It is no secret to anyone that “Mamma Mia!” has captivated millions of viewers around the world, more than 70 to be specific, and Jose Llano has not been the exception.
Great lover of theater and even more of the musicalsthe producer acknowledges that he has seen four versions of this work, specifically on Broadway, Spain, Mexico and Argentina.
It has to be like this if you want to observe in detail the different adaptations of this work that for Jose Llano means your first big musical internationalalthough he has a solid career behind him that includes:
- “Archimedes Principle” (as associate producer)
- “Hotel Burlesque Tropical Paradise”
- “Christmas out of the box” (musical child)
- “The call”, his first musical international”
- “Today I can’t get up”, his first major production
A milestone in the theater scene
Just this year the musical celebrates 25 years of his premiere in it West End London and “Waterloo”, the song that made known Abba world celebrates half a century, has this been a premiere calculated?, we asked Llano.
“(Laughter) It was a pure coincidence, but we are happy because we will celebrate it with all the Dominicans,” he comments before explaining that in these musicals -as “Mamma Mia“- everything is very defined, although there are certain artistic freedoms, such as the type of montage we will see, the costumes (by Marco Malespín) or the scenography.
But he libretto is the official version (by the British playwright Catherine Johnson) that is already in Spanishobviously, adapting it to our vocabulary without losing its structure.
It is impossible for the public not to have in their memory the iconic film starring Meryl Streepso the producer assures that precisely for this reason they are working with the best of the theater, but also with certain winks from the film.
A visual and sound spectacle
With four performances planned (eight if the public fills them), this musical jukebox tells the story of Sofi, a young woman who the day before her wedding decides to find out the true identity of her father among 3 ex-boyfriends of Donna, her mother, to the rhythm of the group’s most famous songs. Abba.
“Dancing Queen“, “Mamma Mia” or “Take a Chance on Me” are some of the unforgettable hits that will resonate in the Palace of Fine Arts.
To be faithful to that particular style and sound of the swedish groupand ensure that the staging has its own narrative, Junior Basurto Lomba, its music producer, explains that they have a great team that includes both talented musicians and the most avant-garde musical technology to replicate that distinctive sound.
The songs will be performed in Spanishbut the ending will include a surprise in English that will invite everyone to dance.
And if the music It is essential, the acting and the voice are no less so. Llano has been demanding in the castingwithout abandoning the formula that has been key in each of his presentations: mixing experience with young talents.
“Being surrounded by so much talent has made me want everyone to see the great ingenuity that exists in our country,” confesses this professional who recognizes the complexity of producing this type of work: “Not only achieving the date in a theater it is a Odyssey“Working with so many people of different profiles is challenging.”
A stellar cast
Hence the cast reunite the former Miss Universe and actress Denise Quinones leading the cast as Donna, accompanied by Sofia Reyeslike Sofi, in her first leading role.
They accompany them José Guillermo Cortines (Sam), Luis José Germán (Bill), Máximo Martínez (Harry), Laura Rivera (Tanya), Juan Luis Espinal (Sky) and Laura Leclerc (Rosie), in addition to a special participation by Pepe Sierra, among the 30 actors who We will see on stage.
Quiñones, who had already played Sofi in Puerto Rico, now completes her universe of “Mamma Mia!” as Donna, a performance with which she marks her return to the theater musical in the Dominican Republic.
“For me it is a great emotion and a great challenge to be able to enter a such a rich, complex character and wonderful as Donna is. Exploring her personality, her life situation, her sadness, her joy and her relationships has been an intense and emotional process, as has studying and mastering each of her songs and dances. It has been a work and a dedication of both the physical and the imagination, hand in hand with good direction and a cast super talented,” says the actress.
And of course, the more than four decades of experience of Maria Castillo direction will ensure an interpretation that respects the spirit of the musical original with some nods that highlight the Dominican cultural identity.
The actress also remembers that the first time she heard the group Abba it was in Moscowwhere they were super popular, in the mid-70s, and he thought that it was a regional phenomenon, because they originated in Sweden, so close to Russia.
“However, upon my arrival to the island in the early 80s, I realized that fever Abba It was global. When their records appeared in stores, the lines were extraordinary. We recorded them on cassettes and we never stopped singing their songs or dancing to them at every party that was held. Abba It tastes to me like a strange mix of nostalgia and joy. And every experience that marks us is reflected in what we directors do,” Castillo recalls.
Journey musical to Greece
Every detail has been meticulously cared for to offer a unique and unrepeatable experience. It is the case of the scenographyin charge of David Minguez and Ángela Bernal, a Dominican-Spanish collaboration that promises to immerse audiences in the small Greek island of Kalokairi.
“The scene of the Máximo Avilés Blonda It will transport us to the history and essence of Kalokeri Island, through a unique architecture; a proscenium that expands and surrounds us with handcrafted surfaces and smells typical of this island. This scenographic project will combine craftsmanship with the resources of technology and thus create a dynamic and ideal visual to tell this beautiful story,” explain the designers.
The choreographyanother of the strong points of this show, will be marked by the songs of Abba.
“It is almost impossible to separate them from an era that marked an entire style and a historical revolution of the music“, says Pablo Pérez, who assures that they work on the movements and styles to offer a more modern proposal than other versions of this musical.
intergenerational music
The catchy ones melodies of Abbaa story that explores themes as universal as love, family or self-discovery, or its brilliant choreographiesamong other elements, make this musical one that passes generations.
“That’s right, my generation grew up with this music and he discovered the new one through the film, that’s why it touches everyone in some way,” he concludes. Jose Llano.
The combination of the music of Abbaa cast talented and a careful production promises a unique night for those who wish to Travel musically in time, with an impressive staging that will thrill the audience from beginning to end.
