INTERVIEW: 3 Mamma Mia Stars in Charm City

One of the first shows to play in the newly renovated Hippodrome Theatre here in Baltimore was the mega-hit musical, Mamma Mia! No sooner did it leave than the question of when it would return surfaced. Well, just over two years later, it is back in Baltimore, shiny spandex, romantic plot and sizzling ABBA tunes intact. This time, the show also brings with it several new stars, including Laurie Wells, Sean Allan Krill and Carrie Manolakos, who play Donna, Sam and Sophie, respectively. All three have varying lengths of tenure with the show, but it is clear that the few short months they have spent together have brought new dimension to the show with a wonderful chemistry that has added a new layer of depth to this crowd-pleaser. The level of emotion between the pair is very honest and, from what they told me, very real for all three.

I was fortunate enough to have each of these wonderfully talented actors take time out to answer a few questions. There is no way to adequately put on the typed page the genuine warmth, generosity and mutual respect these people convey toward each other and even toward this writer. Meeting them has truly been a highlight of my writing for this site.

I first spoke with Sean Allan Krill, who plays Sam:

James Howard (JH): Welcome to Baltimore, Mr. Krill! You are a relative newcomer to the show. How did you find the "fitting in process"?

Sean Allan Krill (SAK): Thanks for the welcome! It's nice to be in Baltimore; I have never toured through here before, so I'm excited. It's so nice that we have 2 weeks to spend in the city. I really like it so far; haven't had the chance to explore much, but I think on Monday I'm going to get out and see some sights. Great audiences - beautiful theatre!

JH: How did you find the "fitting in process"? Have Milo Shandel (Bill Austin) and Laurie Wells (Donna Sheridan), who were both with the show when it was last here, and other cast members been of help? How so?

SAK: Yes, I joined the tour about 6 months ago. Laurie [Wells – Donna], Carrie[Manolakos – Sophie], Corey [Greenan – Sky] and I went into the roles on March 7 in Tucson, Arizona. They had all been involved in the show before, so I was the only really, really 'new guy'. They were great. I remember being so overwhelmed and surprised at the feel-good vibe of this company. It's a GREAT group of people, and though, of course touring, comes with its ups and downs, the general attitude of this company is so positive and welcoming. I was, and remain, so grateful for that. Martha Banta, the managing director of the tour, was so wonderful about letting the four of us find our place in the show on our own. Never once did I feel I was being crammed into a role in a 'cookie-cutter' show. She was especially great about letting Laurie and I explore these roles, and Sam and Donna's relationship. Laurie and I, from day one, really took a liking to each other and were both so intent on 'finding the love' between these two otherwise sort of embittered characters. Martha was totally on board with that and allowed us to discover so much on our own. It was, surprisingly for me, a really artistic, challenging and fun process working on this show; I must admit that when I took the job I fully expected it to be exactly the opposite - that I would be told where to go, when to turn my head, what word to stress... that wasn't at all the case. We actually started the process with sitting around the table and just reading through the scenes. 'Table work'! I loved it. And then when we got on our feet the first time, Martha said, "Okay, so you enter there and need to be here by the time you sing (for the lights) but in between, let's just play and see what happens." Again - so unexpected, and perfect for me - because that's my favorite way to work. Milo [Shandel] and Ian [Simpson] (who play Bill and Harry) were also wonderful about 'playing' with me in rehearsals and allowing me to 'be my own Sam' - I'm sure not an easy task, since they've both been doing this for quite awhile. Love those guys. And Carrie - wow, I am so lucky that I sing "Knowing Me, Knowing You" to her - she is so earnest and present every night, and makes singing a potentially awkward 'I-just-divorced-my-wife-that-the-audience-doesn't-even-know' song a joy to perform, I guess because now it feels less selfishly motivated, and more about helping Sophie.

