Bringing A Classic to Life: Review of Live Stage ‘Mamma Mia’

“Mamma Mia”, considerably popular and well known by many, came to life at the Owasso Players Community Theatre in mid-September.

The story focuses on Sophie, performed by Isa Rodriguez, who is about

to marry Sky, who was performed by Charlie Hoch. The wedding is close and as it gets even closer, Sophie gets all the more wary about finding out the truth about who her father is. So, she ships out three letters to the three different men she found in her mother’s journal.

Sophie’s mother, Donna, was played by Amanda DeKatch in this production at the Lebowsky Center. The play grabbed one’s attention as soon as it started, the music immediately relaxing the audience, getting them involved in Sophie’s life, seeing her concern for how nervous she was about sending out the letters.

The performances should be noted. There was never a lack of excitement among them. The chemistry between the characters was bold, especially between Donna and Sam who perform a disjointed duet that shows their falling out, yet their extreme passion for one

another that remains years after. Sam was performed by Chad DeKatch.

The way the play was put together on stage is also noteworthy. The scene changes were fluid and didn’t take too long; they were immediate, especially the one from the wedding to the

encore scene. The props themselves fit with the scene, as well as the dialogue and the reactions of the performers.

The vocals of the performers were also noteworthy. They were bold and bright, especially from Sophie and Donna. They had two completely different voices that were distinctly

special, and made the music come to life. It didn’t sound like a “karaoke”, instead, it sounded like the actual track, yet with its own twist on it. They made sure to add their own little twist and nuances, especially during Tanya’s flirty scene with a younger boy.

The play was easily able to get the crowd involved, extremely humorous and witty. There were very few moments in which the audience was not clapping or laughing because the

performances were solid. The chemistry was real and it wasn’t awkward, it was playful and collaborative. The choreography was also another one of the notable parts of the play, especially during the encore, when every member came out in high white pumps and neon colored one pieces. This was extremely funny, yet it was also able to bring the audience together, mutually amused by the sets of costumes, music, and the performances in general