I knew that Mamma Mia was out there but I didn’t really know anything about it so didn’t now what to expect as I took my seat this past Tuesday. But you can never go wrong with ABBA music. <–Fact!
So I was surprised to find myself observing a Greek Island just in advance of a young couple’s wedding. Sophie is the bride in question. She is the daughter of a single mom, Donna, who runs a taverna on the island. She doesn’t know who her father is. So she snoops in her mother’s old diary and comes up with three possible suspects and invites them to her wedding using her mother’s name but without her mother’s knowledge. They all accept. What could possibly go wrong? Well everything and nothing but we have a wonderful story to tell with wonderful songs. And, I forgot, Donna was something of a rock star in her day in an all girl band, the Dynamos, and they are attending the wedding too, that’s Rosie and Tanya. So not only do we get the usual musical excitement as actors break into song but we got an extra treat of a Dynamos performance in platform boots and Vegas style costumes. Are you ready for Dancing Queen?
From the MPAC website
A quick formality: The lyrics and music are by the mavens behind ABBA of course, Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus with the book (story) by Catherine Johnson. And this high powered and vibrant touring production is directed by Phyllida Lloyd! One other production superstar is the lighting designer, Howard Harrison. His lighting emphasis and washes really really enhanced the performances on stage.
From my seat, the star of this show is Juliette M. Ojeda! She personifies what I feel the character of Sophie is all about here. And her voice is just a marvelous instrument and carries the weight of each song and the mood of the moment. And her dance steps are a smooth, lithe, and agile as any I’ve seen on this stage. Ojeda also knows how to work with and work off of the other performers on stage. Her mother, Donna, is played by Jessica Crouch, and she pulls off being a bit older version of Sophie. That relation should be the other way around but I couldn’t take my focus off of Ojeda. And Crouch too has the moves and the voice to be the focal point in every scene she enters. And she is majestic when she takes on her role as the leader of Donna and the Dynamos.
From the MPAC website
And the Dynamos? Given that Sophie is 20 now, they must be about 40 somethings? But Erica Mansfield as Tanya and Kayla Ryan Walsh as Rosie still show us the moves and the style and the youthful exuberance that they obviously have worked to maintain. And they can still strut in their own platform shoes and colorful ABBA outfits to boot.
When the father possibilities show up, Sophie tries to determine, without any luck, which one is her father. In a sense of desperation she asks all three to walk her down the aisle. They don’t all know that initially but accept it. Then after a few conversations and dreams, Sophie decides the only one really deserving of walking her down the aisle is her mother.
From the MPAC website
There are a few other shenanigans before and during the wedding, but true love wills out, but not necessarily as we would expect, but everyone will be happy in the end.
But, but, we aren’t done yet. AFTER the curtain call, there is a grand finale with the entire cast and chorus singing these marvelous ABBA songs and the audience is welcome to join in. So brush up on your lyrics and get your voice in shape because if ABBA is your thing, you will want to have that last bit of fun.
And I hope the full moon is getting scale, because he’s spending a lot of time on stage.
One Quibble: It’s a live band. A great live band. But it could tone down a few decibels. Particularly in the first act, even though the actors are well mic’d, the music drown them out a few times.
Mamma Mia! runs at the Marcus Performing Arts Center from now through September 27, 2026.
Has this hot weather caused your funny bone to get out of joint? The cure is at the Broadway At The Marcus Center’s last traveling show of the season….Monty Python’s Spamalot. You will find that you will be able to get your silly on all the evening long!
If you are not familiar with Spamalot (shame on you), as the program indicates, it is ‘a musical lovingly ripped off from the motion picture “Monty Python And The Holy Grail”. Yes it’s clearly ripped off! Many of your favorite bits are included like the knights that say ‘Ni’, the murderous rabbit, the taunting Frenchman, the ‘Trojan Rabbit’, it’s only a flesh wound, and the hand grenade of Antioch being a few examples. But not every event is here because there is a lot of singing and dancing to be completed. Which means there isn’t a moment of downtime for the audience…so don’t laugh too long or loud or you will miss another great bit. But yes, they do get thee a shrubbery too.
Photo-by-Matthew-Murphy-and-Evan-Zimmerman from the Marcus Performing Arts Center website.
And sorta spoiler alert. The producers and directors have slipped in a number of references to Milwaukee. I don’t want to spoil the fun, but just be aware that you need to watch for them. You won’t be disappointed.
The main characters are: King Arthur, played by Major Attaway. Attaway is a major presence with a big booming voice who dominates every scene where he is present. But Attaway can also show Arthur as a bit distracted and naive…not something you would want in your king…but certainly an asset for a lead character in a Monty Python musical. And the Lady of the Lake drives the story AND backstory, although she complains a bit about being out of the limelight for a bit too long in Act Too. Amanda Robles IS the Lady of the Lake. long on style and elegance with just an incredible operatic voice that will enthrall you to pieces! Absolutely.
