If you are looking for a perfectly fun night at the theatre, get tickets to Garland Summer Musicals’ season debut, “Mamma Mia!”
Michael Serrecchia is the director of this production based on songs by ABBA. In the show, a girl named Sophie (played by Claire DeJean) is planning her wedding. She has never met her father and wants him to walk her down the aisle. After reading her mother’s diary, Sophie finds that there are three potential candidates and invites each one to her wedding, with no explanation to them as to why. She just knows that when she meets him, she will know him.
Sophie’s mother, Donna, (portrayed by Cara Statham Serber) has always been tight-lipped about the identity of her daughter’s father and becomes quite distressed upon learning that Sophie has invited the three potential dads, Harry, Bill and Sam.
Donna was the lead singer in a band called Donna and the Dynamos in her younger days, and is still very close to Dynamos, Rosie (Megan Kellly Bates) and Tanya (Susan Metzger), who also attend the wedding.
Each of these four women have beautiful, powerful voices. Their acting and dancing skills are out of this world. Bates, in her role as Rosie, brings a hilarious element to the show. Her faceplants on the hotel bed are a highlight that audience members will laugh about long after seeing the production.
Bates is also outstanding and innovative as the choreographer. The numbers are entertaining and fun to watch, and the music is great.
Pete Puckett portrays Harry; Greg Hullett plays Sam; David Noel is Bill; Kietraille Sutton portrays Sky, the groom-to-be. McKenzie Reece is Sophie’s friend Lisa; Alejandra Bigio is Sophie’s other friend Ali and Andrew Nicolas portrays the Priest.
The cast, including the large ensemble, is filled with talented singers and dancers.
Mark Mullino is the music director and the show is produced by Patty Granville. Sets were designed by Rodney Dobbs.
Get your tickets now! Only three more opportunities to see this show remain, Friday, June 21 at 8 p.m., Saturday, June 22 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 23 at 2:30 p.m.
Purchase tickets online at GarlandArtsBoxOffice.com, call 972-205-2790 or stop by the Granville Arts Center Box Office (300 North Fifth Street, downtown Garland), open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and two hours prior to each performance.