Review: MAMMA MIA! at Bass Concert Hall

Hey There! Have you seen MAMMA MIA the Musical? How about Mamma Mia the film with the legendary Meryl Streep? How about Abba, the band? You know, the Swedish group that took the world by storm in 1974 when they won the Eurovision song contest with “Waterloo”? It doesn’t matter your age, or how long ago 1974 seems to you, ABBA lives on. Through the 1980s, ’90s, and onward, ABBA keeps on going. They’re a part of the zeitgeist, and their music is infectious.

The musical MAMMA MIA! premiered in London’s West End in 1999, built entirely around the music of ABBA. Already iconic, the group’s catalog found new life onstage through the vision of creator Judy Craymer, with music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and a book by Catherine Johnson. Rather than a simple jukebox concert, the show weaves these songs into a sunny, slightly chaotic story set on a Greek island, where a bride secretly invites three men who might be her father to a wedding, setting the stage for a blend of identity, romance, and unabashed fun anchored by hits like “Dancing Queen.”

The result was nothing short of a global phenomenon. The production opened on Broadway in 2001 and ran for 14 years, becoming one of the longest-running shows in Broadway history. It has been seen by more than 65 million people worldwide and produced in over 50 countries and multiple languages. Its reach expanded even further with the successful film adaptation, which only deepened its cultural footprint and introduced the music to yet another generation.

Now about the story. It’s not Pulitzer prize winning stuff. But, in the case of the current touring production now playing at Bass Concert Hall through April 19th, the success of this show is not just carried by the music, but by performances that supply the emotional weight the script doesn’t provide. A strong cast in MAMMA MIA! is effectively doing dramaturgy, emotional continuity, and tonal calibration all at once, in real time, while singing ABBA at full tilt. With a set designed by Mark Thompson that is still beautiful despite being pared down from the original for this tour, Howard Harrison’s gorgeous lighting, and Anthony Van Laast’s uncomplicated and fun choreography, this ensemble fully commits to the story, and gives us 100% for the entire, energetic 2.5 hours of the show. For a show that leans heavily on buoyant energy and broad humor, the success of this production rests squarely on the cast, who approach the material with sincerity and craft. Their commitment transforms what could read as mere silliness into something more grounded, inviting the audience into the shared experience rather than winking at it from a distance.

Still, Jessica Crouch’s Donna and Victor Wallace’s Sam are tasked with carrying the deepest emotional weight of the show. Crouch hits “The Winner Takes It All” with the powerhouse intent the moment is meant for. Throughout the show we really believe Donna’s held her life together by sheer momentum. Carly Sakolove (Rosie) and Jalynn Steele (Tanya) both accomplish the task of being entirely believable, even in the context of the broad humor we’ve come to expect from the way they’re written in the show. While those of us who love Abba might have our favorite songs, Steele’s “Does Your Mother Know” is a standout.

And I can’t go without saying, in the arc of my work in theatre for over mumble-something years, it’s a rare musical places a middle-aged woman at the center of the story and allows her the full arc, and rarer still one that lets her arrive not in tragedy, but in joy. Hats off to MAMMA MIA! for getting this right.

The MAMMA MIA! mega-mix finale remains a full-on concert party, (if you’re sensitive, bring ear plugs) and is arguably one of the most exhilarating curtain calls in musical theater — a perfect expression of why MAMMA MIA! still works.

There is no irony here, only pure sincerity, as the show leans fully into joy, nostalgia, chosen family, and messy, real love.This show is a part of what helped legitimize the jukebox musical as a commercial force; without its success, shows like JERSEY BOYS, BEAUTIFUL, or even MOULIN ROUGE! might not exist in quite the same way. And time and again, audiences respond in kind, embracing the experience wholeheartedly and rising to meet it with unfiltered delight.

You have six chances left to see this ebullient 25th anniversary touring production of MAMMA MIA! for the first time or on repeat. Take a chance on the show, before it slips through your fingers. It’s a magical chance to let your inner Dancing Queen loose.

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