Mamma Mia Comes to the Orpheum

MINNEAPOLIS - I’m not the type of guy who goes to musicals every time they come in to town. That being said, I am a big fan of the arts in this community and have no desire to limit what I expose myself to. As such, I jumped at the opportunity to catch Mamma Mia on the opening day of its 6-day run at the Orpheum in Minneapolis.

Mamma Mia is known as a jukebox musical, celebrating the music of 1970’s Swedish pop-sensation ABBA. Jukebox musicals are unique, in that the plot is weaved around a number of previously popularized tunes, rather than vice-versa. This Broadway smash hit, which just rolled into town Tuesday night, has already been seen by more than 40 million people, worldwide, and led to the Hollywood remake for the big screen, which featured Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan.

The story centers around Donna Sheridan, a hard-working single mother and inn keeper on a quaint Greek island, and her daughter, Sophie, who is set to be married but wants to find her father to take her down the aisle. While Donna invites here lifelong best girlfriends, and former members of the musical group Donna & the Dynamos, to the wedding, Sophie secretly invites three men from Donna’s past, in hopes of finally learning the identity of her dad. What follows is 24-hours of chaos, romance, and comic relief leading up to a walk down the aisle.

A number of popular ABBA tunes are performed throughout the show, including Money Money Money, Dancing Queen, and Take a Chance on Me. Although it was nice to hear some of those songs, I preferred the lesser-known tracks, perhaps because I came in with very high expectations for the hits I had already come to know and love.

The entire performance was very comical and some scenes had the audience bursting at the seams. While the first half was full of energy and laughter, the second half of the performance seemed to drag just a bit, leaving patrons shifting in their seats. I think this was likely the result of a number of solo/duet numbers lined up back-to-back-to-back in the second half of the show. The numbers performed by a quorum of characters simply had an energy that could not be matched when only a couple of actors were on stage.

The role of Donna Sheridan was played by understudy Jane Cooke, and while her performance was serviceable, I think she may have lacked the chemistry and comfort likely displayed by Michelle Dawson, who typically plays the role. While most of the performers did a nice job, Donna’s girlfriends stole the show. Rosie (played by Kittra Wynn Coomer) and Tanya (Rachel Tyler) are a laugh a minute and every time either one was on stage the entire audience was engaged. They each displayed a stage presence which was unrivaled amongst their peers.

So, if you like the tunes of ABBA, want to have a night of light-hearted laughs, or just have an urge to find some folks in platform heels and spandex, put Mamma Mia on the list.

Shows run through Sunday, March 14 and tickets range from $28-88. Tickets may be purchased in person at the State Theatre Box Office, online at HennepinTheatreTrust.org, or through Ticketmaster.