Skylight Music Theatre cast brings high spirits to ABBA songs of 'Mamma Mia!'
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
ABBA fans can be grateful that Sophie (Camara Stampley) and Sky (Ben Broughton) must have skipped the pre-Cana counseling sessions before their Greek island wedding.
All the excitement, anxiety and secrets they might have shared with each other comes roaring out to us in ABBA songs, from "The Name of the Game" to "Slipping Through My Fingers," in Skylight Music Theatre's new production of "Mamma Mia!," which opened Friday to an enthusiastic full house at the Broadway Theatre Center.
Monica Kapoor, who performed in this jukebox musical on Broadway, directed and choreographed the Skylight production. Her dance background shows: The production's strong ensemble is deployed creatively and energetically, often as a source of boisterous humor.
Raised by single mother Donna (Lisa Estridge) on a Greek island, Stampley's Sophie, 20, wants her father to walk her down the aisle. But who is he? Based on a reading of her mother's diary, she invites three likely suspects to the wedding: architect Sam (Victor Wallace), Australian writer Bill (Jake Horstmeier) and British banker Harry (Ben George). Naturally, she doesn't tell Mom, who's startled to see three former lovers show up after a couple of decades.
That's a ridiculous situation concocted by writer Catherine Johnson, but it provides all the scaffolding necessary for the bouncy pop-rock songs and heart-on-sleeve ballads written by ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus with help from Stig Anderson. David Bonofiglio music-directs the Skylight's capable band.
Conveniently, Estridge's Donna was the leader of a female singing trio. Her former partners Tanya (Kelly Britt) and Rosie (Amanda Satchell) arrive for moral support and knockout versions of "Dancing Queen" and "Super Trouper." Britt and Satchell also make a terrific comic duo with a touch of Ginger/Mary Ann dynamic.
Estridge and Stampley bring powerful voices to the show. In tune with the music, Stampley displays Sophie's giddiness early, then her consternation when she realizes she's in way over her head.
Subtlety is not the name of the game in "Mamma Mia!," but George and Estridge provide an unexpectedly sweet and gentle moment with the nostalgic "Our Last Summer." More typical of the production's high spirits is "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do," but you'll have to see the show to see who does.
Oh, and wear comfortable shoes for the encore, as you'll be on your feet for a while.
Contact Jim Higgins at jim.higgins@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jhiggy.
If you go
Skylight Music Theatre performs "Mamma Mia! through Oct. 16 at the Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway. Visit skylightmusictheatre.org or call (414) 291-7800.
Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.
DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Skylight cast brings playful spirit to ABBA songs of 'Mamma Mia!'
