Detroit will experience the 25th anniversary tour of the musical “Mamma Mia,” featuring the music of ABBA, March 24 to 29 at the Fisher Theater, with Jalynn Steele (left) as Tanya, Christine Sherrill as Donna Sheridan and Carly Sakolove as Rosie. For tickets and more information, go to BroadwayInDetroit.com.
Local theaters are welcoming in spring with a wide range of entertainment options, including the 25th anniversary tour of “Mamma Mia,” which features music by ABBA, the new musical “& Juliet,” which explores what could have happened if Shakespeare’s tragic heroine were given a second chance at life, which are both at the Fisher Theater, and Theatre and Dance at Wayne’s production of “The SpongeBob Musical” on the Hilberry Gateway Stage.
FISHER HOSTS ‘MAMMA MIA’
The 25th anniversary of the “Mamma Mia” Broadway debut comes to Detroit March 24 to 29 at the Fisher Theater.
The upbeat musical, featuring the music of ABBA, is set on a Greek island where a mother and her soon-to-be-a-bride daughter deal with the possibility of three men being her father, all of whom show up on the island.
The “Mamma Mia” stage musical has been translated in 16 languages. The show, which opened in London in 1999, opened on Broadway in 2001, initially running for 14 years.
The movie, released in 2008, became the highest grossing live action musical film upon its release, and starred Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Amanda Seyfried, Dominic Cooper, Lily James and Cher.
Showtimes at the Fisher Theater are 7:30 p.m. March 24 to 28 and 6:30 p.m. March 29, with 2 p.m. March 28 and 1 p.m. March 29 matinees.
Tickets start at $39 and are available at BroadwayInDetroit.com.
Detroit will experience “& Juliet” March 31 to April 12 at the Fisher Theater, with Fabiola Caraballo Quijada and Joseph Torres. For tickets and more information, go to BroadwayInDetroit.com.
FISHER HOSTS ‘& JULIET’
The new musical “& Juliet,” which runs at the Fisher Theater March 31 to April 12, is a new take on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” exploring what might have happened if Juliet hadn’t killed herself but had instead embarked on a fresh start to live life on her own terms.
The musical, which opened on Broadway in November 2022, features songs by Grammy Award-winning songwriter and producer Max Martin, a book by “Schitt’s Creek” Emmy Award-winning writer David West Read, direction by Luke Sheppard and choreography by Emmy Award-winner Jennifer Weber.
The story, proving that there is “life after Romeo,” feature’s Martin’s icon pop anthems “Since U Been Gone‚” “Roar,” “Baby One More Time,” “Larger Than Life‚” “That’s The Way It Is” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling.”
The show has been performed on four continents since in premiered in September 2019 at the Manchester Opera House in England. When the show moved to London’s West End it won three Olivier Awards and six WhatsOnStage Awards.
The North American debut of “& Juliet” was in Toronto in July 2022, where it broke box office records before heading to sold-out crowds on Broadway.
Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. March 31, April 1 to 4, and April 7 to 11 and 6:30 p.m. April 5 and 12, with 2 p.m. April 4 and 11 and 1 p.m. April 5 and 12 matinees.
Tickets start at $40 and are available at BroadwayInDetroit.com.
Students rehearse for “The SpongeBob Musical,” which runs March 27 through April 4 at the Hilberry Gateway Stage. For tickets or more information, go to onstage.wayne.edu.
THEATRE AND DANCE AT WAYNE PRESENTS ‘THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL’
Filled with humor and heart, “The SpongeBob Musical” celebrates the power of friendship, cooperation and the power of positive thinking.
When a volcano threatens to destroy their home in Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob and his comic comrades try to figure out how to save their underwater home.
Assistant Professor and Director Eric Van Tielen said the show is both entertaining and moving.
“Because we expect a lot of families and kids in the audience, I want the theatre experience to be as vivid as possible,” he said. “Audience members can expect to see magical things throughout the show around them, in front of them, and also hidden all over Bikini Bottom and the sea creatures who dwell there.”
Van Tielen said the show’s themes resonate beyond the stage.
“It’s no secret that our country and many of our communities currently feel fractured,” he said. “Not only does this show provide an escape from the real world, it also gives a roadmap for problem-solving and getting along. It’s a really sweet story, wrapped in a ton of fun.”
Student Brian Martin, who plays SpongeBob, said the role requires large amounts of energy and emotional understanding.
“Along with clear optimism and joy, I want SpongeBob to have a clear sense of curiosity and vulnerability,” Martin said. “In this musical, the character faces extreme stakes and conflicts he’s never faced before and there’s the energetic personality everyone recognizes, but also real humanity needed to process the threats that Bikini Bottom faces.”
Martin said the physical and vocal demands of the role have been a major challenge.
“The most challenging part is the endurance needed to play this character,” he said. “The role is extremely high-energy, and the music reflects that with many high notes.
“Bringing cartoon logic into the real world and giving SpongeBob the flexibility and physicality needed to make that believable is a huge test of stamina, but also the thing I’m most excited to share with audiences.”
Martin said he hopes SpongeBob’s positive outlook inspires audiences.
“I really hope that, if nothing else besides good vibes, this musical shows audiences that even the smallest or seemingly simplest people can bring greatness into the world,” he said. “They just need a big heart and someone to believe in them.”
There is a 10 a.m. March 31 student matinee, with tickets $24 for adults, $19 for seniors, alumni and WSU employees, and $14 for students, with a $4 service charge per ticket.
Other showtimes are 7:30 p.m. March 27 and 28 and April 3 and 4, and 7:00 p.m. April 2, with 2 p.m. March 28 and April 1 and 4, and 3 p.m. March 29 matinees. Tickets are $34 for adults, $29 for seniors, alumni and WSU employees, and $19 for students, with a $4 service charge per ticket.
For tickets and more information, go to theatreanddance.wayne.edu/onstage.