Spamalot has a very large cast…most of them playing multiple roles…and it is impossible to keep track of all of these changes or to identify all of the guilty (I meant guileful) parties.
Photo-by-Matthew-Murphy-and-Evan-Zimmerman from the Marcus Performing Arts Center website.
But the real stars here is the ensemble…the many singers and dancers playing any number of roles depending on the scene…and as they appear out of seemingly nowhere and take over the stage in brilliant costumes and brilliant lighting…they certainly don’t have time to take a breath and I didn’t either as I tried to keep up with the splendor and majesty of each song/dance number…how can they keep this up? And the Laker Girls were a clearly vital force in most of these numbers…and I never expected to see a Vegas review pop up in Camelot. But they should have a bone to pick with the director..that old Arthur only has one costume change that I remember but the Laker Girls seem to have dozens.
And oh my goodness, the costumes and the set. The set is a major character as you watch it shift and shimmy and twist and rise as it describes the multiple scenes and environments required. Again, keep an eye on the set…parts of it are hard bits and parts of it are projections…not only are the changes simply amazing…they also tell some of their own stories. Thank you Paul Tate DePoo III (scenic and projection design), Cory Pattak (Lighting), and Kai Harada and Haley Parcher (sound design). And the costumes! Oh my goodness…there are hundreds of them and each seemingly more fabulous than the last. And not just for the principals but for each and every character and ensemble member. WHO knew there were so many sequins in Camelot?
Seriously, this is a show that you should see. It is spell binding. I was there opening night, just one of a nearly full house of people who just laughed and laughed and laughed. And it wasn’t the Boomer crowd one might expect. Every Milwaukee demographic was represented. So even if you don’t know Spamalot or the Holy Grail or Monty Python, go: you will have a great time finding your own sense of silly.
This isn’t in town long so don’t dawdle. It plays at the Marcus Performing Arts Center from now through July 19, 2026. More information and tickets here.
It is April 12, 2026. It is snowing inside the Todd Wehr Theater at the Marcus Performing Arts Center. It is not MY fault. My snow shovel is still at my back door and my snow brush is still in the car. No, it’s those pesky kids at First Stage presenting a very accomplished and engaging production of Disney’s Frozen!
Molly Hill Fuller in Disney’s Frozen. First Stage, 2026. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.
And again, First Stage is providing me with a new cultural experience. Being a man of a certain age whose grandchildren grew up very far away, I was never exposed to Frozen before this past weekend. Yes, I knew the major character’s names but only because they are now very popular crossword puzzle clues. LOL!
This is officially Disney’s Frozen but from what saw Sunday, this is every four to seven year old girl’s Frozen. I don’t remember seeing such a young audience at prior First Act events and this is the first time the theater has been completely sold out. So don’t wait to get tickets if you are considering going. And like many character driven plays based on other major sources, the electricity was palpable and exciting as you experience the buzz and hear the chatter of young voices. But once the lights went down things were different this time. In other big stage musicals, after the initial hush, the young audience will often engage with the action directly, answering questions, telling a character not to do something, or just trying to enter the conversation. This time the hush was nearly total and lasted curtain to curtain. They were totally engaged and on the edge of their seats to just as great an extent, and yes, into it, dancing in place or waving their arms to the music. Amazing. And I almost forgot to mention, this group was a fashion parade of every type of Elsa or Anna princess dress in existence. A very delightful encounter beyond just the music and theater.
The full official title is Disney’s Frozen, The Broadway Musical. So this is a full fledged musical with about two dozen amazing songs with the original music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, with the book by Jennifer Lee, and based on the Disney film also written by Lee. So the story is driven by song and to enhance that experience, there is a live five piece orchestra on site, but sequestered away in an orchestra ‘pit’ somewhere.
Cast in Disney’s Frozen. First Stage, 2026. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.
And here at First Stage, Director Michael Dean Morgan and Associate Director and Choreographer Michelle LoRicco have brought all of First Stage’s magic to bear and have created a seamless event around the complex story that just sweeps you up in a north wind! And I mean that in a good way. In his note from the director, Morgan states: “Rather than hiding the stagecraft, our ensemble of storytellers…brings the magic to life. There are no projectors, no screens, just talented artists shaping the storms, the snow, and even puppeteering beloved characters. ” And this is the magic of First Stage productions. Yes, there are storms to be exhibited, through lights and waving lengths of silky materials, and actors moving set pieces to take us to new environs, and amazing puppets to be the mythical and imaginary characters vital to the story. The stage craft is right there in front of us and we clearly see it and we embrace it as part of the story. And we move from castle bedroom to an ice castle on a mountain top and on and on.
Did Morgan say puppets? Yes, Indeed! Once again Puppet Designer Niki Kulas has created a cast of amazing puppets, again clearly showing the audience how they work, and enchanting us with how well they represent the characters. Let’s start with Sven, a giant reindeer head that a younger actor wears like a vest and sways around the stage making everyone of us want to pat it on the nose. And the animated snowman, Olaf, sings and ‘dances’ and shuffles through the action attached to another young actor at the feet and manipulated manually. And the Hill People, which to this viewer are giant trolls from my youthful fairy tales. Giant troll head and giant hands controlled by two actors, one bobbing the head while another waves the hand. They are a bit of comic relief when they appear as rescuers at two stress points in the narrative. Here the magic of stage craft and the magic of the forest unites.
