The production will be at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts from Tuesday, October 31, to November 5, promising a week of pure, unadulterated joy in a sun-soaked paradise. Mamma Mia! revolves around a young woman named Sophie, who is about to get married and dreams of having her dad walk her down the aisle. The only problem is that she has no idea who her father is. After reading passages in her mother's old journal that describe dates between her mother, Donna, and three men — Sam Carmichael, Bill Austin and Harry Bright — Sophie devises a scheme to finally identify her long-lost daddy.
Three months before her wedding, Sophie sends invitations to all three men from her mother's past, using her mother's name on the invitations without her knowledge, and all three agree to attend. Fortunately for Donna, she doesn't have to confront this influx of former lovers by herself. Her best friends, Rosie and Tanya, who were also members of the girl group "Donna and the Dynamos," are present on the island for the wedding. As the wedding day approaches, laughter fills the air and secrets are revealed, all set to the lively tunes of ABBA's upbeat disco-glam pop.
"The Mamma Mia! fans are some of the best in the world," says Carly Sakolove, who plays Rosie. "And you know what? I get it. When I first auditioned for the show over ten years ago, I knew nothing about it. At our first read-through, I was laughing and crying real tears. Just last week, at our first run-through ten years later, I was laughing and crying again! The show is just so human. It is light in the darkness. It is a crazy little story that somehow captures the simple essence of humanity — and through everyone’s favorite music, to boot! It doesn’t hurt that these performers are insanely talented."
"This show opened on Broadway just weeks after 9/11, and it truly led people through the darkness," actor Carly Sakolove says.
Courtesy of Brinkhoff Mögenburg
Sakolove brings a wealth of experience to the role of Rosie, having played her on the 2013/14 national tour and on the Royal Caribbean. Her connection with the character is undeniable. "I felt so fortunate to have been cast as Rosie in the 2013 National Tour of Mamma Mia!," she says. "The role of Rosie really resonates with me. She is a strong woman who relies heavily on her comedy to make people happy. She is self-made, hardworking, and loyal to a fault. She also has some insecurities that make her ever so relatable."
Denver also holds a special place in Sakolove’s heart. Her September 2022 run at the DCPA in NEWSical The Musical was met with enthusiastic applause, and she can't wait to return.
"When I hear the word 'Denver,' I get giddy," she admits. "The city electrifies me. Just last year, we had several fabulous weeks at the Denver Center with NEWSical the Musical, spoofing everyone’s favorite celebrities and politicians. The response was fantastic, and the folks at the Denver Center were top-notch. I cannot wait to return on October 31 to bring this incredible piece of theater to the people of Denver."
For aspiring actors and performers, Sakolove has some sage advice: "Work hard, be kind, and be unapologetically you. There is nobody like YOU. Once you embrace yourself and stop trying to fit a mold, the mold should slowly but surely start adjusting to you. What I mean to say is, if you work hard and you don’t give up, you are 90 percent there. The other 10 percent is dumb luck. So show up, buy a ticket. Only then can you win the lottery!"
Her words echo the spirit of Mamma Mia!, a show that celebrates individuality, love and the joy of being yourself.
"Mamma Mia! fans should be prepared to get back the same incredible feelings, but this new company (with some old faces) will simply knock their socks off," Sakolove says. "This show opened on Broadway just weeks after 9/11, and it truly led people through the darkness. In this somber moment, [when] war and crisis abound, we are all ready for the medicine that is Mamma Mia!"
Mamma Mia! opens Tuesday, October 31, and runs through Sunday, November 5, at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, 1101 13th St, Denver. Get tickets at denvercenter.org.