JH: What is it like touring in such an amazingly popular show? How are the audiences in general? How do you like the audiences in Baltimore so far? The Hippodrome?
SAK: Touring in this show is so fun. I love seeing these places I've never seen. This is an amazing country, and doing a national tour affords me the chance to really experience a lot of different places I otherwise don't know I'd ever get to see. And doing this show? Wow, it's a blast. I don't know what else to say. I mean, I really cannot imagine a more 'feel-good' show than Mamma Mia! - it's just true. And being in it is so much fun. It's work, yes, as with any job - but wow is it fun to sing this great music (I stand by the fact that ABBA's music is so much more than fluffy disco-era schmaltz - I think their writing and recordings are the stuff of brilliant, perfectly executed pop music) and go home every night riding the high of the finale of the show. The audiences LOVE the show - they're always on their feet at the end, having a great time, dancing, singing along with us, laughing and pointing at my codpiece (is there really any doubt that Sam is The Dad? ...the clues are all there!) ...I love it. And Baltimore's been no exception either. The audiences have been so receptive... The Hippodrome feels very intimate compared to a lot of the large venues we play. I always prefer that - I feel like a smaller house makes the story part of the show more accessible, and a little easier, from my perspective, to tell the story. The fun and spectacle and amazing music of this show will always be there... but having the story actually come through is what I think the challenge of being an actor in Mamma Mia! is - and I love that challenge.

JH: What is your favorite moment in the show? Why?

SAK: Hmm. Tough question. I think I have 2: The first is, I guess, my favorite 'Sam moment' - and that is at the end, during the wedding, when Sam finally drops his proud male-driven bulls*!t and just owns up to his past mistakes and sort of reveals the secrets he's been hiding since he arrived on the island. I don't know why I like it - I guess I liken it to a good old-fashioned Shakespearean 'recognition scene' when all is revealed, secrets come out that need to be heard, the air is cleared, and the characters are allowed to unite... I'm a sucker for that. A big, fat happy ending - maybe cliché, but it feels real to me, and I love the resolution of it all. And specifically for Sam, who is sort of the 'bad guy' in the play for a while... well, I just like having a chance to tell the audience his reasons for making the mistakes he made. My second favorite moment is purely selfish: I LOVE doing the "Winner Takes It All" scene and song with Laurie - her voice is so glorious, and I really love the fact that the whole thing, dialogue and song, feels like this great climactic scene... but what I love most is that I'm the one that gets to stand there and have her sing that song to me. I always say - I'm the lucky one; I have the best seat in the house for "Winner". When she kicks into the end of that song, with the band, and everybody singing the backups backstage... all directed at me. I mean, come ON - it's brilliant! Who's the luckiest ABBA fan in the world???!!!??

I next had the opportunity to ask Laurie Wells a few questions.

JH: Welcome back to Baltimore, Ms. Wells! The last time you were here, you understudied the role of Donna, which you now play, and went on a few times. How has the role evolved for you? How is your performance different from when you were last here?

Laurie Wells (LW): It has really changed from when I was an understudy last year. When someone actually gives you the part you feel validated somehow. You can OWN it more than when you were asked to watch someone else and do what they do. You have permission to make it your own and take risks and really live the character on a day-to-day basis. You get comfortable with yourself and your character.

JH: How do you keep your performance so fresh after years with the same show? How do you prepare on a day-to-day basis?

LW: Well, I love this role and every night it changes for me. Our director gave us a lot of freedom to really bring ourselves to the roles. When my mood changes, so does Donna's. Of course, I keep my intentions the same, but I really stay available to THE MOMENT I am in. It does help that I am working with some remarkable actors, (Sean Krill and Carrie Manolakos) who really bring all of themselves to the show each night. They show up and LIVE the show every night. To prepare on a daily basis, I have a workout that I must do to warm my body up and I vocalize throughout the day to prepare. On tour, you really live the show.

JH: What is your favorite moment in the show? Why?

LW: I love “Slipping Through my Fingers”; I think it is so true and so simple. I love my daughter, [ Carrie]”. I really love her and feel a motherly instinct towards her. Donna (me) is also OBSESSED WITH SEAN KRILL!!!

