Interview: MAMMA MIA!'s Carly Sakolove is Bringing Her 'Best Version of Rosie' to Broadway

Carly Sakolove is currently making her Broadway debut as Rosie in the Broadway revival of Mamma Mia! now playing at the Winter Garden Theatre. Carly previously played Rosie in both the 2013/14 and 25th Anniversary tours! Her Off-Broadway credits include The Book of Merman (Ethel), NEWSical, and The Marvelous Wonderettes. Her on screen credits include "The Watcher" (Netflix) and Joanna Gleason’s The Grotto. She is also known for her viral YouTube video "Broadway Divas Send in the Clowns." Carly started her career in NYC as an actor, celebrity impressionist, and cabaret performer.

BroadwayWorld spoke with Carly about how it feels to bring her version of Rosie to Broadway, what she remembers most from opening night and more! See photography from BroadwayWorld's Jennifer Broski, and read the full interview here! 

You’ve played Rosie on tour before, but this is your first time bringing her to Broadway. How did it feel to take your first Broadway bow?

It was something I don’t think I’ll ever feel again. It was a very special and emotional moment. I started doing theater when I was six, I watched my mom do community theater when I was a little kid, and it’s always been my dream. It’s a likely story from a theater kid! [laughs] But taking a Broadway bow was a culmination of all my efforts, and all of the ‘no’s’ along the way, and all of the people that believed in me along the way. If you could wrap it all into one sweet moment, that’s what that Broadway bow was.

What do you remember most from opening night?

Opening night was like the tornado in The Wizard of Oz! It all happened and then it was over. I keep saying to people that I wish I could go back, like, four more times and just talk to more people at the party and have tried the food! I didn’t eat anything! [laughs] Just seen more people or done more things, but it was a perfect day.

I think one of the memories that stands out was being interviewed on the red carpet in front of the Winter Garden. My parents, and my sister, and my wife were all there watching and seeing it all play out, and that was a wonderful memory. Because really takes a village to make this sort of dream come true, and those people have sacrificed a lot for me, and they’ve been there through the ups and downs, and I’ve cried on all their shoulders [laughs]. And so, having that moment, that probably stands out the most.

How has your interpretation of the character of Rosie evolved over the years, and did you bring anything new to Rosie for Broadway?

When I first played Rosie, it was in 2012, and that is almost 13 years ago. I was late twenties, which, as we know, these characters skew 30s/40s, but I was late twenties, and I thought I knew a lot about the world [laughs]. I brought what I could to the role at that point in time, but the gift of it all was getting to play the role again after that much more life happened. I feel like the first time around I was not as seasoned as an actor, and I was maybe focused a bit more on the jokes and getting a laugh. Rosie is characterized as the clown, the comic relief, the funny one, and I think this time around I wanted to really dig into the character and embrace her more as a well-rounded person, and someone with insecurities.

A three-way friendship is a dynamic thing as Donna and the Dynamos, and it’s easy to run around, but to think about what your relationships are to each of these women as individuals, and how the dynamic goes between Donna and Tanya, Tanya and Rosie, Rosie and Donna, being able to dig into those specific relationships and root my Rosie more in truth, it really opened up a world for me in terms of the script. The script is the same script, you get what you get, but I’ve been able to use my life’s challenges, and the ups and the downs and really bring it into the character.

It really is a gift to do it again. And I’ve actually gotten way more laughs as well! That’s also the beauty of being on tour, doing this particular show for the last two years, it’s a live being on that stage, and we’re really able to play. It’s wonderful that the directors have given us those liberties. There are a lot of things that are set in stone, a lot of marks we have to hit, but we really do play off of each other, especially in that act one bedroom scene that has 'Chiquitita' and 'Dancing Queen.' I really feel like at this point I’m my best version of Rosie.

On that note, do you have a favorite onstage moment in the show every night? Is it that moment, 'Chiquitita' into 'Dancing Queen?'

It definitely is. That is a huge one. There’s this little scene in between 'Chiquitita' and 'Dancing Queen' where Donna reveals that her former suitors are actually at the taverna. She tells Tanya and Rosie that they’re in the bar, and we run to the window to look at them, and she says, “Don’t let them see you!” and we call it ‘The Splat’ where Tanya basically projectile flies onto the bed, and I basically splat onto the floor and roll over myself, and then I proceed to army crawl to the window. It’s one of the most fun things I’ve ever done on stage. And I’m not going to say I haven’t hurt myself [laughs]. And singing 'Chiquitita' and 'Dancing Queen', where we’re just playing off each other and laughing and having a fun time, that’s one of the most exciting scenes I’ve ever done on stage.

But I also have another random fun moment, where in the wedding at the end, I say, “Let’s take a group picture!” and I throw the camera to the conductor, and we always have a fun little bit there, and I think that’s an Easter Egg for the people in the front row.

What do you want to tell future audience members who are planning to come and see the show?

Mamma Mia! is one of the most joyful pieces that I’ve ever worked on. First of all, people say, “It’s not Shakespeare,” it’s true, you’re not seeing Hamlet. But I like to say that it is kind of Shakespearean, it’s like one of his comedies; you’re on a Greek island, there’s a lot of characters, a lot of misunderstandings, it takes place in basically 24 hours, and a lot of hilarity ensues. So, I like to say it is kind of Shakespearean.

But, my point before that, is you’re there for a night of fun, and it is super fun. But what you maybe won't realize is that you’ll get very invested in the characters, you’ll get very invested in the beautiful story that revolves around friendships, around mother and daughter, father and daughter, a lot of these friendships and themes that maybe aren’t always looked at in a musical theater piece. There’s a love story, but the young love story isn’t at the forefront, even though it’s centered around the wedding. But you’ve got a second-act love story where Donna is revisited by the men of her past. So, a lot of people find themselves in a lot of the characters, and end up having more of a deep moment than they thought they would!

So, I think for the audiences, be open to anything, get ready to dance and sing at the end. We don’t exactly welcome people to sing and dance during the story, but at the end, I’d say stay for the curtain call, because you’ll hear a lot of amazing ABBA favorites, and that’s when people really get up and dance. One of the most beautiful things is the lights are up a bit more, I can see the audience during the Megamix. And I see people not just dancing and singing along, but turning to their friends, or turning to their mother, or grandmother, and feeling the music together, and simply having the time of their lives. It’s such a fun, beautiful show. Come, have fun, and enjoy.

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