Month: June 2026

Mamma Mia.

Those two words, in the context of the musical, usually conjure up two more words: “What? Again?”

Mamma Mia is a very frequently done musical, especially in the context of smaller and regional theatres. I know. I’ve seen it at both Cupcake Theatre ז״ל and 5-Star Theatricals. I know I’ve seen the title in productions around Southern California, and that is in addition to the National Tour going around. That tour is the reason for this post; we saw the tour production yesterday afternoon at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre.

Back to the show: It is oft produced. The reason why should be a lesson for anyone mounting a show that they want to recoup: First, the sets are simple, enabling it to be produced at all levels of theatre without excessive cost. Second, the music is well known and popular (and it is upbeat, something we need in today’s troubling times). Third, the subject is timeless. There are some slightly cringy moments, but they are played for humor and not realism, so as a fantasy they get a pass. Fourth, the show celebrates not only youth but middle-aged folks finding love. That’s not seen in many musicals where they focus on the CYTs (cute young things).

There are a few productions that achieve this level of popularity; Legally Blonde is another that comes to mind. Theatrical cotton candy. Something that leaves you feeling good for a short while. That’s Mamma Mia. Forget your troubles and enjoy the music of ABBA in a non-sensical story.

So what is that story. Here’s what I wrote way back in 2019 for the Cupcake Theatre production:

The basics of the story (which was written by Catherine Johnson, and originally conceived by Judy Cramer) are as follows: A young woman, Sophie, lives on a Greek island with her mom, Donna, who runs a taverna. Sophie (20) is about to get married to a fellow, Sky. There’s one problem: She doesn’t know who her dad is. She finds her mom’s diary, and discovers three men who slept with her mom around the time she would have been conceived, and invites them to her wedding, unbeknownst to her mom. Also coming to the wedding are two of her mom’s best friends: Tanya and Rosie, who used to be in a singing group with her (mom): Donna and the Dynamos. As they then say, hijinks follow as the mom discovers the potential dads — Sam, Bill, and Harry; all three men come to believe they are the dad and offer to walk Sophie down the aisle; and past history is uncovered and revisited. All of this is built and engineered to fit in the music of Abba (music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, with additional songs by Stig Anderson, and additional material and arrangements by Martin Koch), meaning that some scenes are specifically contrived to make a song fit in, and ultimately do nothing to advance the plot or grow the character. That’s the nature of a jukebox musical: the story is shaped to fit the music, as opposed to the proper approach of making the music serve the story.

In any case, going back to the uncomfortable incidents: Uncomfortable is a good word for this, for there are points where the storyline veers into the uncomfortable. Think about the scene around “Gimme Gimme Gimme” (at least I think that’s the scene) where Sophie and her friends are dancing with (and seemingly seducing) the dads. He’s old enough to be your father — literally. Here we have a bunch of 20-something girls seducing 45+ men. A bit off to me. Similarly, there’s a scene in Act II — built to make a specific song work — about a 20-something guy chasing a 45+ woman. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with older men or women — I’m an older man, myself — but within the story it created this strange vibe. But perhaps that was just my perceptions — I’m not sure anyone else picked up on it.

But other than that, the story was slight. This is not a deep show. It is a romantic comedy on stage; a true “chick flick” romance. The audience ate it up: the loved the music, they loved the dance, they loved the romance. They loved the happy ending, and the sheer joy that Abba’s music brings to the stage (their music has always been a sheer delight). As my wife noted, in the end the story here doesn’t matter much. Does it ever in a jukebox musical? You’re just going to have a good time. Don’t overthink it; go with the flow and have fun. There are a bunch of talented actors on stage, with wonderful voices. There’s great dancing. There’s music you know and love. Everyone ends up happy. What more can you want?

I’ll note that, as I see the show more and more, the uncomfortable incidents and the age differences bother me less. They are no less problematic, but the show itself has become less real world: and in the fantasy world of this musical, the age differences don’t seem to matter.

