There are tons of things I missed about living in Orange County, California. The ideal weather, the beaches, the proximity to entertainment venues, the ocean… the list is endless. At the top of the list, up there with the beach, is Segerstrom Center for the Arts. The quality of entertainment performed at Segerstrom is astounding. Whenever there is an event, I know that it’s going to be awesome. Most recently, I took my mother-in-law to see Mamma Mia at Segerstrom Hall and it meet, and exceeded, my expectations for a Segerstrom performance.

Over 54 million people all around the world have fallen in love with the characters, the story, and the music that make MAMMA MIA and now I can agree. The story unfolds on a Greek island with the unique white buildings and blue roofs; envisioning paradise was easy. I was already hooked and the show didn’t even begin. Add the story-telling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs and my mother-in-law was singing the Mamma Mia tune as well. The mother’s passion and zeal for life and her search for identity were relatable character traits connecting to every women, mother, and daughter in the audience.

I was most impressed with the level of enthusiasm, the exceptional dancing from every character, and the feel-good tunes. My mother-in-law and I were grooving in our seats the entire performance. I scanned the room and we weren’t the only ones either.  In the row behind us, there was a woman easily in her 80s who was singing almost as loud as the performers. Her husband, at one point, even nudged her arm. I laughed when she rolled her eyes and kept belting it out. A bet she related to the mother.

Any night out at Segerstrom Center is entertaining, but add a phenomenal performance and I’m in heaven. Mamma Mia! It’s great to be back in OC.