Mamma Mia! is a jukebox musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of ABBA composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, former members of the band. The title of the musical is taken from the group’s 1975 chart-topper “Mamma Mia”. In addition to the title track, the musical includes such hits as “Super Trouper”, “Lay All Your Love on Me”, “Dancing Queen”, “Knowing Me, Knowing You”, “Take a Chance on Me”, “Thank You for the Music”, “Money, Money, Money”, “The Winner Takes It All”, “Voulez-Vous”, “SOS”, and more.
Set on a small mythical Greek island in the 1990s, Sophie dreams of a perfect wedding — one which includes her father giving her away. The problem? Sophie doesn’t know who he is! Her mother Donna, the former lead singer of the 1970s pop group Donna and the Dynamos, refuses to talk about the past, so Sophie decides to take matters into her own hands. Sneaking a peek in her mother’s old diaries, she discovers three possible fathers: Sam, Bill, and Harry. She secretly invites all three to the wedding, convinced that she’ll know her father when she sees him. But when all three turn up, it may not be as clear as she thought!
Mamma Mia! was chosen this year for many reasons. Of course, it’s fun and high-energy with the feel-good nostalgia of ABBA music, but the primary reason for choosing Mamma Mia! is because of the relationships in the story. There is a real connection between people—long-time friendships, family bonds, love and romance—that surpass time and distance.
Even though Mamma Mia! has had productions open in nearly every country around the world, has been translated into countless languages, made into a major motion picture and is the 9th longest-running show on Broadway (the longest-running of the “jukebox” musical genre), I never understood the appeal. Not until it became relatable, on a very personal level.
When I finally gave in and decided to read the script, it occurred to me that, at the heart of this musical, this is a story of a mother and a daughter. If I were going to choose this show to direct, that would be my “in” to connecting to the material. Any woman who has a daughter can attest to the changes that happen to this unique relationship as they reach adolescence. It feels like one day you wake up and they are fiercely independent and opinionated. Yes, it is what we want for them, yes, they have to push away to figure out who they are (blah, blah, blah) but in that moment, it doesn’t make it any less painful. Sometimes, I miss that wide eyed little girl who looked at me with adoring eyes…
When Samantha was a baby, I naively asked one of the theater parents, “What age is the best?” and without hesitation she responded, “All of them”. I understand now what she meant - the relationship changes and evolves at every turn but there are new pieces of them to love that are all their own.
Needless to say, directing this musical has led to a lot of tears, not only for my own evolving relationship with my newly 13 year old daughter, but because I’ve been watching these young people on the stage and I am reminded of who they were 3 years ago. It puts a lump in my throat to imagine how their own parents must be feeling about them, now at the end of their high school careers, getting ready to move on…
I always try to look for the lesson that a production can teach but this show has taught me far more than I was ready to learn about holding on and letting go. Everything I need to learn about life, I learned from musical theatre…
We hope to see you singing and dancing along at the finale!
Christina Colangelo
