You can take the boy out of the casa, but can you ever really take the Casa Bonita out of the boy?
Christopher Sergeeff, one of the most affable sorts you’ll ever meet, has been affably making his way across local and national theater stages for a decade.
Ask him his favorite roles, and he’ll tell you . . . playing Ren in the Country Dinner Playhouse’s “Footloose” . . . Leglas in the Arvada Center’s “Les Miserables” . . . and a cliff diver in the acclaimed and long-running (if unchanging) amusement at the famed Mexican restaurant in Lakewood.
This is a man who played Chino in the 50th anniversary national touring production of “West Side Story,” and Lefou in “Beauty and the Beast” at the Ordway Center in St. Paul, Minn.
Now the graduate of Northglenn High School and the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley is back in town this weekend, performing in the ensemble of the touring production of “Mamma Mia” at the Buell Theatre.
Q: Any good stories about getting cast in this tour?
A: I had nine callbacks over a five-year span before I finally booked the show, and the first greeting I got when I showed up to rehearsal was from the musical supervisor, who said, “We wanted to cast you for years, and we’re so glad you’re finally here.” That made me feel so blessed and proud of the faith and hard work I put in after moving to New York City on Sept. 1, 2001.
Q: Wait, there are men in “Mamma Mia?”
A: Yes, there are (laughing). And believe it or not, the first thing my mom asked me when she found out I booked the show wasn’t, “Congrats!” or even, “Yay!” Instead, she said, “Do you get to do the flipper scene? That seems to be one that everyone remembers when they leave the show. It’s all guys . . . shirtless!”
Q: What’s your favorite ABBA song?
A: “The Winner Takes It All.”
Q: And what’s the one ABBA song you’ll never, ever want to hear again after you leave the tour?
A: “Dancing Queen” (laughing).
Q: How happy are you to be performing on the Buell Theatre stage?
A: It is literally a dream come true. When I was 12, my mom took me to see “Les Miserables” at the Buell, and after the show, I said to her, “I’m gonna come back here someday and do a show at this theater for my friends and family.” . . . And here I am!
Q: How happy are your parents and sister (actor Michelle Sergeeff) that you will be performing there?
A: I have the most supportive parents and brother and sister anyone could wish for. They have all always wanted me to reach the goals I set out for myself when I moved to New York. I don’t think a single member of my family didn’t cry when they heard the news.
Q: So, oh yeah … “Mamma Mia.” Why do you think people still love this show?
A: This show brings so much joy to people that there isn’t a single night when they aren’t on their feet and literally dancing in the aisles during the finale. The music is familiar to almost everyone, the story is engaging, there are plenty of laughs, and everyone leaves the theater with a smile. Word gets around that it’s fun … and that’s the whole point of this show.
John Moore: 303-954-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com
“Mamma Mia”
National touring production at the Buell Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex. Written by Catherine Johnson; songs by ABBA. Starring Kaye Tuckerman and Chloe Tucker. Through Sunday, Nov. 7. Remaining showtimes: 8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday (Nov. 3-5); 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday (Nov. 6); and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sunday (Nov. 7). $25-$120. 303-893-4100 (800-641-1222 outside Denver), all King Soopers or
