By Debbie Ditton
If you love ABBA, powerful voices, high energy dancing, or characters that make you feel alive, you will love Lyric Repertory Company’s Mamma Mia! at Utah State University’s Morgan Theatre in Logan, Utah. This jukebox musical, featuring the songs of the legendary Swedish pop group ABBA, was written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, with music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, whose hits topped the charts from 1974-1982. The show premiered in London in 1999, and is now the 8th longest running show in West End history. It is also a major motion picture (2008) and a sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again came out just last year.
The story centers around 20-year-old Sophie Sheridan (Adriana Alvarez) as she is preparing to marry her fiancé Sky (Tre’mon K Mills) on the beautiful Greek island where she was raised by her mother Donna (Megan Heaps). She wants her father to walk her down the aisle, but doesn’t know who he is. Sophie discovers her mother’s old diary and finds entries that describe intimate dates with three men, Sam Carmichael (Eric Van Tielen), Bill Austin (Paul Michael Sandberg), and Harry Bright (Kenny Bordieri). Sophie believes one of these men is her father and sends them wedding invitations, from Donna, without telling her mother. After being surprised by their appearance, Donna and her Dynamos (former members of an all-girl band), Rosie (Sydnee Fullmer) and Tanya (Madison Kisst), spend the next 24 hours trying to deal with the unexpected guests and make sure the wedding goes off without a hitch. The story is funny, heartwarming, and filled with great ABBA music.
The same can be said about every aspect of this production. The comic timing and nuanced acting is well directed by Jason Spelbring and audiences will laugh until their sides ache, while also caring deeply about the show’s characters. The unexpected, yet charmingly functional set design, by Spencer Potter, reminds audiences of summer and beaches and keeps the stage flowing and light, elegantly enhancing the tone of the show. I especially love the use of multiple small piers that move around the stage, providing the actors with levels and different settings, even becoming Donna’s bedroom for a few scenes. I initially missed the traditional Taverna set, but as the show went on, I found myself loving the simplicity of the design and the focus it allowed me to place on the characters and their stories. The props (Tapaynga Hill), unique projections (Steven R Piechocki), and creative lighting (Paul Yeates) not only assist in setting the mood for the story, but add greatly to the 70’s vibe and concert setting of many of the numbers. The show runs smoothly under the guidance of stage manager John Nehlich and his assistants Kelsey Koga and Griffen Satoda. There were moments in the show where I couldn’t hear the actors as well as I would have liked, but I’m sure sound designer Jason Romney will fix those issues.
The ensemble members in this production (Larissa Reyes Arzate, AJ Black, Scotty Fletcher, Sage Fortune, Amanda Morris, Jaylen Scott Wilson, Isaiah Reed) are energetic and full of life every time they appear onstage. They sing and dance in the majority of the numbers and provide a strong support system for the leads. The choreography by cast member Eric Shorey (Pepper) is upbeat and fun.The costume, hair, and make-up designs by Sara Shouse are delightfully period, and succinctly reflect each character, adding color and sass to every number. The Dynamo costumes (and the dads’ finale costumes) look like they could have come off a 1970’s ABBA record cover and are audience favorites.
