Mamma Mia! Star Jessica Crouch on Chemistry, Emotions, and Tissues

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Bring your dancing shoes! MAMMA MIA! runs June 23–July 19.

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When I asked Jessica Crouch to describe Mamma Mia! in one word, she gave me three:

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“Joyous love bomb."

Currently starring as Donna Sheridan in the National Broadway Tour of Mamma Mia!, Crouch is helping bring one of musical theater's most beloved productions back to the stage. Featuring the timeless songs of ABBA, the feel-good musical arrives at the Ahmanson Theatre June 23 through July 19.

Since premiering in London in 1999 and on Broadway in 2001, Mamma Mia! has captured the hearts of millions around the globe. The story of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads on a Greek island paradise has been seen by more than 70 million people worldwide and spawned two blockbuster films—Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.

For Crouch, who joined the tour earlier this year, stepping into the iconic role of Donna (played by Meryl Streep in the movie) is both thrilling and humbling. Crouch took some time before the show's SoCal run to talk to BroadwayWorld about the cast's infectious chemistry, the emotional heart behind the music, and why audiences may want to bring tissues along with their dancing shoes.

If you could describe Mamma Mia! in one word, what would that word be?

Well, I get asked for three words, which I would say are: "joyous love bomb."

The music is so fun. People just love it. This show is just so much energy, so much joy, so much laughter, but there's also this element of real heart behind it as well. As you see the relationships between family and the relationships between friends, it's just this beautiful show that I think brings people together in a way they didn't expect, where they can have a really good time, laugh, and also really connect with their loved ones.

Going to Mamma Mia! feels a little like going to a party. Is that fair to say?

Absolutely. It's so fun to see groups coming together and having a fun night out together. I think it's also really fun to see how it goes across generations as well. You'll see young girls who have done Mamma Mia! in their high school productions coming to see the show, or grandmas and granddaughters experiencing it together, or best friends.

We've had groups of women in their 70s who have been friends their entire lives come dressed up and celebrate together. It's just so fun.

I'm bringing my 11-year-old daughter, who loves the movie. What can she expect from seeing it live?

One thing I will say is that nothing replaces live theater. The movie is really wonderful, and I love how the movie has introduced people to Mamma Mia! , but nothing takes over the experience of seeing this music performed live. There's nothing that can replace it.

And if you're bringing your 11-year-old, you might want to bring some tissues with you, too. We might be pulling at your heartstrings a little bit.

This thing about this show, especially in that second act, is that you really get to see the heart behind these relationships. There are just some really beautiful moments that will tug at your heartstrings a little bit.

The chemistry among the women in the show feels so genuine. What's it been like working with your co-stars?

A little backstory is that the two women who play my Dynamos have been with the 25th Anniversary Tour since the beginning. They've been with the show for a couple years now, and they also did the Broadway run.

Me and the girl playing my daughter both came in around March, so we're this new energy that was brought into the cast. We were the two new leading ladies, and everyone has been so supportive. It was really lovely having my two Dynamos supporting me as I got into the show. They just made it so comfortable and so easy. When we're performing "Dancing Queen," it's real laughter and fun that's happening on that stage.

How do you find that joyful energy on nights when you're tired or having a bad day?

You know what? The show does it for you. At least for me. I'm lucky that my character, in the first scene, is tired. She talks about how she's been running this hotel for 15 years and never had a day off. So Donna herself is a little tired and stressed out anyway. But then it really is impossible for the show and the music and the audience not to take over.

I've had this discussion with castmates. The show forces you to feel better if you're not having a good day. The energy of the show and just going through it forces you to be in a better mood. It's like that psychological thing where if you're feeling down and you force yourself to smile for 10 minutes, you'll start feeling better. That's basically what the show does. The show is a bigger force than you are.

Donna is such an iconic role. Was it intimidating stepping into it?

What I would like to say is that as big and iconic as Meryl Streep is, Donna Sheridan herself is iconic. She's been one of musical theater's iconic female leading roles for more than 25 years now. There have been huge Broadway legends and icons who have all stepped into that role as well, which is why Meryl also wanted to play the role.

Donna Sheridan herself is the real legend. She's the real icon. That is daunting to step into. Those are some really big silver platform shoes to put on every day. It's incredibly humbling. It's incredibly exciting.

One of the beautiful things the creative team really supports is bringing yourself to the character. Donna is still Donna, but there's so much freedom in how I can bring myself into the role every day. It feels very raw, vulnerable, and authentic onstage every day. I'm very much bringing myself and my experiences from that day into the show.

Is this your favorite role you've played?

Yeah. I'm not going to lie. I've definitely played really fun parts. I usually play the sidekick, fun, sexy girl who sings the power number. I definitely thought I would have a Tanya era before going straight to Donna, but we skipped over Tanya straight to Donna.

Honestly, I have to take a step back almost every day and go, "I can't believe I'm doing this."

I really think about the four-year-old girl I was who dreamed of Broadway and doing this. With all the ups and downs of a career, sometimes it's like, "Was that the dream?" And now I can look at that four-year-old girl and say, "You did it."

It's really just so special.

Does the audience energy differ from city to city?

Absolutely. The audience is a character in the show, whether they like it or not. They are absolutely a character in the show. The energy they bring and give us, we 100 percent feed off of. It is different in every city and every night.

A lot of them know the songs and interact. Certain moments they find joy and laughter in are different every night. It's really, really fun. The energy is palpable. We feel it every night, and we feed off of it every night. You're never getting the same show twice.

Any memorable onstage mishaps?

One of them just happened recently. We were in the middle of a scene and in the middle of a song, and one of our castmates thought the song was over and it was going into a blackout. She ran onstage to take off some chairs that were part of the set.

We're in the middle of the scene, and she runs on and runs off with the chairs. It was the way she ran on and ran off—me and Victor, who plays Sam, looked at each other, and we were having this moment. We still laugh about it.

Another one involves bagpipes. There's a scene where some younger boys bring on these bagpipes, and they're important to Donna because they remind her of Sam. I have this quiet, intimate song that follows. It's actually probably my favorite song to sing in the show. It's simple and lovely.

So I go to put the bagpipes down in this very quiet moment, and one of the bagpipes just goes off right before I have to start singing. In the funniest way, the bagpipe makes this noise, the entire audience laughs, and I'm trying to keep it together and get through the song. It was just so funny. Afterward, I got on social media and said, "If anyone was in the audience, just letting you know, I thought that was really, really funny too."

Everyone was like, "We thought it was part of the show."

OK, Lightning Round!

OK!

First Broadway show you saw?

Wicked.

Favorite ABBA song?

"Give Me! Give Me! Give Me!"

Hot tea or vocal steam.

Hot tea.

Go-to karaoke song?

"You Oughta Know."

If you could steal one prop or costume piece from the show?

A ring that I wear in the show.

Dream role you haven't played yet?

A dream role I’d like to play, but I will never play because now I'm too old, is Maureen in Rent .

And what's the first thing you want to do when you get to Los Angeles?

Soak up the sun.

MAMMA MIA! plays at the Ahmanson Theatre June 23 through July 19. Tickets are available at https://www.centertheatregroup.org .

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/Interview-Jessica-Crouch-of-MAMMA-MIA-at-Ahmanson-Theatre-20260619)._