(L to R) Cal Jordan, Jake Horstmeier, George Lorimer, Tesney Schatzman, Jamie Mercado, Karen Estrada, and Elliot Lippman in Disney’s Frozen. First Stage, 2026. Photo by Paul Ruffolo
I think I am going to stick this notice here today: First Stage uses a core cast of adults and young adults in their main stage musicals like Frozen. And then fill out the roles with two alternating casts of younger actors. The two casts for Frozen are the Fire Cast and the Frost Cast. So if you hope to see a particular young actor make sure you order tickets for a performance featuring their cast. I saw the Frost Cast.
Initially we meet our princesses Elsa and Anna as youngsters at bed time. Elsa is a bit quiet and thoughtful and wary and played with just the right about of reserve by Emily Dalecky (Frost). Her younger sister Anna presents a different personality, as played by McKenna Becker (Frost), she is sassy and direct and eager to live. After pushing her parents out of the bedroom she is the one bouncing off the walls wanting to play. She finally convinces Elsa to build a ‘snowman’ from toys and pillows and such and they name it Olaf. The dynamic set here for the sisters personalities and relationship helps mold the action in the rest of the story.
(Spoiler Alert?) This is a Disney princess fairy tale so there is magic and mystery and tragedy and duplicity all wrapped about the moral about the true love of family and sisters. Of course there is a secret, Elsa has the power to freeze things with a wave of her hand. A power no one understands and one that she can’t control herself. Once she harms Anna, they are separated and sequestered until adulthood. The King and Queen go off to find a solution but perish in a storm. The cloistered siblings are fairly naive when the are united as adults at Elsa’s coronation. Anna meets Prince Hans, who has 12 elder brothers, and immediately falls for the handsome young man and immediately agrees to marry him. Hans is played as suave and smooth and maybe a bit rakish by William Kastner (Frost). Delightfully romantic on meeting, he turns into a villain soon enough and Kastner has the chops for that as well.
Cole Bugiel (left) and Melody Marks (right) in Disney’s Frozen. First Stage, 2026. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.
When Anna announces her engagement to Elsa at the coronation, Elsa gets angry and with a wave of her hand, starts a new Ice Age. Elsa then heads for the mountains to protect her family and friends and kingdom from her powers and creates her own Ice Castle on a mountain. Anna pursues to try to help Elsa and the great adventures begin. Anna needs some help and meets Kristoff who provides cold weather mountain gear and immediately starts to provide his services as a guide. William Swoboda (Frost) gives Kristoff a bit of swagger but definitely a solid sense of self-sufficiency without any sign of doubt or thought for himself. And of course, he brings along his friend Sven, played by Johnathan Doome (Frost). And the emergence of the animated living Olaf is just a delight. A very animated and charming Dominic Lasky (Frost) gets to inhabit this fan favorite.
Molly Hill Fuller (center), Alice Rivera (right), and cast in Disney’s Frozen. First Stage, 2026. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.
At this point, Elsa and Anna are adults and are now played by different actresses. Molly Hill Fuller plays a somewhat imperious and ‘icy’ figure here but clearly defines the sense of fear she holds that is part of the under story to her power. Anna is portrayed by Alice Rivera (Frost) as not quite the sassy lass of the first scenes but certainly a determined can do at any cost woman of action. It serves her well and Rivera is true to the character. For me, Anna is the more intriguing character in the play and remained my focus point throughout. The highlight is a duet between Elsa and Ann, “I Can’t Lose You”, sung when they are finally reunited. Both actors have lush clear voices that fill the room and hold the moment. Their pairing is just just right and they both have presence and voice beyond what you would expect here in a youthful cast.
But Anna falls victim to Elsa’s powers once again, so all parties must retreat to their home in Arendelle to expose the villains and effect the magic that provides our happily ever after.
Disney’s Frozen runs one hour and 45 minutes plus an intermission. First Stage Recommends this for families with young people ages 8-18 and determined adventurers of all ages. I saw a lot of young people here that were younger than 8. And it seemed that a lot of these were already familiar with the story and the characters. But if you are wondering, there is some flirtation between Hans and Anna, the King and Queen do perish in a storm that is lightly depicted on stage, and there is magic and some threats of violence. The trolls are more comical than ominous.
Molly Hill Fuller in Disney’s Frozen. First Stage, 2026. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.
P.S. I have rambled on a lot more than usual, but something that I partially missed. Pay attention to Elsa as a quick costume change on stage switches her from Queen Elsa in regal blue to the Ice Queen in shimmery icy white threads.
First Stage presents Disney’s Frozen in the Todd Wehr Theater in the Marcus Performing Arts Center from now through May 17th, 2026. Tickets and further information here
