You don’t have to be a dancing queen to enjoy the upcoming musical at ASU Gammage.
The farewell tour of “Mamma Mia!” comes to ASU Gammage Dec. 6 through 11, promising a night of ABBA’s famous songs, such as “Dancing Queen” and “S.O.S,” high-energy dancing and a belly full of laughs.
This musical centers around Sophie, a bride-to-be, in search of her father. Her mother serves as no help in revealing his identity, so Sophie invites three potential men to her wedding in hopes of recognizing him. When this proves to be harder than expected, amusement and struggles arise in the quest to find the man who will walk her down the aisle.
Max Ehrlich, returns for his second year on this tour to play Eddie, a lighthearted spirit full of good times and the right-hand man to the groom.
Ehrlich said he had to bring out his most cheerful and fun side to embody his character.
“I had just a little bit (of trouble with the role) because he is so carefree and so relaxed,” he said. “My character is almost like a comic relief in the story, and I always like to think that when I come on stage the audience is going to have a good time, much like my character. When he wakes up in the morning, he likes to think ‘Today’s going to be a good day.'”
The classic tale has audiences coming back to see it again, and Ehrlich said the reason it remains so popular is because of the lessons learned and the connections made in the show.
“The themes and the lessons that you learn from the actions that the characters take are universal," he said. "Everyone will be moved by the story that they witness. This story talks about love, secrets, friendship and family.”
Even after countless performances, Ehrlich has found new ways to bring energy to his role.
“I have done over 200 shows of this performance, and every single time I learn something new and find a new way to have fun with the show,” he said. “The audience’s energy and just feeling how invested the audience is gives me enough drive and purpose to keep doing the show.”
For first-timers who aren’t acquainted with the madness of “Mamma Mia!” Ehrlich describes the show as “a story about a girl living out her dream, a lover’s secret and a story of a trip down the aisle where chaos and hilarity will ensue.”
For those who are familiar with this upbeat story, the show reminds you to “Take a Chance on Me” and experience it again. Ehrlich said he thinks the show will leave every single person with a smile on their face.
“It’s almost like when you see a really good movie, and you watch it over and over again because those messages, and the story stays true to you and you can connect to a bunch of characters,” he said. “This show is a shining beam of light through any person’s gray day.”
From the perspective of Nicole St. Marie, a double major in theater and forensic psychology, the dedication of the actors is what makes a performance like “Mamma Mia!” so popular.
“It requires hours of studying the motivations behind your character and really looking into all the things that make your character who they are, whether that be the flaws or the good qualities that your character has,” she said. “What makes a good performance is seeing actors that are really invested, and have put in the time and effort to dive deep into their character and make that emotional investment.”
Taylor Henegar, a senior communications major, is one of many anticipating this performance, but this won’t be her first time experiencing the smash-hit musical.
“When I was in high school I went to Centennial Hall with my mom and grandma to see it, and I’m going to see it on Dec. 7 at Gammage with my mom and dad,” she said. “It’s the farewell tour, and I really love the story of 'Mamma Mia!' and I think it’s something you can enjoy again and again.”
She said the uplifting spirit and positive atmosphere is what keeps her coming back for more.
“I love their costumes because they’re so funny,” Henegar said. “I recommend it to anyone and everyone because it’s an all-age story, it’s funny, dramatic, and it hits all the points you want in any type of story, especially a Broadway play, and they do it very well.”
Reach the reporter at kasando1@asu.edu or follow @karismasandoval onTwitter.
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