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serafina20Got to go to a brand new play last night, one I had almost no prior knowledge. It's been a long time since I've gone into a play, especially a musical, not knowing anything more than the basic premise. The last time was, I think, "Night Club Confidential," (I'm not counting the RENT ripoff that my brother was in, since a. it sucked, and b. it was only a college thing and c. God, did it suck).
Anyway, I was more than pleasantly surprised by Mama Mia. It was fantastic, and it wasn't just the play. I've never been to a play that had this kind of audience response before. The only thing that's come close was the time my father and I went to go see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and the main reason the audience response was so great was because half the performers were from a show at Disneyland and half the audience worked at Disneyland as "ushers" (really called Guest Control) at that show.
So, back to Mama Mia. First off, we had orchestra seats, which was great. I don't think I've ever been in the orchestra section before. I could actually see the actor's faces. When I'm working full time, I'm going to get a subscription to a theater and make it orchestra. I'll just be paying for myself, so why not?
Anyway, the play is about a girl named Sophie who's getting married. She's grown up in Greece with her single mother and doesn't know who her father is. After finding a diary that details Donna (the mother's) summer of '79, in which she met three men who swept her off her feet, Sophie invites all three men to her wedding, convinced she'll figure out which one is Daddy. Every once in a while, they break out into an ABBA song that fits the situation.
Highlights:
The guy sitting in front of my dad. He got so excited everytime they played a song he really liked, which was about half the songs. It was so funny to see this short, bald guy in a tie squirming in his seat like a kid at Disneyland who is seeing Mickey Mouse for the first time. Plus, there was always a ripple of excitement through the audience when the songs started, because people were just so *happy* to hear these songs.
The bachelor dance. I can't remember what song it was to, but the boys were taking the groom out for a Greek tradition, and they all came out in wetsuits, snorkles, and fins. And they danced. In blacklight. It was great.
Donna. Holy fuck, was she sexy. Plus, she grew up on Prince Edward Island, which makes here just sexy.
"Take a Chance on Me." My second favorite character, Rosie, a stanchly independant, feminist woman sings it to the Austrilian dude (one of the dad's) after he basically spouts her philosophy back to her. She was a wonderful actress with brilliant comic timing, and got the biggest audience response for her song.
The concert at the end. First the kids danced and sang, and then the three women came out in ABBA gear to sing, and then the Dad's all came out in ABBA costumes. The audience was on it's feet, the guy next to me was singing (horribly flat, but still), and it was just a lot of fun.
(Dude, I totally forgot): Harry. Headbanger Harry, who is my Wesley, Dominic, and Jonathan Carahan (? from the Mummy), all rolled into one. He was just so adorable.
Anyway, I had a great time, and can't wait until the show comes back so I can see it again. Like my parents say, if you're not an ABBA fan, or don't know the music, (I knew some, but not all) you probably won't enjoy it at much. But, if you are, you'll probably have a lot of fun. :)
Anyway, I was more than pleasantly surprised by Mama Mia. It was fantastic, and it wasn't just the play. I've never been to a play that had this kind of audience response before. The only thing that's come close was the time my father and I went to go see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and the main reason the audience response was so great was because half the performers were from a show at Disneyland and half the audience worked at Disneyland as "ushers" (really called Guest Control) at that show.
So, back to Mama Mia. First off, we had orchestra seats, which was great. I don't think I've ever been in the orchestra section before. I could actually see the actor's faces. When I'm working full time, I'm going to get a subscription to a theater and make it orchestra. I'll just be paying for myself, so why not?
Anyway, the play is about a girl named Sophie who's getting married. She's grown up in Greece with her single mother and doesn't know who her father is. After finding a diary that details Donna (the mother's) summer of '79, in which she met three men who swept her off her feet, Sophie invites all three men to her wedding, convinced she'll figure out which one is Daddy. Every once in a while, they break out into an ABBA song that fits the situation.
Highlights:
The guy sitting in front of my dad. He got so excited everytime they played a song he really liked, which was about half the songs. It was so funny to see this short, bald guy in a tie squirming in his seat like a kid at Disneyland who is seeing Mickey Mouse for the first time. Plus, there was always a ripple of excitement through the audience when the songs started, because people were just so *happy* to hear these songs.
The bachelor dance. I can't remember what song it was to, but the boys were taking the groom out for a Greek tradition, and they all came out in wetsuits, snorkles, and fins. And they danced. In blacklight. It was great.
Donna. Holy fuck, was she sexy. Plus, she grew up on Prince Edward Island, which makes here just sexy.
"Take a Chance on Me." My second favorite character, Rosie, a stanchly independant, feminist woman sings it to the Austrilian dude (one of the dad's) after he basically spouts her philosophy back to her. She was a wonderful actress with brilliant comic timing, and got the biggest audience response for her song.
The concert at the end. First the kids danced and sang, and then the three women came out in ABBA gear to sing, and then the Dad's all came out in ABBA costumes. The audience was on it's feet, the guy next to me was singing (horribly flat, but still), and it was just a lot of fun.
(Dude, I totally forgot): Harry. Headbanger Harry, who is my Wesley, Dominic, and Jonathan Carahan (? from the Mummy), all rolled into one. He was just so adorable.
Anyway, I had a great time, and can't wait until the show comes back so I can see it again. Like my parents say, if you're not an ABBA fan, or don't know the music, (I knew some, but not all) you probably won't enjoy it at much. But, if you are, you'll probably have a lot of fun. :)
