Review: MAMMA MIA! at The Paramount Theater

Mamma Mia! is the epitome of a summer show. Greek island setting, the glittery ABBA soundtrack...or maybe it's the wavelength of pure joy, and the summer season puts the city of Seattle in such a good mood. The Paramount’s current production leans into that joy, delivering an experience that feels more like an event than a standard night at the theater. On opening night, the audience came ready for it too, with people in disco lamé, breezy resortwear, and go-go boots.

For those unfamiliar with the plot of Mamma Mia!, twenty-year-old Sophie (Amy Weaver) is getting married to her boyfriend Sky (Grant Reynolds), and has secretly invited to the wedding the three men from her mother Donna’s (Christine Sherrill) past that she's narrowed down to her pool of potential dads. They’re all so different: one a globe trotting rolling stone type Bill (Jim Newman), one a former rock’n’roller turned intellectual Harry (Rob Marnell), and the soulful one that broke Donna’s heart, Sam (Victor Wallace). Whom among these three disparate but all strapping gentlemen is her biological father? 

It’s a jukebox musical, so the story serves as a vehicle to string together as many ABBA songs as possible. For the most part, Mamma Mia! serves as an example of a successful weaving of one artist’s songs into a smooth plotline without it feeling too forced. Occasionally there are plot beats existing purely to justify incorporating more ABBA into the show (like Donna’s girl band backstory that allows her and her friends to crash Sophie’s bachelorette party and sing “Super Trouper"). But, overall, the narrative is clean.

Director Phyllida Lloyd does an excellent job keeping this show’s energy high and fun. She leans into the silliness without ever letting it feel sloppy, cranking the humor up to 1000 and allowing the cheekier moments to land with confidence. The choreography by Anthony Van Laast is sharp and consistently creative (there’s a dance sequence in scuba gear!), and the lighting design by Howard Harrison is colorful and vibrant, adding to the nonstop feeling of celebration. Even with its simplicity, the stage feels full and dynamic. The design choices keep the focus on the performances and the music, while giving just enough visual flair to make the whole production feel bright and alive.

Across the board, this ensemble has top-tier vocal prowess. Real knock-your-socks-off singing in this show. Christine Sherrill’s Donna is the standout. Compared to the slightly more slapstick, high-octane approach of her colleagues, Sherrill’s Donna felt more robust and grounded. It was hard not to get a little choked up when she anchored quieter moments, like brushing Sophie’s hair and singing to her. As her daughter, Amy Weaver brings plenty of bright-eyed, spunky energy to Sophie. She plays the character’s excitement and panic with a genuine sweetness, and her chemistry with Sherrill makes the mother-daughter relationship feel real and warm.

The trio of potential fathers is equally well cast. Rob Marnell (Harry), Jim Newman (Bill), and Victor Wallace (Sam) all bring a nice mix of charm, humor, and sincerity. Each finds his place in the story, and all three keep the energy buoyant without tipping into caricature.

Jalynn Steele and Carly Sakolove shine as Donna’s lifelong best friends Tanya and Rosie. Both come in at full energy from the start and sustain it throughout. Steele’s rendition of “Does Your Mother Know” opposite Justin Sudderth’s Pepper is a clear highlight. She owns the stage with confidence, attitude, and control, while Sakolove brings solid vocals and strong comedic timing that rounds out the trio nicely (her rendition of “Take a Chance on Me” alongside Bill is especially charming).

I have just a couple qualms with the production. First, opening night had audio glitches. There was some mic feedback and overamplification, which muddied the ensemble's vocals before intermission. Thankfully, it appeared these issues were fixed, and the second half sounded much better. But it was pretty noticeable and distracting. Second, some background projections were wobbling pretty conspicuously, which is noticeable when so much of the set relies on lighting and background rather than set pieces. Lastly, during “Gimme Gimme Gimme”, Sophie’s friends were grinding on the dads during the bachelorette party scene. Sophie would be having a paternal, jokey moment with one dad while the other two were getting lap dances in the background. It was just a weird vibe to negotiate--those things happening simultaneously--and I’m not sure that directorial choice worked. 

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