Theatre Three's "Mamma Mia" is a Get-Happy, Feel-Good, Smash Hit!

Judging from the packed house and the frenzied standing ovation at the end of the opening night of Mamma Mia at Theatre Three, this ABBA jukebox musical continues to be an audience favorite. After more than two years of COVID cabin fever and a long, cold winter, perhaps this pure escapism, just a short drive from home, is what Long Islanders crave right now.

From the moment you enter the theater, the magic begins. The enchanting set, by Scenic Designer Randall Parsons, makes you feel like you've arrived at "The Summer Night City Taverna" on some faraway Greek Island.

The original idea for Mamma Mia was conceived by Judy Craymer. The book is by Catherine Johnson, with music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and some songs are with Stig Anderson.

Jeffrey Sanzel's expert staging and Sari Feldman's fun, upbeat choreography make this show a must-see for you and your family. Warning: there are some adult themes and situations in this musical, although it should be age-appropriate for the PG-13 members of your clan.

The musical's plot is simple: On the eve of her wedding, a young woman longs to know who her father is. She comes up with a scheme to have three men from her mother's past return to the Greek Island paradise they visited twenty years before.

Christina Muens is sheer perfection as Donna, the hardworking single mom. Ms. Muens is a well-trained actor and dancer, and her powerhouse vocals were apparent throughout the show. Her heartfelt rendition of "The Winner Takes It All" was a real showstopper!

Cassidy Rose O'Brien played the part of Sophie, the strong-willed young woman desperate to know who her father is. She lit up the stage with her warmth and charisma from the moment she stepped on stage with her moving rendition of "I Have a Dream."

Rachel Geiser as Ali and Aria Saltini as Lisa gave memorable performances as Sophie's bubbly, vivacious American friends.

One of the funniest numbers in the show was "Lay All Your Love on Me." Sky, Sophie's fiancé, was expertly portrayed by Eric J. Hughes. During this number, Sophie and Sky have some fun, sexy moments before being joined by Sky's friends, dressed in scuba gear. The audience roared with laughter as Sky and his friends performed a dance routine while wearing fins. Sean Amato as Sky's friend Pepper and Finn MacDevitt as Eddie garnered some of the biggest laughs of the evening every time they stepped on stage.

Steve Corbellini, as Sam, Donna's love interest, gave a stellar performance when he delivered the hit song, "Knowing Me, Knowing You." Donna (Ms. Muens) and Sam (Mr. Corbellini) had great onstage chemistry, and they held the audience spellbound during their moving duet "S.O.S."

Dennis Setteducati is hilarious as Bill Austin, a well-known travel writer who has avoided committed relationships most of his life. Well, that is up until he meets Donna's charismatic friend Rosie, convincingly played by the very talented Lori Beth Belkin. Mr. Setteducati and Ms. Belkin stole the show with their sidesplitting rendition of "Take a Chance on Me."

Stephanie Moreau perfectly cast as Tanya, is one of Donna's oldest friends. She is a fun-loving thrice-married woman who loves to flirt, particularly with younger men. With her sultry vocals and seductive dance moves, Ms. Moreau rocked the song "Does Your Mother Know?"

Andrew Boza as Harry Bright, once a head-banging musician but now a respected banker, gave a knockout performance singing his duet with Donna, "Our Last Summer." This beautiful song was a nostalgic look back on their long-ago summer romance and one of my personal favorites.

The entire cast had a comedic rapport with each other, and the non-stop energy the ensemble exhibited with every song and dance number was infectious. You could hear the audience singing along with many of the hit songs, including "Money, Money, Money," "Gimme, Gimmie, Gimme," and "I Do, I Do, I Do." The polished-to-perfection ensemble included Melanie Acampora, Kyle Breitenbach, Veronica Fox, Kaitlyn Jehle, Michelle Labozzetta, Paul Manzo, Edward Martinez, Josie Mcswane, and Briana Ude.

The Guest Officiants were Nick Acampora, Bradlee Bing, Marci Bing, Neil Block, Don Lippencott, Kelly Komorowski, Andrew Markowitz, and Mayor Margot Garant. They all did their part to ensure this show was a success.

The live band, under the musical direction of Jeffrey Hoffman, really added to the excitement of the evening, and these phenomenal musicians didn't miss a beat. Kudos to keyboard players Jeffrey Hoffman, Cesar Flores, Kate Van Essendelft, Dave Grudzinski on bass, John DeRicco on guitar, and Don Larsen on drums.

The innovative lighting design by Robert W. Henderson, Jr., utilizing massive, light-up columns, flashing lights, and strobe lights, helped create the disco mood that makes this show so enjoyable to watch.

This production is overflowing with warmth, joy, unbridled fun, plenty of smash hits, and fantastic dance numbers. The fabulous finale, with dazzling costumes by Ronald Green III, had the audience singing and dancing in the aisles!

The show runs now through June 25. For more information, please visit www.theatrethree.com or Call the Box office: 631-928-9100.

Cindi Sansone-Braff is an award-winning playwright. She has a B.F.A. in Theatre from UCONN and is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the Long Island Authors Group. She is the author of Grant Me a Higher Love, Why Good People Can't Leave Bad Relationships, and Confessions of a Reluctant Long Island Psychic. www.Grantmeahigherlove.com.