It took more car rides, bus trips and cruise ships during a decades-long journey than she can count, but Carly Sakolove finally reached her dream destination of Broadway at 39 years old—thanks to Sweden’s biggest band and a knack for making people laugh.
The breakthrough came thanks to Rosie. A wise-cracking member of the girl group the Dynamos, Rosie gets the bulk of the biggest laughs in “Mamma Mia!,” the musical featuring the music of ABBA, and Sakolove fits the role so well she’s played it about 1,500 times.
Now on its 25th anniversary tour, “Mamma Mia!,” with a cast that also features Southern California native Leland Burnett as Bill, is dancing into Downtown’s Ahmanson Theatre for a four-week stay, opening June 24.
Sakolove is coming from the musical’s return to — and her debut on — Broadway.
“For me, it was do or die,” she said about making it to Broadway. “I had to do it. It was my number one all-time dream. We had six months on Broadway, and it was truly like the best time of my life. It really was worth all the hype.”
That dream began as a child in South Florida. She watched her mother perform in community productions, and she wanted to get involved, which she finally did at 6 years old as a piece of cutlery in “Beauty and the Beast.” The roles continued, and she studied musical theater at the University of Florida.
“It was never an option for me,” she said about not being an actor. “I decided right after I graduated to go to New York. And there have been times where I’ve been a waitress for longer than I would have wanted to, but there were always little projects going on on the side.”
It was 2013 when ABBA entered Sakolove’s world. She saw the show and realized Rosie was the role for her. She landed the part and hit the road. It was a “bus and truck” tour, she said, often riding for hours only to go almost immediately to sound check and then to perform. The grind of traveling theater to theater was wearing on her, and that’s when she heard “Mamma Mia!” was now on the seas, so she moved from bus and truck to ship.
“It was so fun,” she said. “We had more time to relax, and we didn’t have to pack everything up, because we lived on the ship.”
The venue and cast were different, but the mainstays were Rosie and the songs.
“The breakdown of the role says she’s a clown and always there for a laugh and to cheer people up. You easily make that super campy and slapstick, but what I think is so fun about the role is just being able to play, especially with two friends (Christine Sherrill as Donna and Jalynn Steele as Tanya). Every night is a little bit different.”
As for songs, her favorite is perhaps one of ABBA’s biggest hits, “Chiquitita,” which is used as a way for Rosie and Tanya to cheer up Donna. The number gives Sakolove room for physical comedy, often crawling, falling and jumping.
She also loves “Take a Chance on Me,” a duet with Rosie and Bill (Burnett), as she strongly pursues him romantically. It’s one of Burnett’s favorites as well, particularly because of Sakolove.
“That one never fails. I mean, she’s a comic genius,” said Burnett, who grew up in the Inland Empire and earned his equity card mostly through shows in the South Bay. “I’m fortunate enough that she stuck around, because it’s been an absolute dream to play opposite her.”
Burnett got much of his training at the Guildford School of Acting in England, and then he remained overseas working a couple of years, including landing a small role in the feature film “Proof,” before returning to Los Angeles, and, eventually, New York. And, like Sakolove, he also appeared in a cruise ship production “Mamma Mia!” in the role of Sam.
But Bill is the role he desired. After not being cast at the beginning of this “Mamma Mia!” tour a couple of years ago, he got the call. Burnett likes the role because he said Bill is part leading man, part quirky comic.
“I love it because I get to put my own spin on it,” he said. “It’s not just what’s on the page. I bring my own angle on what makes this guy tick.”
Burnett said the heart remains the songs, which he grew up listening to, and which he said young people in the audience are just as passionate about today.
General Manager of Presentations for Center Theatre Group Eric Sims agrees. It’s the continued enjoyment of the show and the quality of the touring production that convinced Center Theatre Group management to bring back “Mamma Mia!” a generation after it first appeared Downtown.
“I think what makes it work is it has enough heart and enough story to carry the music through the show, and I think its earnestness goes well with the music,” Sims said. “Like with ‘The Winner Takes It All,’ they find the heart of these songs, and they use it to tell a sweet, human story. It brings the audience along for this joyous exploration of a young girl’s coming of age journey, and I think people still resonate with that.”
For Burnett, “Mamma Mia!” has earned a reputation as the top jukebox musical of all time, and he doesn’t see that ending soon.
“I would love to see it on its 50th anniversary,” he said.
And Sakolove hopes those who haven’t seen it will do so at the Ahmanson.
“Just open your heart to be absolutely having a ball,” she said. “There are things that really touch everyone. I don’t know who would have a bad time unless you’re just a total miser or curmudgeon.”
“Mamma Mia!”
WHEN: Various times through July 19 (opens June 24)
WHERE: Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles
COST: Tickets start at $51.75
INFO: 213-628-2772, centertheatregroup.org