Mamma Mia! Blows the House Down With Unbeatable Performances

I had mixed emotions heading into the San Diego Civic Theater’s national production of Mamma Mia. I was excited because Abba was one of my father’s favorite bands, and having lost him recently, it felt good to do something I felt honored in his memory. Having a local actress, Alisa Melendez, in a starring role as Sophie Sheridan was also exciting, and I couldn’t wait to see her blow her hometown house down.

What I was nervous about, however, was the fact I hated the movie. I had never seen the play, never heard the full soundtrack, and I knew it was going to be completely different, but the movie was not my favorite thing. In fact, my father had asked for it for Christmas one year (one of the few things he ever actually asked for) and I bought it, watched it, and returned it because I didn’t think he would be into it.

(L to R) Alisa Melendez (Sophie Sheridan), and Christine Sherrill (Donna Sheridan) Photo by Joan Marcus

(L to R) Grant Reynolds (Sky), and Alisa Melendez (Sophie Sheridan) Photo by Joan Marcus

That was my mistake, and I wish he had been able to see it as he wanted. That said, I don’t really wish he had seen the movie — I wish he had been able to see the live show instead.

Mamma Mia Brought the House Down and Then Some

I don’t even know where to start, so I guess let’s go for the beginning. Melendez opened up the show with a solo of “I Have a Dream” before being joined by on-stage besties Ali (Haley Wright) and Lisa (L’Oréal Roaché). Their opening song together reminded me of a scene from Across the Universe, when Evan Rachel Wood’s character sang “It Won’t Be Long” with her friends after receiving a message from her boyfriend overseas at war.

(L to R) L’Oréal Roaché (Lisa), Alisa Melendez (Sophie Sheridan), Haley Wright (Ali) Photo by Joan Marcus

This message, however, was more about celebration as they sang “Honey, Honey” and prepared for Sophie’s wedding. Once they giggled their way off the stage, we were introduced to Tanya (Jalynn Steele), my favorite of the night Rosie (Carly Sakolove), and Mama Donna Sheridan (Christine Sherrill) singing a fabulous rendition of “Money, Money, Money.” It really must be funny in a rich man’s world, huh?

Now, for those unfamiliar with the plot, while Sophie prepares to marry her fiancé, Sky (Grant Reynolds), she secretly invites three men she thinks could be her father. She's found one of her mother’s diaries from the year she was born, so the prospects are Harry Bright (Rob Marnell), Bill Austin (Jim Newman), and Sam Carmichael (Victor Wallace). No one knows she’s done this, though she confesses to Ali and Lisa before the men show up, and everything turns upside down once they arrive.

Act I

(L to R) Jim Newman (Bill Austin), Victor Wallace (Sam Carmichael), and Rob Marnell (Harry Bright) Photo by Joan Marcus

The three potential fathers arrive at the same time after the rest of the leads are introduced, and Sophie is the one to greet them all. None of them know why they’ve been invited, but she admits her mother doesn’t know. Sam especially is hesitant to see her again, fearful Donna will kick him off the island when she finds out he’s there.

Donna’s the owner of the resort they’re staying in, located on a small mythical island off of Greece that basically only consists of the hotel. She works there with Pepper (Patrick Park) and Eddie (Louis Griffin), who are essentially horny teenagers obsessed with Donna’s more elderly and experienced friends, particularly Tanya.

After Sophie convinces the potential dads to stay and keep quiet from Donna, she gives them keys to their rooms. On their way out of the lobby, Donna catches them all there. This opens up an incredible rendition of the titular song as Donna confronts her former lovers, knowing that one of them is the father of her child. Sherrill herself has played Donna prior to returning for this national tour, and she fits right into the role as she returns home to it.

(L to R) Jalynn Steele (Tanya), Christine Sherrill (Donna Sheridan), and Carly Sakolove (Rosie) Photo by Joan Marcus

Following her run-in with her ex-lovers, Donna consults with her best friends and they cheer her up with a cute rendition of “Chiquitita.” What really shines in this moment though is when they remind Donna she’s still the “Dancing Queen” she always was. Sherrill, Steele, and Sakolove work well together in what introduces Donna and the Dynamos.

As the story alternates between mother and daughter, Sophie takes us through a rendition of “Lay All Your Love on Me” with Sky before Donna and the Dynamos crash Sophie’s hen party with “Super Truper.” When Sam, Bill, and Harry accidentally stumble into the party, they convince them to stay with “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight).” This performance in general was a massive highlight in the first act and set up a cute little budding relationship between Rosie and Bill.

Sophie speaks to each of her potential fathers throughout the party with “The Name of the Game,” and the boys crash the party after Sky’s stag party before the act ends with an awesome performance of “Voulez-Vous.”

Grant Reynolds (Sky), and the Company Photo by Joan Marcus

Act II

The second act opens with a dream sequence with Sophie singing “Under Attack” and Melendez completely dominating the stage. The nightmare revolves around her inner conflict about not knowing who her father is and her struggle with the idea of getting married. When she wakes, it leads to an argument with her mom, and Donna sings “One of Us” as she reflects on her hatred toward Sam for cheating on her and marrying someone else. Sam shares in the sentiment, and the two sing through “SOS” to rekindle their lost love.

We get some comic relief when Tanya comes onto the stage and responds to advances made by Pepper, who means to woo her and has been trying throughout the whole show. Steele absolutely crushes her performance of “Does Your Mother Know” here.

Patrick Park (Pepper), Jalynn Steele (Tanya), and the Company Photo by Joan Marcus

The drama continues to unfold afterward when Sky finds out about Sophie inviting her potential fathers without his knowledge, and although Sam tries to console her with “Knowing Me, Knowing You” and detailing his failed marriage, she doesn’t feel any better and gets conflicted about her pending marriage.

The focus comes back to Donna for a while as she reminisces with Harry about “Our Last Summer” and sings “Slipping Through My Fingers” about her daughter, admitting that she was disowned by her own mother after falling pregnant. She spends more time with Sam and expresses her broken heart, leading to Sherrill giving an unbeatable performance of “The Winner Takes It All.”

Christine Sherrill (Donna Sheridan), and the Company Photo by Joan Marcus

One of my favorite, favorite highlights of the night was when Rosie got her chance to shine and Sakolove totally killed “Take a Chance on Me” as she made her moves on Bill. Newman also delivers a strong performance, and the scene ends with the two getting walked in on almost having sex on the wedding altar.

Leaving the end unspoiled, Donna accepts another proposal with “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do” and Sophie and Sky reprise “I Have a Dream” from the start. She also finds out the truth about her father.

Following the final bows, the actors come out and reprise “Mamma Mia,” and “Dancing Queen,” then end the finale with a 70’s-inspired rendition of “Waterloo.”

The Company of MAMMA MIA! 25th Anniversary Tour Photo by Joan Marcus

Overall Thoughts

First of all, this show was amazing. It was so much sexier than I expected it to be, the cast worked so well together, and Melendez completely stole the show alongside Sherrill. I often ask actors how they find the emotions needed to get themselves through the show every night, and the sheer joy that emanates from the stage is something you can only truly experience when you’re in the room.

It certainly blew the movie out of the water, that’s for sure.

I just hope my dad enjoyed it with me in heaven.

Mamma Mia! plays at the Civic Theater through November 12. Grab your tickets here!