I was recently invited to rock the red carpet on opening night of Mamma Mia! at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood, Calif. I was incredibly grateful for the invitation and tickets to opening night and you never have to twist my arm to get me to go to a Broadway musical (OK, unless, it is CATS!). As I did a fabulous video interview with GAY.TV in the magnificent entrance way of the historic Pantages Theater, I took in the experience and something occurred to me. I looked around at the packed theater and wondered how Mamma Mia! could still draw such a huge crowd after "100" years? I took a second look and wondered why the show draws such a huge crowd of single women and gay men ...what is THE MAGIC OF MAMMA MIA!?
Now, this discovery should have occurred to me long ago, since my single mom and all of her "sexy-over-50" single girlfriends became obsessed with Mamma Mia! the movie! All along, I thought they were hot for Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth, but it goes so much deeper than that! As I listened intently to the show, shook my booty to the ABBA score and observed the audience's reactions, I realized that the show represents LOVE, EMPOWERMENT, THE NONTRADITIONAL and FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION and TO BE WHO YOU ARE! I mean, we follow a story here, in which young Sophie invites three men, whom her free-spirited mother, Donna, slept with 21 years ago, to her wedding, in hopes of finding out which one is her father. In fact, my favorite line in both the show and movie is when Sophie says, "Mom, I don't care if you've slept with hundreds of men!"... GO DONNA! LOL! The real point I am trying to make is that Donna CHOSE to live her life fabulously, freely and with love and happiness for herself and Sophie. She didn't CHOOSE the "traditional family unit". She didn't "have" to marry Sophie's Dad. She lived her life the way she wanted to, raised a lovely daughter and did it all in a gorgeous Villa in Greece... um... GO DONNA!
Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of eye candy in this show for both men and women... lotsa hottie Greek boys in swim trunks! Plus, what human over 30 doesn't love to sing to "Dancing Queen" and "Take A Chance On Me"? But, again, I am all about dissecting the deeper meaning and attraction to this show. Being a hopeful romantic, I am forever inspired by the subject of LOVE. Mamma Mia! really is all about LOVE! In fact, I just found a quote that I loved from the Mamma Mia! movie page, "Finding what is truly in their hearts, many may discover the course of true love." Kinda confirms MY discovery, doesn't it? I mean, Donna loves Sophie; Sophie loves Donna; Donna loves her girls from Donna and the Dynamos; Donna loves all three men; All three men love Sophie and they don't even know her; Sophie and Sky love each other; and, at the end we find out that Harry loves Nigel! See, "Love Is in the Air"... wait, that's John Paul Young, not ABBA!
Okay, getting back to ABBA and the show at hand, there were other topics that really spoke to me... EMPOWERMENT and the NONTRADITIONAL. I remember the story that Donna shares about how she had to leave home "Because a "good Catholic girl" doesn't get pregnant without being married first." Donna chose her "nontraditional" lifestyle and raised Sophie on her own! How many people do you know who are raising children on their own today and doing as excellent of a parenting job, as the rest? I think it is very empowering for single women to see the lifestyle and relationship between Donna and Sophie. Donna did a fabulous job of raising Sophie without a Dad. I also watch my friends, who are gay or lesbian couples, raise their children in a "nontraditional" man/man/, woman/woman, mother/mother, father/father family unit with more love and happiness than any "traditional" "mother/father" household. Again, the message here really is, "All You Need Is Love"... wait, that's The Beatles, not ABBA!
Okay, so before this little Renthead starts quoting lines from "Seasons Of Love" (definitely RENT, not ABBA!), I hope my discoveries and interpretations of the deeper meaning and attraction to Mamma Mia! resonates with you too! Now, I did have a glass of wine before watching the show, but I'm pretty sure the actress/life coach in me heard the subtext correctly. If you get a chance to see the show in the future, look for... THE MAGIC OF MAMMA MIA!
Be You and Be Fearless,
XO Brooke Lewis
Please visit my official website:
http://beyouandbefearlesslifecoach.com/