MAMMA MIA!

AUGUST 24-28, 2022 | Majestic Theatre | Rated PG-13

Lyric Stage opens its 29th Season, and celebrates the end of summer, with the international hit MAMMA MIA! A jukebox musical based on the hit songs of the Swedish pop/rock group, ABBA, the musical tells the story of Sophie, a young woman in search of her birth father on the eve of her wedding. Though this sunny and funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise, Sophie’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago, and, of course, chaos, love, laughter, singing, and dancing ensue.

With Music & Lyrics by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, and some songs with Stig Anderson, MAMMA MIA! has a Book by Catherine Johnson and was Originally Conceived by Judy Cramer. Since debuting in 1999, MAMMA MIA! has been seen by over 65 million people worldwide, and ran on Broadway for 14 years, becoming the 9th longest-running show in Broadway history. The show includes such hits as "Super Trouper” "Lay All Your Love on Me" "Dancing Queen” "Knowing Me, Knowing You” "Take a Chance on Me” "Thank You for the Music” "Money, Money, Money" "The Winner Takes It All" "Voulez-Vous" "SOS" and "Mamma Mia”.

MAMMA MIA! is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com

THE CAST & CREATIVE TEAM

The entirely local cast of this international hit musical is led by Presley Duyck as Sophie Sheridan and Mary Gilbreath Grim as her mother, Donna Sheridan. Playing Sophie’s potential dads are Aaron Mateo Arroyo as Sam Carmichael, Cody Alarcón as Bill Austin, and Sergio Antonio Garcia as Harry Bright. The cast also features Megan A. Liles as Tanya and Samantha Padilla as Rosie, with Dwight Taylor as Sky, Michael Alonzo as Pepper, Danny Vanegas as Eddie, Jéssica Webba as Ali, Thi Le as Lisa, and Lucas Haupert as Father Alexandrios (US Sam). Rounding out the company and ensemble are Carissa Aguila (US Sophie), Eden Grace Barrus (Swing), Annie Olive Cahill (US Tanya), Edward Michael Escamilla (US Sky), Stephanie Felton (US Donna & Rosie), Victoria Gomez (US Lisa), Hunter Hurt, Spencer Laboda (US Eddie), Andrew Nicolas (US Bill), Colin Phillips (US Harry), Ryan Ramirez, Reyna Sanchez (US Ali), Cari Walton, and Kelsey Jordan Ward (Dance Captain).

The always live and local Lyric Stage Orchestra features Benjamin Brown on Bass, Dennis Langevin on Guitar, Kami Lujan on Drums, Michael Ptacin on Percussion, Aaron Sutton on Guitar, Clayton Williams on Keys, Geno Young on Keys, and Music Director/Conductor Vonda K. Bowling on Keys. Resident Music Supervisor Bruce Greer oversees the production and orchestra.

MAMMA MIA! is directed by Lyric Stage Executive Artistic Director Christopher J. Deaton, and choreographed by Kelly McCain. The orchestra is led by the production’s Music Director, Vonda K. Bowling, and Bruce Greer serves as the production’s Musical Supervisor. Lighting Design will be by Scott Guenther, Sound Design & Engineering by Jorge Guerra, and Costume Design & Coordination by Megan A. Liles. MAMMA MIA! is produced by Lyric Stage Producer Catherine Carpenter Cox & Lyric Stage Executive Artistic Director Christopher J. Deaton.

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REVIEWS

DFW CENTER STAGE BY DOUG STURDIVANT

Review: My Thoughts on Mamma Mia! or…Greece is the word! or…Who’s your daddy?

First of all, let me dispel the rumor that all those productions of Mamma Mia! in the summer of 2019 were responsible for the pandemic. There is simply no truth to it. Probably started by some theater that couldn’t get the rights. Now with the pandemic behind us (hopefully) we finally get the definitive production of the musical and can now lock it away for five years or so until we are once again overwhelmed by the ABBA urge.

Lyric Stage has done ABBA right and it all starts with the music. Music Director Vonda K. Bowling and the band provide music that sounds better than any ABBA record I ever owned (Yeah, I admit it) and I really liked the way the band underscored the dialogue of the musical, making transitions back and forth to the singing flawless.

The stage is always marvelous to behold thanks to Scott Guenther’s lighting. Calming shades of blue suggesting the Mediterranean or Aegean Seas are reflected on large panels that define spaces and Guenther really brings out the spectacular lighting when Donna and the Dynamos perform their big comeback number.(Forgive me for assuming that everyone in the known world is familiar with the plot of Mamma Mia! by now.) The scenic design is uncredited, but consists of chairs, tables, beds, and benches. It’s simple, but serves the movement of the play well. The sound by Jorge Guerra was perfect the night I attended and every splendid vocal was clear. The costumes designed by Megan A. Liles go from beach casual, and in the case of Tanya, beach chic, to some nice glittery outfits for the performing trio to Sophie’s wedding dress.