What truly makes a production of Mamma Mia sail into the stratosphere vs crashing on the rocky shoals of a Greek island is the cast. Simply put, the touring cast is excellent. From the leads to the ensemble, they bring a level of joy and happiness that radiates out to the audience.

In the lead positions are Jessica Crouch as Donna Sheriden, and Juliette M. Ojeda as her daughter Sophie. Crouch brings and energy and playfulness to the role, and has the needed rocker’s voice. Ojeda is so cute as Sophie, and has a wonderful voice.

However, the standout performances belong to Donna’s friends: Jalynn Steele as Tanya and especially Carly Sakolove as Rosie. Both have wonderful comic chops, and neither is afraid to play the scene for the laughs. Yes, they sing great, but it is that comic timing that stands out. They truly make this show special.

The three dads were also strong, most notably Victor Wallace as Sam Carmichael. He had a voice that reminded me of Owen Wilson (or his brother, Luke Wilson).

Also notable was Alessandra Antonelli in the ensemble (at least I think it was her: tall, long-haired brunette). She just seemed to be having so much fun with the show that she caught your eye. My wife was impressed with Dominic Young, who played Pepper.

Be forewarned that the orchestra in this production is LOUD. I think this was done intentionally to replicate the ABBA sound, which was always pushing the acoustic envelope.

Mamma Mia continues at the Ahmanson until July 19, 2026. Go see it. Tickets are available through the Ahmanson website.

Credits

Mamma Mia. Music and lyrics by Benny Anderson and Björn Ulvaeus and some songs with Sig Anderson. Book by Catherine Johnson. Directed by Phyllida Lloyd. Choreography by Anthony Van Laast.

Cast [underscores indicate “at our performance”; strikeouts indicate “not at our performance”; ↑ indicates “swung up”]: Jessica Crouch Donna Sheridan; Juliette M. Ojeda Sophie Sheridan; Carly Sakolove Rosie; Jalynn Steele Tanya; Leland Burnett Bill Austin; Rob Marnell Rob Hancock Harry Bright; Victor Wallace Sam Carmichael; Grant Reynolds Jason Mulay Sky; Steven Gagliano Eddie, Ensemble; Maddie Garbaty Ali, Ensemble; Lena Owens Sarah Santos Lisa, Ensemble; Dominic Young Pepper, Ensemble; Allessandra Antonelli Ensemble; Tony Clements Ensemble; Kate Cummings Ensemble; Jordan De Leon Ensemble; David Holbert Ensemble; Alex Lanning Ensemble; Makoa Ensemble; Erica Mansfield Ensemble, Intimacy Director; Jason Mulay ? Ensemble; Emma X. O’Loughlin Ensemble; Blake Price Father Alexandrios, Ensemble; Dorian Quinn Ensemble; Sarah Santos ? Ensemble; Kristina Walz Ensemble. Swings: ↑ Sarah Agrusa Asst. Dance Captain; ↑ Julia Charkales; ↑ Nico DiPrimio; ↑ Andy Garcia; ↑ Faith Northcutt; Ryan Sander Dance Captain; Lauren Soto; ↑ George Vickers V. Note: ↑ Swings swung into the Ensemble, although the board did not make clear which ensemble members they were replacing.

Music Department ( indicates local): Martin Koch Musical Supervisor, Additional Material, and Arrangements; David Holcenberg Assoc Musical Supervisor; Michael Aarons Music Coordinator/Contractor; Andrew David Sotomayor Conductor, Keyboard; Daniel Klintworth Assoc. Conductor, Keyboard; Nick Greathouse, Francesca Castro Guitars; Marcus Vann Bass; Paul Merendino Drums; Ethan Deppe Keyboard Programmer; Kevin Axt Bass; Brad Gardner Keyboard Sub; Dan Fornero Los Angeles Contractor.

