Review: MAMMA MIA! at Marcus Performing Arts Center

There is something wonderfully comforting about returning to Mamma Mia! You know the songs. You know the story. You probably even know exactly when you are going to laugh. But when the right cast comes together, none of that familiarity matters. Instead, it feels a little like reconnecting with old friends—and on opening night at the Marcus Performing Arts Center, these were friends I was very happy to see again.

From the first familiar notes to a curtain call that had the audience dancing in the aisles, this touring production of Mamma Mia! delivers an infectious combination of joy, humor and genuine heart.

Built around the music of ABBA, Mamma Mia! has long since proven that it is much more than a jukebox musical. Beneath the irresistible pop score is a story about mothers and daughters, friendship, independence, love and the families we create along the way. This production embraces all of it, with a remarkably strong cast that understands that the show's biggest moments work because we care about the characters singing those familiar songs.

At the center of it all is Jessica Crouch as Donna Sheridan, and she delivers a performance of tremendous vocal and emotional power. Early in the evening, “Money, Money, Money” becomes one of the production's highlights. The inventive staging captures the exhausting reality of Donna trying to keep her taverna running on her own before transforming into a dreamlike fantasy of escape. The choreography becomes an extension of Donna's imagination and her desire to escape the pressures surrounding her. The arrival of her longtime friends Tanya and Rosie turns the number into something more—a wonderfully exuberant celebration of friendship and female independence.

And what friends they are.

Kayla Ryan Walsh is perfectly cast as Rosie, bringing terrific comic timing and physical comedy to the role. Kristina Walz, performing the role of Tanya on opening night, is equally delightful. Together with Crouch, they create a friendship that feels lived-in and genuine. Their harmonies are gorgeous, particularly during “Super Trouper,” which begins with a breathtaking a cappella moment from Crouch before blossoming into a showcase not only for Donna, Tanya and Rosie, but for the strength of the entire ensemble.

Walz gets another opportunity to shine in Act Two with “Does Your Mother Know.” Her chemistry with the male ensemble is fantastic, and she commands the stage with confidence, humor and powerhouse vocals—particularly as the number builds toward its finish.

Juliette M. Ojeda brings warmth and emotional depth to Sophie, while Grant Reynolds is an engaging and vocally strong Sky. Ojeda and Reynolds share an easy, believable chemistry that gives their relationship genuine warmth amid all the chaos surrounding Sophie's impending wedding. Reynolds particularly shines alongside Ojeda in “Lay All Your Love on Me,” where their chemistry, vocals and the playful energy of the staging make the number another highlight of the evening.

Ojeda's scenes with Sophie's three potential fathers also allow each relationship to develop beyond the show's central comic premise. “The Name of the Game,” in particular, creates a touching connection between Sophie and Leland Burnett's Bill.

That emotional thread continues beautifully with “Our Last Summer,” featuring Burnett alongside Rob Hancock as Harry Bright and Victor Wallace as Sam Carmichael. The three work wonderfully together. Hancock brings an especially endearing vulnerability and awkwardness to Harry, while Wallace gives Sam a warm, fatherly presence backed by strong vocals. Wallace's performance also carries a welcome local connection for Wisconsin audiences: the actor is a native of Delavan, Wisconsin.

The production finds fresh visual life in some of the show's most familiar sequences as well. Act Two's “Under Attack” is particularly effective, using imagery, lighting and staging to create an appropriately surreal, almost psychedelic nightmare. The visual push and pull perfectly captures Sophie's growing anxiety and the feeling that she is being pulled in several directions at once.

For all the comedy and spectacle, however, Mamma Mia! is at its strongest when it allows its characters to simply connect.

“Slipping Through My Fingers” is beautifully handled by Crouch and Ojeda. Their chemistry makes the mother-daughter relationship feel genuine, and the number lands with all the bittersweet emotion of a parent realizing how quickly a child has grown.

Then comes “The Winner Takes It All.”

Crouch is magnificent.

Rather than simply treating the song as the inevitable eleven-o'clock vocal showcase, she builds it out of everything Donna has experienced throughout the evening. By the time she unleashes the full power of her voice, the result is electrifying. It is the kind of performance that sends chills through the theater—and on opening night, it practically brought the ceiling down.

One of the greatest strengths of this production is that it never feels like a collection of star turns. Mamma Mia! is a true ensemble piece, and this cast plays off one another beautifully. The featured performers, supporting players and ensemble work together to create the bustling world of the island, while the offstage vocals add remarkable richness to the show's already glorious harmonies.

And then, of course, comes the curtain call.

By that point, any pretense of sitting quietly in a theater is over. The cast turns the finale into a full-fledged ABBA celebration, with audience members singing along and dancing in the aisles.

After more than two decades of productions around the world, it would be easy for Mamma Mia! to feel like familiar theatrical comfort food. Instead, this touring company reminds us why audiences keep coming back.

The songs may bring us through the doors, but it is Donna, Sophie, Tanya, Rosie and this wonderfully connected ensemble that make us want to stay on the island just a little longer.

Mamma Mia is playing now through September 27 at the Marcus Performing Arts Center.

Photo: Juliette M. Ojeda (Sophie Sheridan), and the Company of MAMMA MIA! 25th Anniversary Tour

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