Finally, Carrie Manolakos had this to share:

JH: Welcome to Baltimore, Ms. Manolakos!  As a relative newcomer to the tour, how has the cast helped you fit in?  As you and your Sky (Corey Greenan) came into the show together, do you think that helped establish you as a "couple" easier?  How so?
Carrie Manolakos (CM): This is truly a remarkable company. When I first joined the tour, I was thrilled to find such a warm and inviting group of people. I was one of the youngest in the company at the time, I felt nervous and shy when I first got here, but those feelings went away as I got to know the company more and more.  Corey Greenan actually joined the company two weeks before I did. We started getting along pretty early on and as time passed we grew closer. Now I consider him one of my closest friends out here. It definitely helped us as a "couple" in the show. It is amazing to have this experience, but to share it with someone else makes it that much more wonderful.

JH: How did your casting in Mamma Mia come about?  What in your college and training prepared you for this tour?
CM: My casting in Mamma Mia is kind of a strange story. I was in college at the time at NYU and as part of the curriculum in our third year, we had a worshop class where casting directors came give us feedback on a "mock audition".  I happened to sing for Eric Woodall, who is the casting director for Mamma Mia. I had always thought to myself that I wanted to graduate before I actually went out and auditioned for anything. But I got a call a couple of months later to come in for Mamma Mia. I went on my first audition and it went really well. I had to more auditions after that and 10 days after my third audition, I found myself in Winnipeg, Canada as a part of the Mamma Mia company. I am currently on a leave of absence from NYU, with only 6 credits left, and I will finish when I return to New York City.

JH: What is it like on the road, going to a different city each week?  (The show will be playing in Baltimore for 2 weeks.)

CM:Being on the road is the best and the worst part of the experience. It is amazing going all around North America and seeing different cities. I would never have seen most of these cities ff I wasn't on the road. It is, however, really exhausting traveling all the time, and living in different hotels. I often think about how nice it would be to have my own place. But for now, this is really wonderful to travel around with a great group of people and to see North America.

JH: How does your onstage relationship with Donna (Laurie Wells) compare to real life?  Are there any similarities/differences from your real relationship with your parents that you draw upon when preparing
your character each night?

CM: I absolutely adore Laurie Wells , and I am thrilled and priviledged to be on stage with her each night. She is a wonderful human being. Not only do I think she is brilliant actress, but she makes me laugh all the time. Laurie is very maternal to me onstage and off. She definitely takes good care of me. Laurie is very different from my actual parents; however, I can draw a lot from the relationship I have with my own parents and use it with laurie. Laurie and I fortunately have an amazing connection, as I do with my own parents. She is very giving and vulnerable onstage and she makes it very easy to go there.

JH: What is your favorite moment in the show?  Why?

CM: I have a few favorite moments in the show. I love "Slipping Through My Fingers" with Laurie. It's a beautifully simple scene that I don't think the audience expects. Mamma Mia is a very upbeat show with not that complicated of a plot, but that scene is very well written. It is simple, touching and to the point.  Some of my other favorite moments are "Honey Honey", the dads; arrival scene with "Thank You for the Music", and "Lay All your Love" with Corey.  I fortunately have great people to work with and a wonderfully fun role, so I really enjoy all of my time onstage.

Thank you, Sean, Laurie and Carrie for your time, thoughtful answers, and for coming to Baltimore and sharing your talents with us!

Mamma Mia continues through Sunday at the Hippodrome. See the Charm City Calendar for details. The Mamma Mia Company will also be performing a benefit at the Hippo (nightclub) on Wednesday, September 6th. See Charm City Stage Door for more details. Proceeds benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and AIDS Action Baltimore.

PHOTOS: Top: Sean Allan Krill (Center).  Middle: Laurie Wells (Center).  Bottom: Carrie Manolakos (Right).  Photos of the National Touring Company of Mamma Mia! by Joan Marcus.