“The Carpenters Songbook” and “Mamma Mia!” revisit beloved hits through different theatrical lenses
Two distinct celebrations of pop music will arrive at The National Theatre this fall. “The Carpenters Songbook: A Live Celebration” offers a one-night concert portrait of Karen and Richard Carpenter on Oct. 17, while “Mamma Mia!” turns ABBA’s catalog into a musical comedy for a three-week run beginning Oct. 27.
Christina Hélène Braa, who sings the Karen Carpenter role in “The Carpenters Songbook,” joined the new production knowing only several of the duo’s biggest hits. She recognized “Top of the World” and “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” but the rehearsal process introduced her to the range behind that familiar sound.
“I liked the simplicity and the clarity of Karen’s voice,” Braa said. “There are so many new favorite songs I have that I’ve learned from being a part of this process.”
Braa grew up in San Francisco and graduated from the University of Southern California with a theater degree. A lifelong singer, dancer and actor, she previously toured with “Peter Pan” and performed aboard Norwegian Cruise Line. “The Carpenters Songbook” offered something different from a traditional musical.
“I always wanted to be in a band, so that’s basically what I’m doing, except we’re covering songs that people have a really strong connection to,” she said.
Braa calls the format a “docu-concert.” She and Kevin Lausche, who performs the Richard Carpenter role while serving as music director and pianist, narrate the duo’s rise, success and Karen Carpenter’s death. Songs move the story forward rather than stopping it. Ellie Wyman provides backing vocals and serves as Braa’s cover.
The selections include “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays” and other staples, but Braa’s favorite moments reveal different sides of the catalog. She enjoys the surge of the band during “Goodbye to Love,” the harmonies of the lesser-known “Now” and the tenderness of “I Need to Be in Love,” which the show identifies as Karen Carpenter’s favorite song.
Every instrument and vocal heard during the performance will be live. Braa said the arrangements and audio mix come close enough to the original recordings to feel “kind of spooky.”
“I think it’s going to feel a lot like what it would have felt like seeing The Carpenters live,” she said. “It’s going to be a great intimate experience.”
Ten days later, “Mamma Mia!” begins its extended stay at The National. The show follows Sophie Sheridan, a young woman preparing to marry on a Greek island, who secretly summons three men who might be her father after reading her mother’s diary. The story unfolds through ABBA standards including “Dancing Queen,” “The Winner Takes It All” and the title song.
The principal company features Jessica Crouch as Donna Sheridan, Juliette M. Ojeda as Sophie, Jalynn Steele as Tanya, Kayla Ryan Walsh as Rosie and Grant Reynolds as Sky. Sophie’s three possible fathers are played by Victor Wallace as Sam Carmichael, Rob Hancock as Harry Bright and Leland Burnett as Bill Austin.
Burnett first performed “Mamma Mia!” more than a decade ago, playing Sam in a Royal Caribbean production. Connections formed with that creative team eventually led to a call when the touring production needed a new Bill.
“Bill’s a lot of fun,” Burnett said. “He’s goofy. He’s lighthearted.”
The character’s wanderlust also feels familiar. Burnett grew up in Upland, California, moved to New York at 17 and studied at the Guildford School of Acting in England. He has spent more than 25 years pursuing musical theater and much of that career traveling from one job to another.
“Bill has a lot of those traits—that wanderlust, that explorer that I think a lot of actors, myself especially, have in their hearts,” he said.
Burnett has visited Washington a few times, but the engagement offers a luxury for a touring actor. Most Mondays are spent flying, checking into a hotel and preparing for the next city. With the company staying three weeks, he will have two Mondays free to explore.
“I’m excited to see the sights, places I haven’t seen in ages,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to taking in the sights and the food.”
The venue also fits a career devoted to historic stages. Burnett believes ABBA’s music remains the foundation of the show’s durability. He hears the songs in taxis around the world and sees their reach at theater stage doors, where children arrive alongside parents and grandparents.
“It’s intergenerational,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun to see something that can pitch three different generations all under one score.”
The current company has undergone cast changes since the production’s Broadway engagement. Burnett praised Crouch’s individual approach and voice, saying he has never heard anyone sing Donna quite like her. He also sees the company’s enthusiasm backstage carrying directly into each performance.
That energy peaks during a finale that breaks open the fourth wall and brings the audience into what Burnett described as a rock concert. By then, the island’s questions about love, family and identity have given way to dancing.
“If you enjoy good music, laughter and just walking out with a big smile on your face, this show is for you,” Burnett said.
“The Carpenters Songbook” begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. “Mamma Mia!” runs Oct. 27 through Nov. 15 at The National Theatre. For tickets, visit www.broadwayatthenational.com.
