Review: BROADWAY SINGS ABBA at The Cutting Room Reinvents the Band's Greatest Hits

On September 26, Broadway Sings brought Broadway Sings ABBA to The Cutting Room. The night celebrated the legendary Swedish band’s greatest hits, reinvented with new arrangements and powerhouse vocals. Under the music direction of Nick Wilders, the show proved that ABBA’s catalog can thrive in any genre and still connect with audiences.

The band was led by Wilders on keys, joined by David Cinquegrana, Colin Dean, Price McGuffey, Yayoi Ikawa, Gaby Figueroa, Sally Gorski, Allie Pritchard, Clyde Daley, Freddie Fredrickson, and Amy Griffiths. Together, they laid down a foundation that balanced precision with groove, giving every singer the freedom to make their own statement. Background vocals from D’Nasya Jordan, Meg Dwinell, and Arnold Harper II added depth and warmth, filling the arrangements with rich harmony.

The cast featured D'Nasya Jordan, Taylor Iman Jones, Meg Dwinell, Kyle Taylor Parker, Tim Ehrlich, Anthony Festa, Lila Coogan, L. Rodgers, Corey Mach, Emily Alvarado, Kelly McIntyre, and Arnold Harper II. It was a lineup of Broadway talent using their abilities to take familiar songs and spin them into something fresh.

One of the most moving moments came from L. Rodgers, whose emotional rendition of "Chiquitita" stripped the song back to its core. Rodgers’ voice carried both strength and tenderness, drawing out the heartache in the lyrics and allowing the audience to hear the song’s vulnerability in a new way. It was a performance that felt personal and it hit the audience right in the heart.

Taylor Iman Jones electrified the stage with "SOS/Under Attack," delivering a performance that leaned into an almost emo-rock aesthetic. The darker edge and driving intensity transformed the familiar melodies into something raw and unexpected, showing how well ABBA’s catalog can adapt to modern styles.

A highlight of the evening was Emily Alvarado’s bachata-inspired version of Fernando. With its rhythmic sway and Alvarado’s warm, resonant vocals, the number became a celebration as much as a ballad. The subtle shift in style gave the song a new identity, and adding some Spanish lyrics made it whole.

 Kelly McIntyre took on “Lay All Your Love on Me” with a hard rock twist. Her powerhouse vocals and commanding stage presence turned the number into a full-throttle showstopper, leaving the crowd buzzing with energy and cheering long after the last note.

By the night’s end, Broadway Sings ABBA had the entire Cutting Room audience on their feet, celebrating not only the music of ABBA but also the inventive spirit of the Broadway Sings series. It was proof that timeless songs can always surprise when given space to be changed by artists unafraid to take risks.