Mamma Mia! returns to Broadway’s Winter Garden for a six-month run, a theatrical homecoming for the touring production that taps into the show’s long love affair with the venue. The production, which previously anchored the Winter Garden for 14 years after the Sept. 11 era, arrives as the ninth-longest running Broadway show of all time, delivering a strenuously joyous experience for fans.
For those deeply in the Mamma Mia! camp, the show plays like a reunion: a blast of ABBA’s beloved hits, bright costumes, and a breezy, sun-soaked Greek island setting. For newcomers, it may feel louder and more over-the-top than subtle, but the audience’s response at the reviewed performance suggested the familiar pleasures still hold strong appeal. The season’s broader Broadway heartbeat—ABBA’s enduring music—also carries a concurrent wave of excitement, with Chess headed to the Imperial Theatre later this fall in a high-profile collaboration among familiar Broadway voices.
Flaws, however, aren’t entirely swept aside. Catherine Johnson’s book remains hokey and stitched together, with a few jokes that land poorly and some lines that feel dated. Phyllida Lloyd’s direction has not significantly evolved over time, and Anthony Van Laast’s choreography lands on energetic rather than innovative. Yet these elements don’t derail the overall mood; the production’s bright, kitschy costumes and Howard Harrison’s lighting create a sunny, operatic mood that suits the material well. Mark Thompson’s production design offers efficiency and clarity: a white-washed Greek façade that pivots to reveal a taverna where the wedding chaos unfolds.
The cast, many making their Broadway debuts, embraces the material with gusto. Christine Sherrill as Donna and Amy Weaver as Sophie anchor the show, supported by Carly Sakolove and Jalynn Steele as Rosie and Tanya, whose ABBA-inspired camaraderie anchors the party energy. The male leads—Rob Marnell, Jim Newman, and Victor Wallace—step into the trio of possible fathers with good humor, while Grant Reynolds plays Sky with the requisite warmth. The ensemble’s enthusiasm helps sell even the sillier moments, and the beloved hit parade—The title song, Dancing Queen, The Winner Takes It All, Money, Money, Money, Take a Chance on Me, and the curtain-closing Waterloo—lands with expected immediacy.
Running time is a tidy 2 hours and 30 minutes, including a single intermission, making it a comfortably timed evening out with plenty of familiar tunes to hum on the way home.
This Broadway homecoming leverages the enduring appeal of ABBA’s melodies and a production that, while not reinventing the wheel, continues to deliver a high-spirited, crowd-pleasing experience. For longtime fans, it’s a joyous reconnection with a show that grew into a cultural touchstone; for curious theatergoers seeking nostalgic energy and upbeat escapism, the production offers a buoyant, if imperfect, gateway into the ABBA-inspired musical world.
Additional notes and context:
– The Winter Garden Theatre, the show’s current stop, has historically been a fitting stage for Mamma Mia!’s bright spectacle and large-scale chorus numbers.
– The show’s familiar structure—a wedding on a sunlit Greek island, mysterious paternity, and a reunion of Donna with her old friends—continues to provide the emotional throughline that keeps fans returning.
– The creative team remains anchored by Phyllida Lloyd (direction), Anthony Van Laast (choreography), Catherine Johnson (book), and Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus (music and lyrics), whose collaboration helped transform ABBA songs into a narrative pop opera of sorts.
– The broader Broadway slate this season, including Chess, signals a strong year for revivals and contemporary takes on classic pop and musical theatre elements.
If you’re a Mamma Mia! enthusiast, this is a celebratory return to a familiar stage. For theatergoers in search of an uplifting, high-energy night out, the show still delivers a confident, effervescent experience with plenty of singalong moments and a sense of joyous nostalgia.