"I knew very little about the history of the music," said Tom Vendafreddo, who is the musical director on the show. "I was born three years after ABBA disbanded. But I don't think of the generation gap as a detriment to the show. We are learning about the music of that time."
Paramount Theatre's Artistic Director Jim Corti, who is directing "Mamma Mia!," agrees.
2 comments:
I’m surprised that these performers did not know about ABBA; my mom plays their music all the time so I heard the music growing up. What I think makes Mamma Mia stand out from other jukebox musicals is that the plot can stand alone. While I don’t agree that the appeal of the show is ABBA’s music, the story is relatable and personable. Though I think many people go to see Mamma Mia for ABBA’s music, the appeal is the characters, especially Sophie. Unlike other jukebox musicals, Mamma Mia doesn’t tell the story of ABBA, but rather Sophie’s story. Sophie, like most people, is trying to find her identity; her story is a coming of age story. Though ABBA’s music is fun and adds a lot to the show, the story of Sophie is relatable and I think that that is the main draw.
I agree with Rebecca and think it is so interesting that the cast wasn't familiar with the music of this show. I love Mamma Mia and believe that it serves as a great entertainment piece. The conveys such a fun light-hearted story and does such a great job of commanding an audience in introducing them to this art form. I by no means would classify Mamma Mia as a "great piece of theatre" or a "challenging piece." Sometimes, however, its fun to just do a fluffy musical. There is sometimes too much pressure in this art form and I think its interesting to remember where we all came from and how this craft has evolved from light and humorous to thought provoking.
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