Production and Creative: Björn Ulvaeus Music & Lyrics; Benny Anderson Composer; Catherine Johnson Book; Phyllida Lloyd Director; Anthony Van Laast Choreographer; Mark Thompson Production Designer; Howard Harrison Lighting Designer; Andrew Bruce Sound Designer; Bobby Aitken Sound Designer Martha Banta Assoc. Director; Janet Rothermel Assoc. Choreographer; Brian Webb Assoc. Scenic Designer; Lucy Gaiger Assoc. Costume Designer; Ed McCarthy Assoc. Lighting Designer; David Patridge Assoc. Sound Designer; Jeff Knaggs Assoc. Hair and Makeup Designer; Samantha Teller Asst. Director; Ryan Sander Asst. Choreographer; The TRC Company Casting; RL Campbell Production Stage Manager; Andrew Volzer Stage Manager; Sauniq Lawson Asst. Stage Manager; Michael Sanfilippo Company Manager; Work Light Productions General Management; Port City Technical Production Management; The Booking Group Tour Booking Agency; Allied Global Marketing Tour Marketing & Press; Think Tank Content & Social Media.

Key Producers: Judy Craymer Creator; Richard East; Bespoke Theatricals US Executive Producer.

Administrivia

I am not a professional critic. I’m a retired cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre; Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; Pasadena Playhouse; The Soraya, Chromolume Theatre, and 5-Star Theatricals.

Want to find a show: Check out the Theatre Commons LA show list. Other good lists are the Theatre in LA listings; the TodayTix listings; OnStage 411 (use the “shows” drop down); and Theatermania. If you are looking for discount tickets, TodayTix (unlike their predecessor Goldstar Events) doesn’t handle the small theatres in LA. Luckily, Theatre Source LA has a new initiative: StageRushLA for discount tickets.

Upcoming

Key:  Theatre /  Music /  Other Live Performance – Next 90ish Days ( indicates ticketing is pending).

• July:  Mexodus at Pasadena Playhouse;  The Wizard of Oz at 5-Star Theatricals;  If/Then at Chromolume Theatre.
• August:  Beauty and the Beast at BIH/Pantages;
• September:  Water for Elephants at BIH/Pantages;  The Visit at Pasadena Playhouse;  Sutton Foster at The Soraya;  Catch Me If You Can at The Colony Theatre; Every Brilliant Thing at The Main; 
• October:  The Outsiders at BIH/Pantages;  Branford Marsalis & Dianne Reeves Celebrate John Coltrane at The Soraya;  Les Miserables at 5-Star Theatricals;  Gershwin and the Golden Age (feat. Michael Feinstein) at The Soraya;  The Who’s Tommy at BIH/Pantages.

Some shows I go into knowing the basic story and plot. For some, I know only what I can glean from the music. For Primary Trust at the Mark Taper Forum (CTG), I really knew nothing in advance. I had read no reviews; there was no music (it’s not a musical). I was going in blind.

Primary Trust is a 4-player comedy-drama hybrid. Two characters are the same throughout the show. The other two take on a large number of other characters throughout. The basic story concerns Kenneth, a black man living in Cranberry NY, about 30 minutes from Rochester NY. A loner, he spends his days working at a bookstore job arranged by his social worker when he turned of age; by nights, he spends drinking Mai-Tais at an old Tiki-bar downtown. I’d say he’s drinking along, but he’s really drinking with his imaginary friend, Bert. When the owner of the bookstore announces he is retiring and moving to Arizona, Kenneth finds himself, for the first time in his life, having to look for work. Based on a recommendation from a caring waitress, Corrina, he finds a job at newer of the two banks in town, Primary Trust. He finds success as a teller there, but some echoes from his past threaten to derail things.

I’m intentionally not trying to give away the details of the plot or the resolution, but I do want to comment a bit on the story.

First, it is very slow moving story. There are — perhaps intentionally — lots of pauses. There are also lots of “dings”, as in a teller’s bell, which serve to punctuate the ends of thoughts or just to separate.

