Theatre By The Sea Presents R.I. Regional Premiere Of MAMMA MIA!

In celebration of 85 Years of Theatre By The Sea (TBTS), owner and producer Bill Hanney is proud to present the Rhode Island Regional Premiere of the international sensation, Mamma Mia! which will be presented from June 20 - July 21, 2018.

"We have been trying for years to get the rights to produce Mamma Mia!," said Theatre By The Sea owner and producer Bill Hanney. "I am thrilled that we were able to secure the rights for the 85th celebration! So many patrons had been requesting the show that I was concerned we wouldn't have enough performances to accommodate everyone, so for the first time, we are presenting one of our summer productions for five weeks and if early ticket sales are any indication, we probably could have run it longer."

Prepare to have the time of your life! Sophie, a 20-year-old bride-to-be, is on the search for her father. After reading her mother's diary, she discovers there are three potential suitors. Unbeknownst to her mother, Donna, Sophie invites each of them to her wedding, in hopes of having one of them walk her down the aisle. As the big day draws near, surprises abound with old flames and old friends. Mamma Mia! is packed with 22 ABBA hits, including "Dancing Queen," "Super Trouper," "Take A Chance on Me," and "The Winner Takes It All." This worldwide mega hit will have audiences shouting "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" more!

Directed and choreographed by Theatre By The Sea's Producing Artistic Director, Kevin P. Hill, who directing previous TBTS productions of Smokey Joe's Café, Sister Act, Young Frankenstein, Mary Poppins, Grease, and Hello, Dolly!, with musical direction by Bob Bray, who returns to TBTS after music directing Hello, Dolly!, the cast includes Erica Mansfield, whose Broadway credits include Bandstand, Finding Neverland, Mamma Mia!, On the Town, On the Twentieth Century, Pippin, Evita, and How to Succeed..., as Donna Sheridan. Jeannette Bayardelle, who appeared on Broadway in Hair and The Color Purple returns to Theatre By The Sea after her star turn as Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act (2016), as Rosie and Tari Kelly, whose Broadway credits include Groundhog Day, Something Rotten!, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Boy From Oz and Showboat, will portray the role of Tanya. In the roles of Sam Carmichael, Bill Austin and Harry Bright are David Elder, whose Broadway credits include Curtains, 42nd Street Revival, Kiss Me Kate, Titanic, the Musical, Once Upon a Mattress, Damn Yankees, Beauty and the Beast, and Guys and Dolls, Al Bundonis, who returns to TBTS after appearing as King Arthur in Spamalot (2014), Horace Vandergelder in Hello, Dolly! (2010) and Lawrence in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2009), and Christopher Carl, who returns to TBTS after appearing as Billy Flynn in Chicago (2003). Malia Monk and Nick Walker Jones will both be making their Theatre By The Sea debuts in the roles of Sophie and Sky. The ensemble includes Steven Del Col, EJ Dohring, Bryan Doughtery, Briana Fallon, Fabian-Joubert Gallmeister, Maverick Hiu, Derek Hoyden, Melissa Jones, Marty Lauter, Abby Matsusaka, Andrew Norlen, Merrill Peiffer, Gracie Phillips, Kristen Schoen Rene, Kristin Welsh and Janelle Yull.

The creative team includes resident scenic designer Kyle Dixon and resident lighting designer Jose Santiago, along with Dana Pinkston (Costume Design), Michael Hyde (Sound Design), Kate Ferdinandi (Production Stage Manager), and Sara Sheets (Assistant Stage Manager). Mamma Mia! is being produced for Theatre By The Sea by Bill Hanney (Owner/Producer), Kevin P. Hill (Producing Artistic Director), and Thom Warren (Associate Producer).

Audiences are invited to enhance their theatre experience by dining in the casual, contemporary and creative atmosphere of Bistro by the Sea, just a short stroll down the arbor walk adjacent to the theatre. Following performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, theatergoers can enjoy fun, food and drinks at the popular Late Night Cabaret, beginning June 29. Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made via Open Table or by calling (401) 789-3030. Before or after the meal theatergoers can enjoy the lush seaside gardens, which contain over 300 varieties of perennials, grasses, shrubs and climbing plants, which offer a magical environment for flower lovers of all ages.

Mamma Mia! will be presented from June 20-July 21, with preview performances on June 20 and 21 and opening night scheduled for June 22. Performances are scheduled for Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:00 pm, Thursdays at 2:00 pm, Saturdays at 3:00 and Sundays at 5:00 pm, with special performance times on Sunday, June 24 at 2:00 & 7:00 pm and special added matinee performances on Tuesday, July 3 and Wednesday July 18 at 2:00 pm.The theatre is located at 364 Cards Pond Road, Wakefield.Tickets for preview performances, Wednesday, June 20 and Thursday, June 21 are $49. Tickets for all other performances are $52 - $75 (additional fees may apply). Discount rates are available for groups of 10 or more by calling (401) 782-TKTS (8587). Tickets are on sale at the box office Monday through Saturday from 11:00 am - 6:00 pm, Sundays from 12 noon - 5:00 pm and performance days until curtain, online 24-hours-a-day at www.theatrebythesea.com and via telephone during normal box office hours by calling (866) 811-4111 or (401) 782-TKTS (8587).

Located on Rhode Island's South Shore, Theatre By The Sea celebrates 85 years of summer theatre at its best!

Theatre By The Sea has had many incarnations since opening on August 7, 1933. Tommy Brent saved the theatre from demolition in 1967 and ran it successfully until FourQuest Entertainment took over the lease in 1988. Following extensive renovations, FourQuest reopened the theatre in the spring of 1989 and continued producing high quality entertainment at the seaside playhouse until the fall of 2003. Bill Hanney purchased the property in 2007 and, with producing partners, successfully mounted a production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, just six weeks later, reopening the historic theatre on August 8, 2007. Since then, Theatre By The Sea has continued to produce a four-musical subscription season, a late-night cabaret series, a children's theatre festival, and a children's summer theatre camp.

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