'Mamma Mia!' returns to Lied Center for weekend shows

There they go again...

For the first time since its Nebraska debut at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in 2005, "Mamma Mia!" will return to Lincoln, opening Friday at the Lied Center at 7:30 p.m. and running through Saturday evening.

"It was one of the most popular shows of the decade at the Lied Center," said Bill Stephan, the executive director of the Lied. "We decided it was time to come back."

The only show that has rivaled ticket sales for "Mamma Mia!" was last year's performances by the Blue Man Group.

"Mamma Mia!" opened on Broadway in 2001 and has been running ever since. It's the story of Sophie, a young woman about to be married. She wants her father to walk her down the aisle, but doesn't know who he is. She reads about three men who could possibly be her father in her mother's diary and invites them to her wedding without telling her mother. The rest of the musical follows the bride as she searches for her true father.

"Mamma Mia!" is based on music by the Swedish pop group ABBA.

The Lied Center sends out annual surveys to their patrons and people subscribed to their email service. More than 10,000 people received surveys this year and among the 10 percent that responded, "Mamma Mia!" was a popular choice.

Christian Whelan will be in the role of one of Sophie's potential fathers, the architect Sam Carmichael. He had auditioned for the role previously and decided to try again when he heard there was an opening in the North American tour. When he received the news he was cast, he left his role as King Triton in a Utah production of "The Little Mermaid" and headed for the open road.

Whelan's character Sam met Sophie's mother while on a European vacation, but left her to return to his fiance back home. Years later, Sophie's wedding allows him to reconnect with the love of his life.    

Whelan said it's very easy for him to portray Sam on stage because he can relate to the character.

"I have the opportunity to play this wonderfully tender and sensitive guy who almost is offered this opportunity to go back and redress the loose ends of his life," he said.

Although Whelan is the newest member of the cast, he said the chemistry of the group was unaffected. He has developed good relationships with his fellow cast members on and off the stage, which adds to the performances.

"The whole cast has been amazing," Whelan said. "They're just a great group of kids that just love performing this hit ‘Mamma Mia!' music, this ABBA."

He said one of his biggest adjustments was to the music of the show. Whelan has performed in shows with rock music ("Jesus Christ Superstar") and performances with traditional music ("The Little Mermaid"), but he has never performed disco before. He said ABBA's music is completely different from any genre he has sung previously. However, he's up to the challenge and looks forward to performing in front of new audiences every night.

Whelan has never been to Lincoln, or even performed in Nebraska for that matter, but he recalls the state making a positive impression on him when he stopped for gas while driving through once.

"Mamma Mia!" may not dig into societal issues, but it's still a Broadway classic.

"If you go to ‘Mamma Mia!' don't expect a lot of philosophical thoughts and contemplation," Stephan said. "Expect to leave with a smile on your face."

katienelson@

dailynebraskan.com

if you go:

"Mamma Mia!"

when: Friday, 7:30 p.m.

where: Lied Center for Performing Arts

how much: $49-$60 (public), $24.50-$30 (students)