The show’s four featured vocalists Alex Webster, left, Heather Peterson, Maggie Moore and Tony Turner.
While attending the May 6th performance of Dancing Queen Abbas’s Greatest Hits, I picked M.B.F, from San Antonio, Texas at random and asked her what she thought of the show. She comes to Branson just about every year and said, “I loved the show, it’s fabulous.” When asked what she liked best about the show she said, “Everything! The dancing was fabulous, I loved the music, great costuming, high energy and beautiful choreography.” All I can say is, “Ditto, this is one fabulous show.”
The show’s opening number “Dancing Queen,” an all cast number with all the dancers and all four vocalists “sets the bar” in terms of the audience’s expectation of energy, wonderful vocal performances, incredible dancing, beautiful sets and special effects. From beginning to end that bar was never lowered.
Of course Abba fans will be delighted because so many of Abba’s greatest hits such as “Dancing Queen,” “Fernando,” “Take a Chance On Me,” and “Waterloo,” but the show also includes songs the 70’s, disco, Motown and more. As important as the song choices are it is their presentation by the shows four vocalists Heather Peterson, Maggie Moore, Alex Webster and Tony Turner that bring them to life.
Particularly during the first half, the majority of numbers combine two or more of the vocalists singing together, and what a wonderful job they do. From a vocal perspective, my three favorite numbers were the “Dancing Queen,” the trio performance of Alex, Heather, and Maggie featuring Alex in “Funky Music” and Heather’s simply beautiful solo performance of the 1941 classic “At Last,” the signature song for Etta James.
One of the show’s many production numbers featuring vocalists and the dancers.
As M.B.F pointed out, “The dancing was fabulous.” The shows dancers Jacqui Bell, Shelley Tees, Amy Louise Morlang, Ruth Robertson, Dasha Toropkina, Oliver Barrow, Jesse Barfield, Clarke Roberts and Lewis Darlington put on an incredible performance. A significant high energy precision dancing component, involving many different styles of dancing, is choreographed into the vast majority of the show’s numbers.
Their performance in terms of presentation, grace, beauty and seemingly boundless energy and enthusiasm was a joy to experience. Although the same can be said for the dancer’s performances throughout the show, in my mind, two that illustrate not only their incredible talent and versatility, but the powerful dynamic they add to the show would be their performance during “Fernando” and “In The Navy.”
As wonderful as the individual vocal and dancing components are, when they are combined together the result is a spectacular entertainment experience that is as beautiful to listen to as it is to see. Even though most numbers and each individual set has its own costuming, music and dancing they are choreographed into the show in a manner that creates a wonderful seamless entertainment experience where the 1 plus 1 of its individual parts equals 3 out of a perfect 3. What can I say, except, “Momma Mia, Dancing Queen Abbas’s Greatest Hits is one fabulous show!”
For additional information on Dancing Queen Abbas’s Greatest Hits or for tickets please contact the Branson Tourism Center, one of Branson’s largest and most respected vacation planning services by calling 1-800-785-1550.