Review: ‘Mamma Mia!’ at Arts Center on Hilton Head gets audience dancing in their seats

Who can resist “Mamma Mia!”?

First nighters came early to Hilton Head’s Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, catching up with familiar looking theatergoers and seatmates from pre-COVID times. Everybody was ready for a new beginning.

Masks in place, programs in hand, we were shown to our designated seats, which were carefully distanced. There was such a sense of excitement. Everyone was focused on the familiar curtain in the Elizabeth Wallace Theater, knowing that, in moments, the ABBA music coming from the orchestra would propel the storyline.

Many in the audience had seen “Mamma Mia!” several times in a variety of locales. For quite a few, it was about the Catherine Johnson storyline, but for everyone, it was about the ABBA music, the dancing, the singing, the acrobatics and the significant action. Someone commented that, when ABBA music was performed, it was like a blast of serotonin!

The production is directed with enthusiasm by New York musical theater professional and well-known island presence Casey Colgan and stunningly supported by the choreography of Alec Vargas against a perfect setting, a fictitious Greek Island.

The story

The young, engaged Sophie (Regan White) has read her mother Donna’s (Meredith Inglesby) diary and discovered that one of three men may be her father: Bill ( John Preator), Harry (Peter Simon Hilton) or Sam (Cooper Grodin). Sophie secretly invites all three to her wedding and hopes she will know which of them is her father when they arrive.

Grodin, Preator and Hilton each are amazingly suited for the dad roles they play. They all arrive, confused by the complications as they unfold, notably Donna’s less than enthusiastic response. Sophie enjoys the concept of the potential dads but is concerned at Donna’s response and further by bridegroom Sky’s (Jeffrey Keller) cluelessness.

Here’s the perfect time to introduce some comic relief. We in the audience have fun when they have fun, and it happens with Donna’s friends Tanya (Merrill Peiffrer) — a visual knock out, very wealthy, three times married and three times divorced — and the hysterically funny Rosie (Natalie Charle Ellis), who clearly enjoys the single lady life. Totally spot on, the two make a scene simply shine. Some of our favorite music surfaces here.

Through it all, there is great fun with beach boys, girlfriends and bridesmaids filled with high energy, singing and dancing. Keep an eye out for Eddie (Gabriel Kearns), Lisa (Beatrice Howell), Pepper (David Borum), and ensemble members Shannon Weir, Hunter Lehman, William Dezarn Jackson, Alyssa Ishihara, Shannon Hegarty, Michael Harmon, Julia Hajjar and Gino Bloomberg.

The ABBA songs slip masterfully into the storyline. Sophie joins the overture and sets up the production with the prologue, and when her friends start arriving, they perform a knock-out “Honey, Honey.”

“Money, Money Money,” offered by Donna, Tanya, Rosie, Pepper and company, is riotous. It’s immediately followed by my favorites, “Thank You for the Music,” which introduces Harry, Bill and Sam, “Mamma Mia” with Donna and company, and the completely charming ”Chiquitita,” which flows right into “Dancing Queen,” “Super Trouper” and many, many more. We all loved every minute.

Act Two

I must prepare you for “Under Attack!” The entire company and Sophie, costumed in black, fill the black-lighted stage. Fluorescent lighting adds mystery, further enhanced by black fright wigs, brightly rimmed glow-in-the-dark glasses and shinning green bracelets which draw your attention to a nightmare wedding!

The story continues, and so does the ABBA music. Look forward to “Does Your Mother Know,” the very beautiful “Slipping Through My Fingers” and “I Have a Dream.”

As the music and storyline progress, many in the audience join in the singing, clapping and even dancing in place.

At the end of the production, the company offers a brilliant “Mamma Mia,” “Dancing Queen” and “Waterloo” with the most incredible outfits, brilliant matching costumes in pink, orange and purple. Everybody was on their feet.

As we gathered up our things to leave the theater, my friend who was raised in Costa Rica commented with a sly smile that, when he was just a little guy, his mother always called him Chiquitita. Later, when we were loading the car, he opened the front door and his very elaborate sound system was booming out “Chiquitita.” We sang all the way home!

Tickets

What: “Mamma Mia!”

Where: Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane on Hilton Head

When: Through Aug. 22

Tickets: $56 adults, $43 children

Box office: 843-842-2787 (ARTS)

Website: artshhi.com/theater-series/mamma-mia