"Mamma Mia" on tour at the Orpheum Theatre

The smash hit 2001 Broadway musical Mamma Mia!, which opened in 2001 and went on to become the 9th longest running musical in Broadway history, has come back to Minneapolis for one week only! When I first saw it on Hennepin Theatre Trust's 2023-2024 season (note: the new season will be announced this Thursday!), I thought - really, Mamma Mia! again? Why?! But then I realized I hadn't seen the Broadway/touring version since 2010 (although I did see three gorgeous local productions in the last few years, at the Ordway, Chanhassen, and Zephyr in Stillwater outdoors), so I thought I'd check it out. And I had an absolute blast at the show. Yes, it's a jukebox musical with a silly plot made up in which to shove ABBA songs, but the result is so joyously infectious, it's impossible to resist. So if you're thinking, "why should I see Mamma Mia! again," keep reading and I'll give you ten reasons. But hurry, Donna and Sophie and her three dads leave town on Sunday! (Click here for the official ticket site.)

Broadway Tour of "Tina - The Tina Turner Musical" at the Orpheum Theatre

The latest jukebox bio-musical to hit Broadway, and now the Orpheum Theatre, is Tina - The Tina Turner Musical. It premiered on Broadway a few months before the long covid intermission, and received a full dozen Tony nominations in the covid-shortened 2020 season. The show resumed performances in 2021 and ran for another year, and is now hitting the road. With book by acclaimed playwright Katori Hall and a score entirely pulled from pop music (Tina's songs and others), the musical is a mix of songs performed in context (concerts and record studios) and sung by characters speaking to each other. You might get whiplash as we cover Tina's long life and prolific career, with topics like child abuse, domestic violence, drug abuse, racism, sexism, and ageism all touched upon but not dug too deeply into. I admit to not knowing much about Tina Turner other than a few of her hit songs, but came away from the show truly impressed by this music icon who had a second career as a single Black woman over the age of 40, when most of the music industry saw her as a has-been. With stunning performances by the huge cast, Tina Turner fans are sure to love this show, and those who aren't will like develop a new appreciation for her. This one's sticking around for two weeks, so you have a little more time to catch Tina before it closes on March 12 (click here for more info and official ticket site).