Jalynn Steele, Christine Sherrill, and Carly Sakolove in the 25th anniversary tour of ‘Mamma Mia!’ (Photos by Joan Marcus)
Stage Notes is a weekly aggregate post about theater, classical music and stage news, events, reviews and other pertinent information. Season announcements came in hot and heavy this week.
Stage Notes Calendar
Opening this week:
Broadway at the Center: Shrek the Musical, today-Saturday at the Winspear, pictured.
Folding Chairs Sketch Comedy: Where’s the Remote?, Friday and Saturday at The Core Theatre.
Company of Rowlett Performers: Wagon Wheels West, Friday-Sunday at the Plaza Theater in Garland.
Garland Summer Musicals: Crazy for You, Friday-July 28 at Granville Arts Center.
Repertory Company Theatre: Sister Act, Friday-Aug. 4.
Theatre Denton: The SpongeBob Musical, Friday-Aug. 4.
Art Centre Theatre: Disenchanted, Friday-July 27.
Onstage now:
Shakespeare Dallas:The Odyssey by Mary Zimmerman, through Friday at Samuel-Grand Amphitheater.
Broadway at the Bass: Mamma Mia!, through Sunday.
Shakespeare Dallas: Twelfth Night, through Sunday at Samuel-Grand Amphitheater.
Richardson Theatre Centre: One Slight Hitch, through July 28, pictured.
Stolen Shakespeare Guild: Kiss Me Kate, through July 28.
Uptown Players: The Prom, through July 28.
WaterTower Theatre: Mary Poppins, through July 28.
Dallas Theater Center: Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Friday-Aug. 4.
The Classics Theatre Project: True West, Friday-Aug. 24 at the Stone Cottage.
Pocket Sandwich Theatre: Herbbits, Wizards and Borks, through Aug. 24.
Bruce Wood Dance to appear in OKC this month
BWD heads to Oklahoma City next week where company member Megan Storey will perform in her hometown. At the Oklahoma International Dance Festival, Storey will dance her solo piece from Joy Bollinger’s “Slip Zone,” along with BWD company members highlighting Storey’s own choreography in “By Prayer and Petition,” her recent original creation for WOOD/SHOP.
Performances will be held July 26 and 27.
Circle Theatre brings back Summer Nights for new show
Go to Circle for a show, stay for live music. The Fort Worth theater announced that after its Saturday evening performances
of the world premiere of Imposter! Hypocrite! TARTUFFE! by Ashley H. White, guests can hang out after the show — or arrive late, whichevs — for free live music by local artists with specialty drinks, beer and wine. The doors stay open until midnight.
The Aug. 3 performance will also mark Circle’s Opening Night Celebration and will include desserts and drinks followed by live music by Strange Girl.
Repertory Company Theatre quietly dropped a new season
Just before it opened the musical Cats last month, RCT snuck in its new season of shows. The company will produce nine shows across two locations over its next season. The 2024/25 lineup will kick off in September but not that many shows are only having a microrun of one weekend.
RCT’s upcoming lineup:
Sept. 6-15: The Hound of the Baskervilles adapted by Tim Kelly from the story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This mystery relocates Sherlock Holmes and his trusty companion Dr Watson from Baker Street to desolate Dartmoor to investigate the mysterious events at Baskerville Hall and the presence of the deadly hound. Performances at RCT.
Oct. 11-27: Little Shop of Horrors. Performances at RCT.
Nov. 29-Dec. 1: Miracle on 34th Street. Performances at RCT.
Dec. 20-22: A Christmas Carol the Musical. Performances at the Courtyard Theater.
Feb. 14-16: Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. Performances at the Courtyard Theater.
March 21-30: Broadway’s Best: Once Upon a Mattress. Performances at RCT.
April 11-19: Legally Blonde. Performances at the Courtyard Theater.
June 20-29: 9 to 5 the Musical. Performances at the Courtyard Theater.
July 19-Aug. 3: South Pacific. Performances at RCT.
Season packages on sale now here.
Review: Mamma Mia! brings comforting fun to the Bass stage
Jim Newman, Victor Wallace and Rob Marnell in the 25th anniversary tour of ‘Mamma Mia!’
Pop music and theater are match made in heaven with so many musicals centering either on pop stars (Tina, MJ) or pop music (Moulin Rouge, Rock of Ages). Now a quarter-century into its existence, Mamma Mia! perhaps ignited that mix into a sensation. A charming rom-com story featuring ABBA’s pop music catalog sounded like a fresh idea and a win-win. Today, the show still serves up feel good vibes felt throughout Bass Hall.
On its opening night this past Tuesday, Mamma Mia! brought in a full house proving the show still has drawing power.
The story centers on Donna, a carefree 40-something preparing her Greek island rundown hotel for her daughter Sophie’s wedding to Sky. Sophie secretly invited three men, all former lovers of Donna, to the wedding with the idea of revealing one to be her father. Sam, Harry and Bill all arrive as do Donna’s two girlfriends Tanya and Rosie, all three who were a pop singing trio in younger days.
Despite a lively prologue medley of familiar ABBA songs, the show started off rather tepid with low energy. The first number, “I Have a Dream,” isn’t a banger, but Amy Weaver, as Sophie Sheridan, initially kicked off the show with a lukewarm vibe that lasted for about the first three numbers. Christine Sherrill kickstarted the show with the spirited “Mamma Mia” and then was bolstered by the appearance of Jalyn Steele and Carly Sakolove as Tanya and Rosie amping up the place with “Dancing Queen.” The show found its footing and the rest was all dynamic merrymaking.
Sherrill carried the show assuredly with her belting voice and maternal grace that was both plucky and serious. Steel and Sakolove were always a joy to watch as they both delivered big laughs during their numbers. Weaver played Sophie with charming strokes and her chemistry with Sherrill felt beautifully authentic as mother and daughter.
As the three dads, Rob Marnell, Jim Newman and Victor Wallace all brought a range of personalities to the stage. Marnell’s Harry was properly British and delightful, contrasting Newman’s fun-loving free-spirited Bill while Wallace’s Sam was the good guy divorced dad. All were strong dynamics opposite both Sophie and Donna and each with impressive vocal chops.
Mamma Mia! is like musical comfort food where audiences know what to expect. Yet, when this cast and crew delivered such an entertaining performance worth seeing, they only reminded that the show’s lasting charm still satisfies.
The show runs through July 21.
–Rich Lopez