Mamma Mia, a movie-musical franchise that first came out in 2008, made its way to Florida on their 25th anniversary tour. The shows were held at the Straz Center from Jan. 28 through Feb. 2, performed by talented cast members who brought the movie’s magic to Tampa.
“I really enjoyed how it was lighthearted and fun,” junior Isabelle Gregson said.
Mamma Mia follows a young girl, Sophie, who lives on a Greek island with her mother. The importance of love, family, and finding yourself are storylines explored throughout the movie while incorporating popular hits from ABBA. The live show even included songs that were only part of the Broadway performances.
“My favorite song is Dancing Queen…I loved singing it with my sisters when I was younger,” senior Aubree Gunn said. With the popularity of ABBA and the movie, generations grew up with these songs and have special memories of them.
The performance at the Straz Center lasted for around 2 hours, with an intermission in between the two acts. The first act portrays the day before the wedding when Sophie is preparing to marry the love of her life, Sky. Both the movie and live performance showcase the struggles of Sophie’s reality like figuring out who her father is and getting along with her mother, Donna. While they follow the same storyline, the feelings can differ when watching it live as opposed to on a screen.
“I think seeing it live is always better…there’s a lot more character,” junior Kristina Galchenko said. Having live actors enhances the emotions that are being portrayed throughout the scenes, further moving the audience. Guests followed along the rollercoaster of emotions, either staying silent during bittersweet moments or erupting in laughter.
“…it’s really entertaining, and the cast made it more funny…,” Gregson said. Many moments such as the flippers scene during Lay All Your Love of Me and small jokes and comments in the dialogue create a lively atmosphere.
The tour still has 19 more stops and will end in Denver, Colorado in the summer of 2025. At the venues, numerous choices of merchandise were offered such as shirts, hats, and tote bags along with smaller items. Having these available create small tokens to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Mamma Mia and to help guests remember their experience at the live performance.
