Mamma Mia! The Musical mixed a familiar plot with a talented cast to form an incredibly fun and interactive show.
The musical toured in Pittsburgh from March 26 to 31 at the Benedum Theater. Although it is hard to top the shows from the Benedum’s 2022-2023 schedule, featuring Hadestown, Beetlejuice, and Les Miserables – this year’s “Mamma Mia!” is arguably one of the best Broadway shows to come to Pittsburgh.
The entire cast succeeded at embodying their roles, especially Alisa Melendez, who played Sophie, and Rob Marnell, Jim Newman, and Victor Wallace, who played her three potential dads, all standing out in their own way.
Melendez perfectly encapsulates her character’s optimism and sometimes carefree personality, especially in the first major number, “Honey, Honey.”
The soundtrack in itself is on its own level. The use of various iconic ABBA hits like “Honey, Honey,” “Mamma Mia,” “Dancing Queen,” and “Gimme! Gimmie! Gimmie!” fit perfectly into each scene.
Christine Sherrill, who played Donna, has such a powerful voice and strong acting skills that made “The Winner Takes It All” and “Slipping Through My Fingers” all the more heartbreaking.
It was also very impressive how different the same set could look in each scene as the team members were able to flip around two main set pieces and transform them into the illusion of multiple different places.
Although having a pretty simple set and a plot already familiar to many, the talented cast and amazing soundtrack make the musical something incredibly impressive.
