Review: MAMMA MIA at The Palace Theater

The Palace Theater is Wisconsin Dells rarely disappoints. The service impeccable, the food fantastic, and the shows are great. Mamma Mia is no exception.

While most people are familiar with Mamma Mia, I was not. This was my first time seeing any production of this piece, including the movie. That's right, I've not even seen the movie. Don't judge! I get busy!

I am a regular at The Palace, when I walk in Carolyn has my drink ready, people in the cast are familiar with me, Greg at the box office knows me. The Palace is like home to me, hell it's practically in my back yard, and yes, full disclosure, I have acted there. When they do things right, they really do them right, and when they do things wrong, I may be a bit more forgiving, because it's home. I tell you this purely for journalistic integrity.

Mamma Mia is the story about Sophie (Brianna Eve Vitale) and her impending marriage to Sky (Mitchell Gray). You see, Sophie has a problem, she is not sure who her father is, but wants him at her wedding. She invites 3 prospects, gleaned from her mother, Donna's (Meggie Siegrist) old journal. Chaos, and hijinks ensue.

The music and vocals in the show are solid and enjoyable. The emotional component of the show is very riveting. It was great to see an almost sold out show on a Thursday afternoon, which speaks to the quality of The Palace and its past shows.

I had a great time and would highly recommend the show and the venue.

That is not to say the show was without its issues. There were some things that stood out. While the vocals were great, the accents of the actors were constantly being dropped. I would rather see a show (any show) done without un-needed accents, than a show with them and they were poorly done. Sometimes the actors were British, or Irish, and sometimes they were not. This was during dialog, and not when singing, I expect lack of accents when actors are singing. I don't necessarily blame the actors here as much as the director, and the Palace itself. I checked the program at intermission and found there to be no dialect coach listed.

I also found the choreography not as tight as I have seen in the past, although the individual dancing was great, as an ensemble they seemed a bit off. Lastly, there were without a doubt some tech issues at the end, which I am confident will be fixed immediately, as they were not slight glitches, but blatant issues.

Brianna Eve Vitale, did an amazing job in the lead role, holding the audience captive as she sang and danced across the stage. I thought while watching her, this is a steppingstone for this actor, she is headed for a Broadway tour. She was that good, as she held the audience in the palm of her hand.

The show runs all summer and I saw it on day two of a three month run. I am confident that it will be successful, as it should be. It's a very good show, a solid show. Musically it was memorable, I walked out singing, as did many of the audience that day, and that speaks highly of the show itself.

Go! See this show, it is a fine show with some great singing and dancing, catchy songs, good food in an enjoyable atmosphere. You wont be disappointed!

The Palace Theater is proud to present stage May 15 through September 1. This Palace Theater production stars Meggie Siegrist as Donna and Brianna Eve Vitale as Sophie. Over sixty million people from around the globe have fallen in love with characters, the enchanting story and ABBA's timeless music which makes show! This sunny, funny, international sensation unfolds on a Greek island paradise when on the eve of her wedding, a young woman's quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men back to the island they last visited twenty years ago. Non stop laughs and explosive dance numbers, along with the magic of ABBA's hit songs that include "Super Trouper," "Dancing Queen, You," "Take a Chance on Me," "Thank You for the Music," "Money, Money, Money," "The Winner Takes It All," and "SOS," combine to make this a show you'll never forget. $66.95. Tickets are on sale now at www.dellspalace.com or at 608-253-4000

The Palace Theater production is Directed Mark Mahallak, and choreography by Josh Hayes, and features Musical Direction by Patrick Summers . Mamma Mia also Scenic Design by Michael Nedza, Prop Design by Trent Loggins; Lighting Design by Sue Berger and stage management by Margaret Bystrek.

Mamma Mia Performance Schedule:

Wed, Thur, & Sun. 1 p.m.

Fri & Sat. 7 p.m.

Recommended Ages: 13 and up. Running Time: 2 hours

Tickets for Mamma Mia are priced from $24.30 $21.95, Active Military, Local, and Group discounts available. Group rates are available for groups of 15 or more. Please call 608-253-9000 for Group Sales. To reserve tickets, please call The Palace Theater Box Office at 608-253-4000 or visit http://www.dellspalace.com/

About The Palace Theater

The Palace Theater is a state-of-the-art, theater destination, producing classic Broadway musicals, as well as bringing to life many of your favorite Disney annual subscription series of three to four family friendly shows while serving a sumptuous meal or snack. The Palace Theater is a wonderful value for the entire family and will build extrordinary memories to be cherished forever.

The Palace Theater, Wisconsin Dells' newest professional theater is located at 564 Wisconsin Dells Pkwy South, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.

The Palace Theater is a state-of-the-art, 700-seat, regional theater destination that produces classic American musicals in a style and quality consistent with that of Broadway. The Palace Theater produces a number of family-friendly, classic musical revivals annually, while serving a full meal included in the ticket price. With an ideal location across the street from the Wilderness Hotel and Golf Resort, the country's largest waterpark resort, the Palace Theater is likely to become a major cultural and tourism attraction for the Dells' 5 million annual visitors. The community of Wisconsin Dells is predominantly comprised of the City of Wisconsin Dells and the Village of Lake Delton. Its roots as a tourism community date back more than 150 years when the first visitors came for scenic tours of the Wisconsin River with towering sandstone cliffs hugging its shores. Today, Wisconsin Dells is widely recognized as "The Waterpark Capital of the World!®"

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