Sophie Sheridan's wedding arrangements just got crazier when she discovers the diary of her single mother Donna and realizes she had three possible dads. Of course the only way to ensure her real dad is able to walk her down the aisle is to invite all three to her mother's Greek island getaway and whittle things down from there. When Donna is surprised to see all three of her old flames suddenly return to the island where she dot-dot-dotted with them twenty years earlier, we have Mamma Mia!...and a bunch of other ABBA hits!
Natalie Traynor has star power as Donna with the humor and drama dealing with her surprise exes reunion as well as in her motherly role -- including back-to-back emotional ballads Slipping Through My Fingers as Sophie prepares for her wedding and The Winner Takes It All as she faces the fresh pain from her long ago breakup with Sam. Lucy Gensch is Sophie, glowing with youthful fun and optimism early on (I Have a Dream and Honey, Honey) that slips into some fear and frustration as her dreams come Under Attack.
Donna is backed by her two best friends Tanya and Rosie. The dynamic Nova Schnitzler turns up the heat as a confident and bold Tanya who playfully toys with the boy toys in Does Your Mother Know. Alaina Stafford does a great Rosie, perpetually single until she sets her laser sights on Donna's old flame Bill in Take a Chance on Me. The trio, formerly known as Donna and the Dynamos, work well together in their big numbers, especially leading the ensemble in a rollicking rendition of Super Trouper.
Additional solid and amusing performances come from Donna's exes Sam (Stephen Klepper), Bill (Paul Butterfield), and Harry (Remee Morse), a talented and easygoing Shannon Barba playing Sophie's fiancé Sky, as well as Elliana Ebner and Whitney Ivey as Sophie's funny and lively best friends. The charismatic ensemble keeps the energy high throughout that features good choreography by Beau Hutchings. Jennifer Butterfield and Shelia Stafford have them all looking terrific in laidback island threads and super seventies fashions. Director Jennifer Conley Darling and her cast and creative team have put together a memorable party with Mamma Mia!
Lisa: Whitney Ivey
Ali: Elliana Ebner
Sky: Shannon Barba
Donna Sheridan: Natalie Traynor
Sam Carmichael: Stephen Klepper
Bill Austin: Paul Butterfield
Harry Bright: Remee Morse
Tanya: Nova Schnitzler
Rosie: Alaina Stafford
Pepper: Shane Klepper
Eddie: Jack Tekiele
Father Alexandrios: Gunnar Ousley
Sky's Guys Ensemble: Luke Bierbaum, Noah French, Frank Giesen, Chance Hamilton, Shane Klepper, Robert Munden, Ryan Murphy, Gunnar Ousley, Andrew Root, Luca Sullivan, Jack Tekiele
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