Second, what seems to be a straightforward story turns out to be something else entirely: it is a story of recovery from trauma and the importance of friends. Kenneth’s isolation both at work and at the Tiki bar turns out to have been the product of childhood trauma. To be clear, it is not sexual trauma; it is more abandonment trauma. It is this trauma that directly relates to the imaginary friend, Bert. It also relates to Kenneth’s behavior, Kenneth’s difficulty with interacting with people, and Kenneth’s difficulty with making real life friends.

By the end of the play, Kenneth has recovered sufficiently that he has started to make friends, and to go out and interact with them. It clearly isn’t a full recovery, but it is progress.

The ultimate question is: Did I like the play? That’s hard to say. My wife wasn’t a fan; she found it a bit of a downer. I found it more uplifting, but slower. Perhaps “gentle” is a better word? I like Kenneth’s slow steady growth. I could also see this having a long life at the regional and intimate theatre level: simple sets, small cast, no real special effects. It is efficient to stage and present.

The performances were all strong, but most notably Rebecca S’manga Frank, who played a large number of waitress roles and ultimately, Corrina. She did a remarkable job of presenting the wide range of characterizations. James Urbaniak was also equally strong with the secondary male characters, notably Clay, Kenneth’s boss at Primary Trust. Petey McGee was very strong as Kenneth, showing the aforementioned gentleness of character.

Primary Trust continues at the Mark Taper Forum until June 28, 2026. It’s an interesting comedy/drama. Tickets are available through the Center Theatre Group website.

Credits

Primary Trust. Written by Eboni Booth. Directed by Knud Adams. Primary Trust was developed at the 2021 Ojai Playwrights Conference. Originally produced in New York City by Roundabout Theatre Company, 2023.

Cast: Ugo Chukwu Bert; Rebecca S’manga Frank Corinna / Wally’s Waiters / Bank Customers / Others; Petey McGee Kenneth; James Urbaniak Clay / Others; Luke Wygodny Musician, Original Music.

Understudy Cast: Destiny Faith u/s Corinna / Wally’s Waiters / Bank Customers / Others; Wendell Jordan u/s Bert; Mark Rowe u/s Clay / Others; Dustin Stern-Garcia u/s Musician; Jordan Temple u/s Kenneth.

Production and Creatives: Eboni Booth Playwright; Knud Adams Director; Marsha Ginsberg Scenic Design; Sophia Choi Costume Designer; Masha Tsimring Lighting Design; Mikaal Sulaiman Sound Design; David Lober Production Stage Manager; Michelle Blair Stage Manager; Jihee Jenny Park Substitute Stage Manager; Henry Russell Bergstein CSA Casting.

Administrivia

I am not a professional critic. I’m a retired cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre; Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; Pasadena Playhouse; The Soraya, Chromolume Theatre, and 5-Star Theatricals.

Want to find a show: Check out the Theatre Commons LA show list. Other good lists are the Theatre in LA listings; the TodayTix listings; OnStage 411 (use the “shows” drop down); and Theatermania. If you are looking for discount tickets, TodayTix (unlike their predecessor Goldstar Events) doesn’t handle the small theatres in LA. Luckily, Theatre Source LA has a new initiative: StageRushLA for discount tickets.

Upcoming

Key:  Theatre /  Music /  Other Live Performance – Next 90ish Days ( indicates ticketing is pending).

• June:  Mamma Mia at CTG/Ahmanson.
• July:  Mexodus at Pasadena Playhouse;  The Wizard of Oz at 5-Star Theatricals;  If/Then at Chromolume Theatre.
• August:  Beauty and the Beast at BIH/Pantages;
• September:  Water for Elephants at BIH/Pantages;  The Visit at Pasadena Playhouse;  Sutton Foster at The Soraya;  Catch Me If You Can at The Colony Theatre; Every Brilliant Thing at The Main; 
• October: The Outsiders at BIH/Pantages; Branford Marsalis & Dianne Reeves Celebrate John Coltrane at The Soraya; Les Miserables at 5-Star Theatricals; Gershwin and the Golden Age (feat. Michael Feinstein) at The Soraya; The Who’s Tommy at BIH/Pantages.