Interview: Theatre Life with Christine Sherrill

Today’s subject Christine Sherrill is currently living her theatre life spreading the gospel of the joys of ABBA in the 25th Anniversary Tour of Mamma Mia! where she is playing the lead role of Donna. The show is currently running now through September 1st in the Opera House at Kennedy Center.

Christine is no stranger to Mamma Mia!. She last performed the role of Donna during her residency with the Las Vegas company of the show. Other national credits include leading roles in Kiss me Kate, Next to Normal, Guys and Dolls and Sunset Boulevard. Her performance of Norma Desmond earned her a Joseph Jefferson award.

TV/Film and Video credits include FBI Most Wanted, Prophet, Red Dead Redemption, and Landline.

After doing the same show for a while, some performers tend to become robotic and self-aggrandizing in their performances. Read on to see why Christine never falls into this trap while performing in Mamma Mia!.

With all that’s happening in the world now, sometimes a light fluffy musical with a silly plot is just what is needed to make you forget about everything. If you are in need of a great theatrical escape, grab some tickets to Mamma Mia! at Kennedy Center.

Christine Sherrill is a veteran of the show with boundless amounts of energy many performances into her tenure.

Catch this “Dancing Queen” and the company Christine shares the stage with to see why she is living her theatre life to the fullest.

At what age did you get interested in performing?

I studied piano beginning at age 7 and realized I had this desire to sing along. That turned into full blown, uninvited performances for anyone that would listen.

Where did you receive your training?

I went to college on a vocal scholarship, but actually studied to be a teacher. I have a Masters in Education. Most of my training came from Chicago stages. I'm proud to say I learned and studied with some of the finest directors and actors while "on the job."

What was your first professional job as a performer?

My first professional job was playing Lina Lamont in Singin in The Rain at Drury Lane Theatre in Chicago. Funny, my first job was to be a bad singer!

How did you first get involved with Mamma Mia!?

I first played Tanya in the 2006 tour. From there I went on to play Donna in Vegas a few years later.

To date, how many performances of Mamma Mia! have you performed?

Oh goodness...nearly 300 on this tour and just about 1000 total. Haha this answer just made me tired.

Along those same lines, having played the show for a while, how do you keep it fresh for yourself performance after performance?
This is easy. The audiences and the actors. We have been so fortunate this year. Every city has greeted us with this exciting audiences. I love live theatre for this reason. I can be starting my eighth show of the week, feeling a bit tired when I meet the audience for the first time. Their laughter, silence and engagement is energizing. It's hard to sing ABBA to 3000 folks standing on their feet and feel anything but alive. This cast is invested in telling our story to every city which means I'm always on stage with someone who supports me in the scene with like interests.

Having played Mamma Mia! in Las Vegas, do you find playing the show on tour to be a different experience in terms of audience behavior and reaction?

Yes! Most definitely. Our patrons on tour seek out opportunities to see our show. Folks drive from hours away, they save up for tickets, they listen to the soundtrack or watch the movies, and they show up ready for an experience of a lifetime.

Do you have a particular favorite ABBA song?

“Thank you for the Music”. It's my love letter to this company and the goodness it has brought me and my family.

Mamma Mia! has been around for 25 years now. What do you think is the secret to its longevity?

It's a story of friendship and family. It reminds all of us that the difficult times in your life can be survived with the love of those around you, humor and of course a stellar soundtrack.

Special thanks to Kennedy Center's Senior Press Represenitive Brittany Laeger for her assistance in coordinating this interview.

Theatre Life logo designed by Kevin Laughon.

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