The musical show “Mamma Mia” opened at the Hackmatack Playhouse in  Berwick on July 25 and I caught the performance on the 27th where every seat was taken and an extra row was added in the rear. The producer, Michael Guptill, welcomed the audience comprised of folks of all ages and both genders by announcing the start of rehearsals for the next show at the playhouse (“Peter and the Starcatcher”) as well as touting his wife’s (delicious) blueberry pie which was for sale during intermission.

“Mamma Mia” is based on the music of “Abba” a popular Swedish group and contains songs and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus along with “other songs” by Stig Anderson. The show itself, a throwback to the age of the (19)70s, first appeared in 1999 with dialogue written by Catherine Johnson. According to director Kelli Leigh-Ann Connors, she “re-conceptualized the way the story is told; focusing on the music, (and) allowing it to propel the story.”

The first act has an (over)abundance of songs utilizing the chorus and having a minimum of plot development. The second act has more of a balance between the two elements. While there is a plot, it was obvious that the audience was there to hear the Abba’s songs, all 22 of them! As the story unfolds, the group Abba is playing live at the Acropolis in Greece. A young woman, Sophie (Shaughnessey Gower) is preparing for her wedding to Sky (Demetrio Alomar.) She discovers her mother’s diary and learns that her mother has relations with three men on consecutive nights. She does not know who her biological father is and invites all three of them to her wedding. Donna (her) mother (Heather G. Wixon) has raised her daughter single-handedly and runs a modest hotel. Donna soon meets her three former lovers and is not happy to see them, not one bit. The three are: Sam (Steven Leighton), Bill (Rob Ross) and Harry (Todd Fernald.)

Plot wise it would not do to have three men without any female counterparts. This problem is solved with the early appearance of two friends of Donna (the mother). They are: Tanya (Jesica Dee) and Rosie (Danica Carlson.) (Tanya is too fashionably dressed and is thrice divorced.)

Now that one has met the characters in the play, with suitable twists and turns, Donna is reconciled with Sam, Tanya and Bill are a couple, Rosie is paired with Sam (who has given Donna a large check (“which would pay for four weddings”) Sophie decides to elope with Sky and be married on the mainland.

Readers: please be advised that “Mamma Mia” is first and foremost a musical and while the plot is important, it represents more of a kind of clothesline on which to hang the Abba songs.

Vocally speaking, kudos (in my opinion) go to Heather Wixom. Her rendition of “Winner Takes It All” in the second act was a real show-stopper. The song called for a wide vocal range as well as acting ability, with almost consistent participation of the chorus. Then there was her rendition of “I Do, I Do, I Do.” Tanya (Dee) reminded me of Laney Kazan, for those of you who remember. She sparkled throughout but never more so in her attempted seduction of Bill (Ross), in the second act. (She wasn’t interested in the attempt by Pepper (Gower) again in the second act. The bride-to-be Sophie was never better than when she asked her mother to help her adjust her wedding dress. She sang ever so many Abba songs with verve and energy. (I don’t want to be unkind, but my ears told me that at least at this performance she was just a tad under pitch in all she sang.) Sam (Leighton) has a fine baritone which he used to good advantage in “Take a Chance on Me.” There was a group of performers stationed on a platform above the stage to represent Abba. This group included :Emily Whitlow, Katie Juster, Grifinn Gower and Jacob Less. They had to sing (a lot) and gyrate in many a song.

The choreographer responsible for the many movements of the cast was the director (Connors) who has to be congratulated for doing a superb job on both counts. However, the real heroes of this show were the instrumental
group which was under the direction of J. Kathleen Catellanos on the primary keyboard, Julius LaFlamme on the second keyboard, Halley Withrow on Bass, Matt Walsh on Drums, and Jeff Line on Guitar. After the requisite bows were taken at the end, costume designer Fran Bechtold showed her talents anew. During the encores (“Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” and “Waterloo”) the cast was outfitted in spectacular costumes recalling the Las Vegas, Elvis (Presley) costumes of the 70s. (That I had to add the name Presley after Elvis is to underline just how much time has past since the 70s and how fleeting fame is.)

If one enjoys sparkling production numbers, the songs of Abba, the playing of a brilliant instrumental group, and witty dialogue (“horrible twist of fate … must be Greek:) then, by all means take in this show.

“Mamma Mia” continues through Aug. 10 with shows at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday with 2 p.m. matinees on Thursday Aug. 1 and Aug. 8. For more information, go to www.hackmatack.org or call 698-1807.

-Dr. Morton Gold is a composer/conductor, retired educator and an arts reviewer for the Journal Tribune.