Jessica Webba, Presley Duyck and Thi Le in Lyric Stage’s ‘Mamma Mia!’ (Production photos by Jamie Brogdon)
Mamma Mia! is an easy crowd pleaser primarily due to its ABBA music soundtrack, but the cast has to match that buoyant energy of those songs and the rom-com story that goes with it. In its preview Thursday night at the Majestic Theatre before Friday’s (tonight’s) opening, the cast had one more time for any fine-tuning. By the looks and sounds of last night’s performance, they were easily on track.
Lyric’s approach to its shows are famously minimalist. The focus is less on scene and more on the actors, singers and music. The actors’ jobs aren’t just to perform their roles but also make the audience see the scenery. The show conveyed the island and its blue waters and skies merely through scrims and blue lighting but effectively so.
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The story centers on Sophie (Presley Duyck) who invites three men who could be her father to her upcoming wedding to Sky (Dwight Taylor). Her mother Donna (Mary Gilbreath Grim) is unaware while she waits for her girlfriends Tanya (Megan A. Liles) and Rosie (Samantha Padilla) who all performed in a girl group in their younger days. When Sam (Aaron Mateo Arroyo), Bill (Cody Alarcon) and Harry (Sergio Antonio Garcia) respond to Sophie’s invitation and reconnect with Donna, emotions are upended, revelations are discovered and ABBA songs are sung.
Mary Gilbreath Grim and cast.
Duyck portrayed a darling Sophie earnest with young love. She had a wonderful compatibility with Taylor who mixed frat boy realness with a good-guy tenderness. While the story centered on Sophie, the show belongs to Donna. Grim was warm with maternal instinct to Duyck’s character and then strong and independent amid her girlfriends while also confused and love-stricken (or maybe just horny) with her three former suitors. Grim nailed all these attributes switching from one to the other with ease. As Donna, Grim got several showy numbers, but she delivered a heart wrenching showstopper with “The Winner Takes It All.” The applause drowned out her final vocal run but it was nonetheless majestic.
Arroyo’s normal everyman Sam was anything but. He had an arsenal of physical comedy, vocal powerhouse and understated sex appeal that combined well with his counterparts but also Grim. Alacorn sometimes seemed out of place but found a nice groove comedically with Padilla in their humorous “Take a Chance on Me” duet and had emotional rapport with Duyck during “The Name of the Game.”
Garcia was a precocious Harry who brought great physicality yet could verge on playing over the top at times but would dial it back in softer scenes, particularly in “Our Last Summer.” Padilla was nonstop hilarity with a heart in “Chiquitita” and her scene with Alacorn. Liles take on Tanya was sometimes muddled by an overly done British accent, but certainly slayed her big number “Does Your Mother Know.”
The principals and the ensemble all gave off joyous energy as if absorbing the cheerful power of ABBA and delivering it to their roles. They all gave big energy to Kelly McCain’s demanding choreography and music director Vonda K. Bowling’s orchestra was concise in nailing that ABBA sound. Director Christpher J. Deaton led the show with an energetic pace while never rushing the story. Also props for the diverse representation seen across the board onstage.
Mamma Mia! was simply fun-filled with emotion and celebration and well-received by Thursday’s roaring audience reminding that the story’s heart and songs were still irresistible. The show opens Lyric Stage’s 29th season and runs through Sunday at the Majestic Theater.
–Rich Lopez
