MAMMA MIA! Dances Into San Antonio

The North American touring production of Mamma Mia! returned to San Antonio's Majestic Theatre this week for an extremely limited engagement.  I was in the audience on the opening night of this audience-interactive musical for a first-time viewing experience.

Let me preface the following commentary with this:  I have never seen Mamma Mia! live.  I have seen the 2008 film production, so I knew at least a little bit of what I was getting into when it comes to the basis of the show - a plot built around pre-existing pop songs, defying most of the traditions of creating a musical.  I'm not going to summarize the show's plot, but rather provide my personal opinion on this specific production.

Initially, I found the minimal set made up of, generally, just two pieces to be disappointing.  However, as the cutely-costumed crew rotated the building exteriors to become several different sets, I became quite interested in what angles they would utilize next to accomplish the desired setting.  I'm unsure of the complexities of the Broadway production's set, but the tour production definitely made do with what they had.  The lighting and sound was also superb.

I was a little let down by the lead performances of Liana Hunt (Sophie Sheridan) and Michelle Dawson (Donna Sheridan).  I felt like both of them would have performed better in different roles that fit their voices better.  The show-stealer of this production is Rachel Tyler in the role of Tanya.  It took a few scenes before she clicked into it, but when she did, she played the role of a hyperbolized rich triple-divorcée cougar with incredible comedic timing and great vocals, and received endless laughter from the audience.  She was definitely the highlight for me.

While Mamma Mia! won't be added to my list of Top 10 favorite musicals, it was a fun show for a group of friends to attend, or for a mother-daughter outing.  You won't see me dancing in the aisles during "Take a Chance on Me," but there's definitely a crowd for just such an experience, and Mamma Mia! fits that niche.