By JACKIE MOE
The winner takes it all — and this week, that winner is Orange County.
The feel-good musical phenomenon Mamma Mia! returns to Southern California as part of its 25th Anniversary North American Tour, landing at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa May 13–18.
The sun-soaked musical set in a Greek island paradise, features anthems by the Swedish pop group ABBA.
For Christine Sherrill, who stars as the show’s beloved matriarch Donna Sheridan, the role is both a diva dream and an endurance challenge.
“Donna is 100% diva because she is modern and real. She’s a 10 on the diva scale,” Sherrill shares. “The ‘Donnathon’ is what we call the 20 minutes of the second act in which I perform three songs and three scenes without leaving the stage. It requires more endurance than Kate and about the same amount of energy and endurance as Norma. Best of all, Donna is fiercely independent and determined.”
Since the musical’s debut in London in 1999 and its Broadway premiere in 2001, Mamma Mia! has become a global hit, with more than 70 million people worldwide experiencing the show live, and over $7 billion grossed across 50 productions in 16 languages.
The story — told through ABBA’s timeless catalog — has inspired two smash-hit movies and continues to bring generations of fans together for a night of love, laughs, and platform shoes.
“My favorite part is connecting with the audience,” Sherrill says. “There are different parts of Donna that appeal to different audience members. I honor her humor, regret and fortitude and hope I’m in turn honoring someone special in the audience.”
Behind the scenes, the cast has built a tight-knit, celebratory family — something that became especially clear to Sherrill during the tour’s Mother’s Day performance.
“I received so much love from the cast. Flowers, gifts, my favorite coffee and favorite whiskey, of course,” she says. “I felt like a queen receiving so many heartfelt words and cards. I am so supported on and offstage by this incredibly talented company. It wouldn’t be possible to do this job without their love.”
While Sherrill is no stranger to grittier screen roles — including FBI: Most Wanted and Red Dead Redemption — she says musical theater is where her heart lives.
“I’ll say the stage has always been easier for me,” she explains. “The energy the audience gives fuels my performance and sometimes can inform new choices. Audiences make me a better actor.”
And what should Southern California audiences expect when the lights come up on Skopelos Island?
“They can expect to escape the real world for the beauty and joy on the island,” she says. “Best of all, they can expect to be surrounded by their neighbors up on their feet singing and dancing by the end.”
According to Sherrill, there’s no mystery to what makes Mamma Mia! such a feel-good, multi-generational favorite — just a little ABBA magic and a lot of heart.
“First and foremost, the score. It’s been so rewarding on this particular tour to see three generations of women enjoying the show together,” she says. “The secret ABBA ingredient is magic to me. We have patrons who grew up with it, those who listened to it with their parents, and a new generation that discovered it through social media sound bites.
“Secondly, the story of finding strength in friendship. So many folks at the stage door comment on how touching the relationship between The Dynamos is to them and how it reminds them of the goodness friends bring.”
And if Christine Sherrill ever headlined her own jukebox musical?
“It would be called Next to Norma and would be a score by Brandi Carlile,” she says.
Until then, one can find her center stage — belting her heart out and leading one of the most feel-good parties on any stage.
Photo by Joan Marcus
Photo by Joan Marcus
Photo by Joan Marcus
Photo by Joan Marcus
Photo by Joan Marcus
‘MAMMA MIA!‘
Segerstrom Center for the Arts – Segerstrom Hall
600 Town Center Drive Costa Mesa, CA 92626
May 13 – 18, 2025
Tickets start at $55.37
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