Littleton native Susie McMonagle stars as Donna in the road company of the Abba musical “Mamma Mia!” hitting the Buell Theatre on May 27-June 1. I love this show and McMonagle plays the lead (Meryl Streep has the part in the upcoming movie).
McMonagle graduated from Heritage High in 1980 — and first discovered musical theater when her dad took her to hear Roger Wolf play show tunes on the piano at the Brown Palace (where he still hits the ivories during afternoon tea).
“The show is about a woman connecting with people from her past, and that’s what coming home is for me,” McMonagle says.
And what about those Spandex outfits she has to wear?
“In front of so many people I know, that is absolutely a risk.”
At least she’ll be sleeping in her old bed in Littleton — where her mom, Marge Goedert, still lives.
Seeing stars
Rocker Chris Daniels‘ son, Cedar Daniels, is in Cannes, France, and has a flick screening at the film festival there. He was editor of “The Third Wave,” a doc about four volunteers in the wake of the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka. Jury president Sean Penn is a champion of this movie, which gets a red-carpet, celeb-bursting unspooling Friday. Says Penn, “It inspires the very best in us, just when we need that most, and comes as close to answering our purpose in life, more than any other film in my recent memory.”
And Tara Smith, the daughter of former Denverites Michael and Iris Smith, is up for four Tony Awards for her first Broadway production, “Xanadu.”
Musical notes
Denver SoCo Music Experience comes down June 28 — and it’s free, 2-10 p.m. at Lot A at Coors Field. Look for Gnarls Barkley, Blonde Redhead, Dead Confederate and others. . . . Santana hits Fiddler’s Green on Sept. 13. . . . Former Nitty Gritty Dirt Bander Jimmy Ibbotson plays Swallow Hill at 8 p.m. Saturday. . . . Can you make it in the biz? Find out when music manager Mark Bliesener teaches “Rocky Road to Nashville” at the Denver Public Library 12:30 p.m. May 24. . . . Elway’s piano-woman Jenn Lane has a CD release party 9 p.m. May 31 at the Soiled Dove; Sam Adams emcees.
City spirit
Salon Posh stylist Pam Grieve went up to Vail to prep Trista Sutter for a cover shot for Woman’s World magazine. . . . Chapultepec Too roasts sax player Freddy Rodriguez Sr. May 25. . . . Sign at Wine Seller on East Sixth Avenue: “My football mom can out chug your soccer mom.” . . . “CBS Evening News With Katie Couric” was skedded to run Wednesday night an “Eye on the Road” story on gas prices and their effect on charities — mainly VOA in Denver. . . . Purple Martini hosts a bikini contest May 22. . . . Ellen Hart was inducted into the Colorado Running Hall of Fame on Wednesday night, she’s just started competing in triathlons — and she turns 50 next week! . . . Sez who: “Thank you for the music, the songs I’m singing/ Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing.” Abba
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Husted also appears Tuesdays and Fridays on “Good Day Colorado” on Fox 31. You can reach him at 303-954-1486 or bhusted@denverpost.com. Take a peek at Husted’s next column at .
