‘Mamma Mia!’ an audience and performer favourite

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/04/2025 (351 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mecca Productions’ upcoming musical, “Mamma Mia!,” is not being promoted as a sing-along, but John Szabo, the show’s director, suspects many audience members will be mouthing along the words to each ABBA song.

“There are so many songs that people are familiar with, like ‘Waterloo’ and ‘Dancing Queen,’” Szabo said.

The Sun caught up with him Tuesday afternoon as he was on his way to one of the last few rehearsals before Thursday’s opening night at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium.

“This is definitely an audience and performer favourite, and everyone has worked so hard,” Szabo said.

“There are a lot of cast members who have performed it before and came back because they loved it so much. And then we have new people who specifically wanted to be a part of ‘Mamma Mia!’ — so it’s definitely worth seeing.”

“Mamma Mia!” is set on a Greek island and the story is about a young woman who is about to be married. She sent wedding invitations to three men from her mother’s past — without telling her — and is hoping to find out which one is her real father.

Besides calling the shots as director, Szabo is playing one of the major roles — a character named Sam Carmichael.

“It’s a great part to be playing,” Szabo said. “The last time I did this show, I played two of the dads on alternate nights. So one night I’d play one dad, and the other night, the other dad. So I don’t know what it is about this show, but it draws you in,” he laughed.

Fellow actor Katherine MacFarlane said she agreed. MacFarlane is playing the role of Rosie Mulligan. She was in a band with the bride-to-be’s mother named Donna Sheridan, and another friend, a character named Tanya Wilkinson.

“Rosie is notoriously the funny one, which is kind of perfect for me,” MacFarlane said as she chuckled.

But it’s ABBA’s music from the 1970s and ’80s that brings people joy and makes them smile, she said, with additional hits like “Super Trooper,” “The Winner Takes It All,” “Chiquitita” and “Mamma Mia.”

“And the story is charming, like the fact that Donna and Sam, who see each other for the first time in 21 years, realize there’s still love there,” MacFarlane said.

“And then the three friends who haven’t seen each other for a long time just melt back into their original friendship dynamic. The other piece is the relationship between Donna and her daughter, Sophie. So it’s a really uplifting story.”

Donna Sheridan’s role is being played by Lisa Vasconcelos, the founder of Mecca, while Mariah Phillips is the other friend and bandmate Tanya Wilkinson.

All have varied and wide experience in musical theatre, as well as performing with bands around Manitoba.

The actors playing the two other dads alongside Szabo are Martijn Van Luijn and Ken Stelmack, who “add to the wealth of experience of the entire cast,” Szabo said.

“It’s like a well-oiled machine and I’ve never directed a musical before, so it’s been a fun opportunity. Acting is what I love the most, but (I) love tapping into the creative side, making suggestions and being able to see somebody’s level of growth by the advice that they get through a director.”

MacFarlane said she has felt an undeniable connection between the cast and crew with this production.

“There is pressure performing in front of an audience,” MacFarlane said, “but we are really anchoring to the joy and the gratitude that we get to do this — that we can assemble as a group and a cast of people who love music, love theatre, who truly care about each other, and have an opportunity to bring this joy to an audience.

“And I think that audiences can feel it.”

Tickets are still available for the four shows, with the first performance Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The curtain also rises Friday at 7:30 p.m. There are two performances on Saturday — at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

VIP tickets will be offered for Thursday and Friday nights only.

A VIP reception ticket includes appetizers and a cocktail or non-alcoholic drink served in the auditorium’s grand salon. Doors open for the ticket holders at 6 p.m.

The VIP ticket price is $69.25, which includes all fees.

Regular admission is $44.25 for adults and $39.25 for seniors. Students pay $34.25 and the cost for children under 12 is $29.25.

For more information about Mecca’s production of “Mamma Mia!” call the WMCA box office at 204-728-9510.

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com

» enviromichele.bsky.social