Review: MAMMA MIA at Shea's 710 Theatre
MAMMA MIA at Shea's 710 Theatre delivers feel-good ABBA hits and standout performances in a lively stage celebration.
By: Michael Rabice Jan. 20, 2026
One of the highest grossing movie musicals of all time just happens to be that wonder hit MAMMA MIA based on the 2001 Broadway stage musical . Thought to be the most successful jukebox musical ever, the story of a young bride-to-be's quest to find out who here real dad is on the eve of her wedding is merely the springboard to launch a musical score chock full of ABBA's greatest hits. The stage version has toured for years and is yet again on Broadway right now.
Shea's 710 Theatre has programmed yet another audience crowd pleaser, after the success of DREAMGIRLS. Presented by Second Generation Theatre, MAMMA MIA is virtually a total sell out even before opening night. Crowds love the hit parade from ABBA's catalog, despite the fact that many of them carry only a hint of relevance to the story.
The book by Catherine Johnson begins when Sophie, our young bride-to-be, finds her mother Donna's diary, revealing that there are 3 men who had brief romances with her mom one summer on the small Greek isle where they all live. She pens letters in her mother's name inviting each man back to the island, never stating the purpose. All 3 show up, but are baffled by Sophie's ruse, and the chaos ensues. Donna's two best gal pals from a short lived singing trio (Tanya and Rosie), arrive for the wedding, giving even more opportunities for gratuitous opportunities to break into song.
Julia Watt is charming and naive as Sophie, singing in a crystal clear plaintive style. Her youthful naivete works perfectly for this frothy piece. She is giddy with anticipation for wedding, yet nervous about the identity of her real dad. Watt finds a unique bond with each of the potential fathers in an endearing way.
Kelly Copps is truly the anchor to this production. Copps is a pro and delivers some gutsy singing alongside some playful glimpses of her younger days. By the time she belts out "The Winner Takes It All" she has the audience in the palm of her hand.
Donna's sidekicks are both quite wonderful. The tall, leggy and sexy Bethany Moore oozes glamour as Tanya (three times divorced!) Her rendition of "Does Your Mother Know" was brilliantly sung and danced. Michele Marie Roberts epitomized the wise cracking best friend Rosie. Roberts is brusque in a coy and playful way, and her "Take A Chance On Me" pulled out all the stops in comedic staging.
When Copps, Moore and Roberts team up the chemistry sizzles, as the gal pals rekindle old memories and harmonize like the old days.
The trio of possible dads could not be more different from each other in type, carriage and physique. Philip Farugia is a big burly man and finds great humor as the world traveler Bill Austin. Bobby Cooke is the proper Brit, Harry Bright, whose brief fling with Donna was truly an unexpected happenstance. Chris Avery as Sam Carmichael seems to be the most likely possible dad, given his tumultuous past with Donna-- where a fractured relationship ended badly. When Avery and Coops sing "SOS" you feels the pangs of heartbreak after happier times.
The large ensemble is made of young singers and dancers who are having a rollicking time on a beautiful Greek paradise of an island. Choreographer Michael Deeb Weaver has the uber danceable ABBA music as his palate and fashions some creative moves for his cast, which dives in with abandon. We are treated to classic dance moves of the 70's, plus some playful additions of boys dancing in scuba flippers and a full on disco concert finale with the 3 sets of adults all donning those wonderfully tacky ABBA costumes.
Stage Director Lisa Ludwig has delivered a frothy confection that moves the action swiftly, allowing for those more tender serious moments to shine through (thanks to some effective lighting by Chris Cavanagh). It's hard to take the piece too seriously and the balmy setting along with breezy summer costumes by Lindsay Salamone ensure a light hearted feel. Cavanagh's large unit set fits any Greek island, like Mykonos, with bright white walls and ocean blue trim.
Music Director Allan Paglia leads the off stage band full of synthesizers to recreate that very unique ABBA vibe. Many of the solos and duets are backed up by offstage oohs and aahs, fleshing out beloved songs like "Dancing Queen," "Super Trouper." and "Knowing Me, Knowing You."
Any show that has the audience on it's feet for the "concert" of hits after the final curtain means you have a hit on your hands. MAMMA MIA will always succeed thanks to the infectious quality of the music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. No, this is surely not high brow stuff. It is quite the opposite-- a feel good production that is purely escapist in nature, prone to silliness and chock full of nostalgia.
MAMMA MIA, presented by Second Generation Theatre, plays at Shea's 710 Theatre through Feb 1, 2026. Contact sheas.org for more information
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