I Had a Dream (But Then I Saw MAMMA MIA! So I Gotta Find a New One)

From left to right, Jalynn Steele as Tanya, Carly Sakolove as Rosie, and Jessica Crouch as Donna Sheridan in Mamma Mia! 25th Anniversary Tour, performing at the Marcus Performing Arts Center through September 27, 2026. Photo credit: Joan Marcus.

A review of Mamma Mia!

by DevinReigh Endries, age 15

Mamma Mia! is a show that has been touring for decades and selling out theaters across the world, and I was lucky enough to see the current tour stop at Marcus Performing Arts Center this past week. The thing about this specific production that made it so incredible was that every single cast member on stage stood out, from Donna Sheridan to ensemble members. Mamma Mia! has a special way of keeping its audience wrapped in the story; even though the runtime looks steep, it doesn't feel like it when you're in the midst of the show. And while I could go on and on about every little thing that made this show great, I’ll limit myself to just highlighting the amazing music, performances, and technical elements.

While I'll always be an ABBA fan first, Mamma Mia!'s spin on their classics really do something for my musical theater heart. The show takes these 70s hits and turns them into musical theater ballads or huge ensemble numbers with guys in wetsuits and snorkels dancing around the stage. Personally, my favorite ABBA song is "Dancing Queen," but when it comes to Mamma Mia!, I have to go with "Voulez-Vous." Everything about the number is phenomenal, and especially with this cast, it all just comes together perfectly with the ensemble dancing and the mini scenes with all the guys figuring out new information. But whether it’s by ABBA at Eurovision or by the current touring cast of Mamma Mia!, these songs were made to be performed, and they'll always be worth the listen (or in this case, the watch.)

Now that I've established myself as both a theater kid and an ABBA fan, I'd like to highlight some of my favorite performances—and bear with me, this is gonna be long. The first actor’s performance that I want to acknowledge is Jessica Crouch, who truly embodied her character's spirit as Donna Sheridan. Something that I noticed throughout the show was her unique voice, which has this raspy, distinctive sound that I truly loved and really brought Donna's character to life. (I hope I will get to hear it again!) Next, I want to bring light to Kayla Ryan Walsh (Rosie). Every time this woman was onstage, I was laughing my butt off. She brought this hilarious quality to the already very funny character and really made it her own. All her choices were so perfect for this character; for example, she really sells the moment where she slides down the door during "Mamma Mia." My second to last mention is going to be Dominic Young (Pepper), who drew my eyes the entire time. Whether he was the main focus or just a background character, he was ON (IYKYK). He seriously should consider being in Newsies if he hasn't, because he's got that signature Newsies jump down. And my final cast shout out is going to be ensemble member Sarah Santos. She had everyone's attention every time she was onstage. Both myself and the people I was attending the show with separately said how much we loved her during intermission and after the performance. She knew exactly how to stick out in the ensemble but not steal all the focus from the central story. 

Finally, I want to talk about the incredible staging and design of the production. This show was a touring cast, so the set (designed by Nancy Thun and Brian Webb) needed to be portable to some degree, and the way they did it was seamless. It was lightweight enough for actors to move things safely and easily, while also getting across the island, Grecian vibe of the show. The lighting (designed by Ed McCarthy and Andrew Voller) was also spectacular, especially during "Under Attack." In this nightmare dream sequence, the lighting really gave it a dreamlike fictional quality so the audience understood it wasn't to be taken too seriously and that it wasn't actually Sophie or Donna’s reality. Another scene where the lighting shone (heh, get it?) was during the title theme "Mamma Mia," in which it turns bright red when Donna starts singing while everyone else is frozen, heightening her expression of panic.

All in all, Mamma Mia! is an incredible show, and always will be. I would always recommend seeing a show at the Marcus Performing Arts Center because of its amazing team and beautiful theater, but Mamma Mia! especially is a show I wouldn't miss for the world. And neither should you!