RSS 2.0 FeedLate July 2011, Theatre
Lay your love on "Mamma Mia!"
Though the plot may be negligible, Starlight Theatre's presentation of "Mamma Mia!" is really all about outlandish dance numbers and undeniably memorable songs by Swedish super-group, ABBA.
On the opening night of Mamma Mia!, playing at Starlight Theatre in Swope Park, I was transported. Not to a Greek isle, mind you, but to my college dorm room, listening to my roommate play ABBA’s Greatest Hits on repeat. It’s been over a decade since I’ve deliberately listened to the hits of this Swedish sensation, but I was amazed at how well the songs had stuck in my memory.
And it’s all about the songs. The plot is negligible, serving as a conduit for the music; the show is really a dance party masquerading as a Broadway musical. That being said, not every cast member was strong vocally. This created a few too many pitch issues and some straining in the upper registers. Additionally, the balance through the speakers was skewed treble, making it difficult to discern the lyrics over the orchestra.
But man is this a fun show! Turn the volume up and add a strobe light and even the quietest taverna becomes a discotheque. The energy was high throughout, though the acting wasn’t very convincing. The exceptions were Kaye Tuckerman as Donna, with a tortured “The Winner Takes It All,” and the comedic timing of Mary Callanan and Alison Ewing. Callanan stole the show during “Take A Chance On Me.”
The choreography wasn’t overly intricate, even for Broadway, though the scuba-suited and flippered chorus line during “Lay Your Love On Me” was hilarious, easily the best moment of the first act.
The simple scenery, just the inside and outside of the inn, was pleasantly clean-lined and the blue/green/white palette was crisp and inviting, though I quickly became disengaged with the strict color scheme of the costume choices in the first half. However, when the palette blossomed into the fuchsias and tangerines of the final scene it worked really well. The ABBA throwback costumes, complete with neon Lycra and silver platform boots, were super fun.
Be forewarned: Mamma Mia! isn’t fully a family show, though the tunes are as catchy as can be. Sexual innuendo, though not surprising given the source material, was prevalent, with about a PG rating.
The audience enjoyed the show, despite the ridiculously humid conditions. From my seat, I could see at least one grandmotherly octogenarian singing word-for-word along with cast; the audience practically created a surround sound effect during “Mamma Mia.” Most of the audience stayed through the three encore numbers.
REVIEW:
Kansas City Starlight Theatre
Mamma Mia!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011 (reviewed); Runs through August 7
4600 Starlight Road, Kansas City, MO
For information and tickets call 816-363-7827 or visit www.starlightkc.com
Top Photo: Kaye Tuckerman (Photo: Mamma Mia! North American Tour 2010 by Joan Marcus)
Traditional and New Classical, Theatre Contributor
Libby Hanssen holds degrees from University of Missouri-Kansas City (M.M.) and Ball State University (B.M.) in trombone performance and also studied music education at Indiana University. She has studied trombone with Carl Lenthe, JoDee Davis, John Seidel, John Huntoon and Denis Wick, and music education with Brent Gault, Estelle Jorgensen and Katherine Strand.
While at IU, she taught classes in general music, focusing on listening skills and music fundamentals through practical music usage and exploring new sound constructions. During the course of her studies at UMKC, she performed with many ensembles, including the Conservatory Orchestra and Musica Nova. She has also performed with the Kansas City Puccini Festival, the People's Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City, the New Jazz Order, the Indiana Wind Symphony and the Muncie Symphony Orchestra.
In 2010, she was a fellow (one of 23 journalists selected from across the US) for the seventh annual National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Arts Journalism Institute in Classical Music and Opera at Columbia University’s Journalism School in New York City.
Most of her free time is spent with her three boys (son, dog and husband) and camera, exploring the many fine aspects of Kansas City living. She enjoys listening to KKFI - Kansas City Community Radio and KCUR - Kansas City's NPR station, visiting Kansas City's fine collection of museums and galleries, and scavenging in thrift and antique stores to add to her collection of toy instruments.
She writes for the joy of words and the process of constructing a story, maintaining the blog Proust Eats a Sandwich (www.prousteatsasandwich.wordpress.com). She is working on her first book: Murray Goes to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
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