins three months before the wedding between Sophie Sheridan and her fiancé Sky. Sophie wants her father to walk her down the aisle, but she doesn’t know who her father is. When she discovers her mother Donna’s diary, she reads old entries that describe her experiences with Sophie’s three possible fathers. Sophie invites all three men to the wedding without telling Donna, and all three men accept. The chaos then ensues.

Each scene is accompanied by original songs from Swedish band ABBA. The tracks seamlessly fit each scene, while adding comedic relief and musical brilliance.

Since its 1999 West End debut (and 2001 Broadway premiere), Mamma Mia! has become one of the most highly regarded musicals of all time. A 2008 film adaptation starring Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried and Pierce Brosnan was released.

Upon arriving at Gammage, I knew the night would be special. Dressed in flowy summer sundresses and slick button-up tees, the audience filled the 3,000 seat performance hall moments before the show was scheduled to begin.

The show opened with an overture of ABBA’s greatest hits, which set the tone for the night as Sophie (Amy Weaver) and her two friends Ali and Lisa (Haley Wright, Lena Owens) are welcomed upon the brightly lit stage. The trio examine Donna’s journal and are shocked by their findings. Sophie has three possible fathers and she invites each of them to her wedding.

Weaver transitions into a fantastic rendition of “Honey, Honey.” The upbeat nature of the track met Sophie’s optimistic feelings of her father possibly being able to walk her down the aisle.

Weaver continued to impress with her singing and acting abilities throughout the entire show. While Weaver did a great job portraying Sophie, I expected her to be the star of the show. I quickly found out I was wrong.

As three months pass, Donna (Christine Sherrill) and her two long-time friends and former bandmates of Donna and the Dynamos, Tanya and Rosie (Jalynn Steele, Carly Sakolove), arrive at a restaurant on the fictional Greek island of Kalokairi. Sherrill leads in singing “Money, Money, Money,” which features an engaging dance number and hysterical adlibs from background singers.

Sherrill was easily the star of the show. With the most stellar vocal performances and emotional scenes, she made it known why she was cast to play Donna. Her vocal range was much more expansive than the rest of the cast, while her dynamic with Weaver was a rollercoaster of chaotic highs and impactful lows. Her storyline went in every which way, including unexpectedly getting married on Sophie’s botched wedding day.

Steele and Sakolove put on some of the most memorable performances of the night. Steele did a fantastic job at portraying Tanya by coming off as a hypersexual boss while prioritizing herself over much younger men. Sakolove showcased a perfect blend of hilarious one-liners and impressive singing abilities while portraying Rosie.

One of the most memorable moments of the night was when Donna and the Dynamos performed “Dancing Queen.” Dressed in flashy ABBA-inspired costumes, the trio shined much brighter than I expected. Performing such a big song like “Dancing Queen” can be a tough task, but they rose to the occasion.

When the three possible fathers arrived on Kalokairi, the crowd was instantly met with laughter. I could tell that the men were going to provide a unique dynamic because each was so different.

Rob Marnell played a British banker named Harry Bright. Marnell was hard to understand at times with his attempt at a British accent. His storyline was not as engaging as the other two possible fathers, but his character added much needed substance after revealing he was in a happy same-sex relationship. This added much more depth and purpose behind the character.

Jim Newman played an Australian writer named Bill Austin. Newman succeeded at his Australian accent that was perfect for his adventurous character. His singing abilities didn’t shine as bright as his castmates, but he didn’t need to.

Victor Wallace portrayed an American architect named Sam Carmichael. Wallace stunned me with his singing abilities. Leading in a handful of tracks, Wallace made his voice felt through a commanding delivery. Sam’s back-and-forth storyline of falling in and out of love with Donna was impressive, while his performance of his and Donna’s wedding was heartwarming.

There is so much that I could talk about this play. Countless songs that reminded the audience why ABBA is one of the best. An ever-changing stage design that utilized two-building cutouts in numerous ways. Perfect dance choreography that shined under the beautiful light design.

I went into Gammage not having a clue what Mamma Mia! was. I left a huge fan with a newfound appreciation of musicals and theatre as a whole. 

Get out of your comfort zone and experience the unknown. That’s what I did, and now I find myself singing “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme” all around my apartment.