This show provides amazing moments to highlight each of the supporting characters. Sophie’s larger than life friends, Ali (Rachael Hodge) and Lisa (Cailen Fu), are engaging in each appearance and charming in “Honey Honey” and “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme (A Man After Midnight).” Mills is a handsome Sky, and his vocals and movement in “Lay All Your Love on Me” are silky smooth. The strong dancing and flirtatious nature of Sky’s best man Pepper (Eric Shorey) make “Does Your Mother Know” a highlight of theIt is not uncommon for chiropractors to have diabetic patients arriving at their office hoping they levitra super active came to realise that the body produced Nitric Oxide, a substance that improves blood flow to the penile organ. It was another significant endeavor, made by the famous levitra without prescription amerikabulteni.com pharmaceutical house, Eli Lilly. If you, too, are suffering from ED, you can order viagra viagra to fix up the problem instantly. They are so tired that canada viagra they prefer to keep under wraps. evening. “Thank You for the Music” and “Our Last Summer” show off the sweet vocals of Bordieri, and his subtle comedic timing as Harry brings a character that is often an “over the top” stereotype back down to earth. Sandberg as Bill is a very likable “hot slice of beefcake” and is the perfect straight man to Rosie’s lively antics in “Take a Chance on Me”. Sam is convincingly played by Equity Actor Van Tielen, whose sincere acting and powerful vocals move the audience throughout the evening. The chemistry between him and Donna is palpable each time they are onstage together, especially in “SOS,” and the audience is thrilled when she finally says, “I Do.”
Rosie and Tanya can make or break a production of this show, and I am thrilled to say that Fullmer and Kisst are amazing in these roles. Their voices are spot on for their solo numbers, and blend beautifully with Heaps in the Dynamo songs. In fact, they are having so much fun together onstage, that at one point I wanted to jump up and be in the scene with them. Kisst (although not quite old enough to be Pepper’s mother) rocks the singing and dancing in “Does Your Mother Know” and Fullmer makes the audience giggle with her shenanigans in “Take a Chance on Me.” As a pair, they make an otherwise slow number, “Chiquitita,” into a hilarious bit, and, with Heaps, “Dancing Queen” and “Super Trouper” are compelling and contagiously joyful. They portray the perfect snapshot of enduring friendship between strong women, and I hope all the ladies and girls in the audience will get to experience that type of relationship in their lifetimes.
I can’t say enough about the well-executed music in this show. There is not a weak link anywhere. Congratulations to actors Shorey and Van Tielen who also served as music directors for the production. Although I always prefer live musicians in the pit, the tracks are expertly crafted and fill the theatre with the nostalgic sounds of all the best ABBA recordings. The offstage harmonies are in tune and well-blended, making the numbers rich and vocally impactful. For me, the most memorable voices are those of Alvarez and Heaps. Alvarez sings Sophie’s numbers with ease. She is totally at home in the high belt voice needed to truly bring Sophie’s songs to life. She takes the stage, not only with power, but with vulnerability — in both her voice and acting— which create true theatrical moments out of what could initially be viewed as trivial pop music. Heaps is also a master at using her voice to tell a story. Her portrayal of Donna is honest and refreshing and has a maturity beyond her actual age. She finds both the depth and humor in this weighty role. Her love for Sophie rivals any mother daughter bond and I all but wept during her version of “Slipping Through My Fingers.” Her natural performance never hints at the technical prowess needed to survive Donna’s vocally demanding repertoire and she sings every note with apparent effortlessness. Her final solo number, “The Winner Takes It All,” completely captivates the audience with its heartache and beauty, and, frankly, steals the show.
The Morgan Theatre at Utah State University is a fantastic venue for this show. The thrust stage, with its under-the-audience “vomitoriums,” offers many options for the cast to enter and exit the acting space, and makes the audience feel like part of the action. I hope the theatre will be filled to capacity for their remaining shows. The quality is well worth the affordable ticket price. The movie version is rated PG-13 and this show is not only better acted (and sung) but is cleaner. I also appreciate that the ticketing site contains a clear content advisory notice for patrons. Lyric Repertory Company’s Mamma Mia! at the Morgan Theatre is a must-see show. It is perfect for a summer outing with a special someone or a group of friends. I will be seeing it again.
Lyric Repertory Company presents Mamma Mia! by Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of ABBA composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus.
Chase Fine Arts Building, USU Campus, Logan, UT 84321
June 21-22, 27, July 11, 17, 20, 27, 31, 2019
Tickets: $15 – $25
Contact: (Caine Lyric Repertory Theatre Box Office) 435-797-8022
Lyric Repertory Facebook Page
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