Reviewed by Tony Annicone
North Shore Music Theatre’s summer show is the blockbuster hit “Mamma Mia” and it’s the third show of their 63rd Season. Owner and producer Bill Hanney spares no expense with costumes and sets in bringing this musical to the historic theatre for his 9th season here.The much loved 1999 jukebox ABBA musical focuses on finding emotional moments of female bonding in this fun filled musical set in Greece. “Mamma Mia” is based on the songs of ABBA, a Swedish pop/dance group active from 1972 to 1982. The show opens with daughter, Sophie singing “I Have a Dream” which lets the audience know what she’s wishing for that she wants her father to walk her down the aisle but she doesn’t know who he is.
Sophie finds her mother’s diary and starts her search for her father. Then she and her two friends amp up the voltage with “Honey Honey” with their youthful excitement when they discover Donna had sex with three men. However the show revolves around Sophie’s mother, Donna and which of her three ex-boyfriend’s are really Sophie’s father. Director/choreographer Kevin P. Hill infuses his 25 member cast with high energy, hilarity and fabulous dance moves while musical director Bob Bray conducts a 9 piece orchestra while playing lead keyboards. Kevin leaves the audience dancing in the aisles to “Dancing Queen” after they give the incredible cast a resounding standing ovation.
Kevin blocks his large cast splendidly like he did in “Young Frankenstein” his show at NSMT last summer. His terrific dance moves are seen throughout the show and especially shine in the group numbers with the cast performing them in perfect unison. The theatre in the round makes all the scenes bigger and broader for the audience and involves them in every moment of the show. The blend of the orchestra and vocalists is marvelous as Bob brings out the best in them. Erica Mansfield commands the stage as Donna. She belts out many songs including “Money, Money”, that it’s a rich man’s world with the boys dancing with briefcases filled with money, a snippet of “Fernando” before she spots the three men, “Mamma Mia” when she finds the three men on the island, “Chiquita” when the girls try to cheer her up and “Dancing Queen” when the girls convince her that she can still be as fabulous as she was in Donna and the Dynamos. She puts a kerchief on her head as she imitates Cher which is hilarious. Not only is her voice fantastic but her acting is just as marvelous as she gives the role the depth it needs. Erica’s poignant songs include “Slipping Through My Fingers” as she reflects on Sophie’s childhood on Sophie’s wedding day which moves you to tears and “Winner Takes It All” when she confesses to Sam that he broke her heart years ago when he was engaged to another girl. This number is absolutely riveting and knocks the socks off the audience.
Her best friend’s Rosie and Tanya are fabulously played by Tiffani Barbour and Tari Kelly. Her duet with Bill, “Take a Chance on Me” stops the show with hilarity as she knocks chairs over to pursue him. She also has some hilarious one liners that she delivers wonderfully. Tari returns in triumph to North Shore Music Theatre, having played Dorothy Brock in “42nd Street” here last season. She plays the flirty,Tanya who makes a play for Pepper, one of the young men who she has sex with. They sing “Does Your Mother Know?” The ending is fantastic as she walks on their arms which wins thunderous applause and is performed perfectly. Tanya likes to date millionaires and has been married three times, too. Tiffani and Tari add a lot of humor to the show to keep the audience in stitches all night long. Their antics and one liners are perfectly done. Cameron Hobbs plays the naughty Pepper while Vinnie Smith plays his sidekick, Eddie who finds Sam’s bagpipe. The boys work for Donna at the taverna and have some comic lines that leave you laughing merrily at their antics. They are both excellent dancers with Cameron doing numerous flips during the show.
The three want to be fathers do a marvelous job, too. Sam Carmichael broke Donna’s heart years ago. He’s sincere and caring and confesses he came back to her but Donna was involved with someone else. Tall, dark and handsome David Elder is terrific as the sympathetic Sam. David and Erica’s duets are “SOS” and “I Do.” David’s solo “Knowing Me, Knowing You” is emotion packed as he tells Sophie why he broke up with his wife. He does a superb job in this role. Christopher Carl captures the nervous energy of Harry Bright who has a hidden secret that is revealed at the end of the show. Harry was a head banger years ago. Christopher and Erica sing the poignant “Our Last Summer” where they reminisce of 21 years ago. His superb tenor voice soars in this show and he also has some clever one liners. I last reviewed Christopher as Harry in this show at TBTS and before that as Billy Flynn in “Chicago” at TBTS back in 2003. The larger than life explorer, Bill Austin is played by Al Bundonis. He returns to NSMT after playing King Arthur in “Spamalot” a few years ago. He does a dynamite song with Jeannette called “Take a Chance on Me.” It is hilarious as they are about to do it when the wedding guests show up. I first reviewed Al in “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” at TBTS back in 2008 as well as Horace Vandergelder in “Hello, Dolly” there in 2010
Malia Monk and Nick Walker Jones play Sophie and Sky wonderfully, too. Malia captures the exuberance of the character. Sophie’s reading her mom’s diary to find her father and inviting all three men to her wedding during “Honey, Honey” captures the attention of the audience. Sophie sings “Thank You for The Music” with the three men when she first meets them and then “The Name of the Game” with Bill to find out about his Aunt Sophia. Her rendition of “I Have a Dream” is perfectly delivered at the start of the show and tugs at your heartstrings at the end. Act 1 ends with a big dance number”Voulez_Vous” when she confronts each of the father’s to be. The nightmare sequence at the start of the second act “Under Attack” scares not only Sophia but the audience as well as she dreams the three men are fighting over who will give her away. Malia also captures the pathos of the character perfectly. Nick plays her knight in shining armor, Sky. He does a marvelous job as the caring boyfriend. Does he win the girl in the end or will there be too much drama about finding her father? Their duet “Lay Your Love on Me” with the guys is terrific, too as they do a tap dance with flippers on their feet. Sophie’s best friends Lisa and Ali are well played by Thomasina E. Gross and Mary Claire King who sing “Honey, Honey” with Malia. Kudos to everyone who brings this energetic and fun filled musical to life at North Shore Music Theatre. The ensemble singers and dancers are among the best I’ve seen at NSMT. They move in perfect unison all night long. Bravo!
The multitude of gorgeous and stunning costumes are by Dana Pinkston while the incredible beautiful sets are by Kyle Dixon especially impressive are the water scenes and the inside of the taverna. The turntable set is terrific especially as Donna confronts all three men with her moving to each one during “Mamma Mia” song. So for the presentation of this blockbuster musical, “Mamma Mia” at NSMT, be sure to catch it before it leaves town for good next month. Tickets are selling like hotcakes. Run do not walk to the boxoffice for this musical. It’s the must see musical of the summer season. Tell them Tony sent you.
MAMMA MIA (7 August to 2 September)
North Shore Music Theatre, 62 Dunham Road, Beverly, MA
1(978)232-7200 or www.nsmt.org