But it’s the performers here that make me want to stick Mamma Mia! in the vault for the next five years. I didn’t think Mary Gilbreath Grim could top her performance as Mother in Lyric’s Ragtime, but her Donna Sheridan is one for the books. Grim has the ability to act her songs, as well as displaying an incredible range and belt. And so what if it’s ABBA songs? Grim makes them her own. Additionally, she gets to display quite the acting range as mother, friend, and lover. As Sophie, Donna’s daughter and bride to be, Presley Duyck claims her spot in the DFW star firmament. The honey voiced Duyck makes Sophie alternately playful, vulnerable, and wise. It’s easy to see why her boyfriend Sky, played with winning charm by Dwight Taylor, would fall in love with her, because the audience certainly did. As Donna’s backup singers, Rosie and Tanya, Samantha Padilla and Megan A. Liles, are both strong singers and elicit almost constant laughter. Liles shines in “Does Your Mother Know” as she flirts with a younger man and Padilla’s “Take A Chance On Me” with the character of Bill Austin, one of Sophie’s possible fathers, played by the terrific Cody Alarcon, is one of the comic highlights of the evening. As the other two possible dad candidates the dashing Sergio Antonio Garcia as Harry Bright and suave Aaron Mateo Arroyo are also adept at comic acting, singing, and delivering a double entendre or two.

The production gains much of its strength from the supporting characters and the ensemble who make this Mamma Mia! Abba-solutely spectacular. Danny Vanegas as Eddie and Michael Alonzo as Pepper, who are both appealing and endearing, use their skills to take choreographer Kelly McCain’s always exciting dances to new heights in “Does Your Mother Know” aided by Thi Le as Lisa and Jessica Webba , who are both witty and delightful as Sophie’s bridesmaids. Rounding out this dynamite and always singing and dancing ensemble are Carissa Aguila, Eden Grace Barrus, Annie Olive Cahill, Edward Michael Escamilla, Stephanie Felton, Victoria Gomez, Lucas Haupert, who also plays Father Alexandrios, Hunter Hurt, Spencer Laboda, Andrew Nicolas, Collin Phillips, Ryan Ramirez, Reyna Sanchez, Cari Walton, and Kelsey Jordan Ward.

This is the most fun I have had attending and the finest cast I have seen in Mamma Mia! since seeing it on Broadway at Thanksgiving 2001. New York was healing then, and the corny appeal of the musical was just the right antidote. Maybe the world doesn’t seem quite as dire as it did then, but there is still the need to have our spirits lifted and to celebrate. So why stay home when you can dance, you can jive, and have the time of your life? Thanks, Lyric and Director Christopher J. Deaton, and I’ll see you in five Mamma Mia!

DALLAS VOICE BY RICH LOPEZ

Review: Lyric dials up the delight with ‘Mamma Mia!’

Mamma Mia! is an easy crowd pleaser primarily due to its ABBA music soundtrack, but the cast has to match that buoyant energy of those songs and the rom-com story that goes with it. In its preview Thursday night at the Majestic Theatre before Friday’s (tonight’s) opening, the cast had one more time for any fine-tuning. By the looks and sounds of last night’s performance, they were easily on track.

Lyric’s approach to its shows are famously minimalist. The focus is less on scene and more on the actors, singers and music. The actors’ jobs aren’t just to perform their roles but also make the audience see the scenery. The show conveyed the island and its blue waters and skies merely through scrims and blue lighting but effectively so.

The story centers on Sophie (Presley Duyck) who invites three men who could be her father to her upcoming wedding to Sky (Dwight Taylor). Her mother Donna (Mary Gilbreath Grim) is unaware while she waits for her girlfriends Tanya (Megan A. Liles) and Rosie (Samantha Padilla) who all performed in a girl group in their younger days. When Sam (Aaron Mateo Arroyo), Bill (Cody Alarcon) and Harry (Sergio Antonio Garcia) respond to Sophie’s invitation and reconnect with Donna, emotions are upended, revelations are discovered and ABBA songs are sung.

Duyck portrayed a darling Sophie earnest with young love. She had a wonderful compatibility with Taylor who mixed frat boy realness with a good-guy tenderness. While the story centered on Sophie, the show belongs to Donna. Grim was warm with maternal instinct to Duyck’s character and then strong and independent amid her girlfriends while also confused and love-stricken (or maybe just horny) with her three former suitors. Grim nailed all these attributes switching from one to the other with ease. As Donna, Grim got several showy numbers, but she delivered a heart wrenching showstopper with “The Winner Takes It All.” The applause drowned out her final vocal run but it was nonetheless majestic.

Arroyo’s normal everyman Sam was anything but. He had an arsenal of physical comedy, vocal powerhouse and understated sex appeal that combined well with his counterparts but also Grim. Alacorn sometimes seemed out of place but found a nice groove comedically with Padilla in their humorous “Take a Chance on Me” duet and had emotional rapport with Duyck during “The Name of the Game.”

Garcia was a precocious Harry who brought great physicality yet could verge on playing over the top at times but would dial it back in softer scenes, particularly in “Our Last Summer.” Padilla was nonstop hilarity with a heart in “Chiquitita” and her scene with Alacorn. Liles take on Tanya was sometimes muddled by an overly done British accent, but certainly slayed her big number “Does Your Mother Know.”

The principals and the ensemble all gave off joyous energy as if absorbing the cheerful power of ABBA and delivering it to their roles.  They all gave big energy to Kelly McCain’s demanding choreography and music director Vonda K. Bowling’s orchestra was concise in nailing that ABBA sound. Director Christpher J. Deaton led the show with an energetic pace while never rushing the story. Also props for the diverse representation seen across the board onstage.

Mamma Mia! was simply fun-filled with emotion and celebration and well-received by Thursday’s roaring audience reminding that the story’s heart and songs were still irresistible. The show opens Lyric Stage’s 29th season and runs through Sunday at the Majestic Theater.

MAMMA MIA! DIGITAL PROGRAM

MAMMA MIA! DIGITAL PROGRAM

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CAST HEADSHOTS

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