"You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life" one last time at the Mamma Mia! Farewell Tour. The musical is wrapping up 15 years of touring in the city that has presented the show more times than any other city in the country—in St. Louis, at the Fabulous Fox Theatre.
The Fox is "honored" to host Mamma Mia! for its last tour performances July 28–30. The eighth longest-running show on Broadway features Betsy Padamonsky leading as Donna Sheridan, the single mother who is reunited with past loves the night before her daughter's wedding. Lizzie Markson plays Sophie Sheridan, the bride-to-be. The show is two hours and thirty minutes of a feel-good story told through ABBA's greatest hits, including "Dancing Queen," "Super Trouper," and "Take A Chance on Me."
Andrew Tebo, who grew up in Wentzville, is thrilled to perform as Harry one last time at the very theater he grew up with. SLM talked to Andrew about playing the role of Harry for almost three years, ABBA music, and Ted Drewes—of course.
Can you tell me about your Missouri roots?
I was born and raised in Wentzville, Missouri. I went to Wentzville Holt High School, graduated and actually ended up going to school at Southeast Missouri State University at the Holland School of Performing Arts. I received a degree in musical theatre there—a Bachelor of Fine Arts. So I’m deeply rooted in Missouri. I spent a lot of time going to the Fox Theatre when I was a kid, growing up and going to The Muny, so it’s pretty exciting to come back and be on the stage and be performing up there.
Were you a big ABBA fan before being cast?
[Laughs.] I actually did really love music, and love ABBA. My parents had 45s of ABBA on the record player, so I kind of grew up hearing them and The Beatles when I was a little kid. I knew a lot about the music, and it’s just such great music and iconic songs such as “Dancing Queen," “Our Last Summer," “Chiquitita," and “Mamma Mia." All these songs are just incredible.
I challenge anyone in St. Louis to come and not jump up at the end and dance on their feet. It’s just such a good time.
What is your favorite song or scene from the show?
I think one of my favorite scenes to watch every night—we call it the bedroom scene. The song is called "Chiquitita." It’s between the Three Dynamos, and it’s the moment in the show when Betsy Padamonksy, who plays our Donna, has just realized “Oh my gosh, the three men that I think are maybe one of my daughter’s dads are all here.” She doesn’t know what to do, she collapses in her room. It’s very devastating and dramatic, and her two best friends, Sarah Smith who plays Rosie and Cashelle Butler, who plays Tanya—these women steal the show with Betsy. These three women carry the show every night. They’re spectacular. These women have incredible voices, and if I can get the chance every night to maybe sit in the wing and watch a number, I’m always watching this number. It’ll bring a smile to my face if I need it, and I know it brings a smile to everyone’s face out in the audience.
Are you sad to see Mamma Mia! end?
Yes! We all are. One, it’s an amazing job and two, you become a family. I’ve been a part of pretty much three separate productions. Every year the show is remounted. Actors will leave for other jobs, and some people will stay. I have to tell you, this group of people are so talented and so excited and exude such energy every night, and we leave everything out there and we just have a blast together.
The biggest thing I want St. Louis to know is that it will be the last time anyone sees this version of the production in North America, and it will be at The Fabulous Fox St. Louis. On that Sunday night, there are a lot of special people flying from New York to see this production—the creative team, the people who have been part of this production for over 16 years— are coming out, and there’s going to be a huge celebration. I hope that everyone will understand in the audience that night how powerful that moment is with that chapter closing, but that we are also going to be bringing everything we have as actors and performers, and we will be leaving it on that stage that weekend. We couldn’t be more excited to be there.
It’s one of the most iconic musicals, I think, of its time. A very interesting backstory of Mamma Mia! is it opened in the wake of 9/11. I think because the show was such a positive, energized, happy show, it’s what people needed at the time. I think it made everyone forget for a little bit of everyday challenges that we have just in life, in general. That’s the joy of theater. You buy the tickets to the show, you go in and you get to forget about reality for a couple of hours. We get to transport you to an island in Greece with this amazing story of love and happiness and music. We get to let people escape every night from their everyday life and it’s pretty remarkable, and we get to escape with them and live this dream as performers—performing one of the most exciting musicals that has ever graced the stages of Broadway.
What are some of your favorite places to go in St. Louis?
When I pull into St. Louis, I’m going to take some of the cast go to Imo’s Pizza, make them go get a pint of Ted Drewe’s at Schnucks. It will be a great weekend in St. Louis for those who have never been, and I’m excited to show some friends around.
Mamma Mia! runs at The Fox Theatre (527 N. Grand Ave) July 28 through July 31, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 2 p.m. Sat., and 1 p.m. Sun. Tickets are available now at MetroTix by calling 314-534-1111, or in person at the Fox Box Office. Tickets are $25 to $100, with prices subject to change based on demand. The show contains mature themes and mild language. For more information, visit fabulousfox.com.
