Lisa Brescia Tapped to Play Donna Sheridan in Broadway's Mamma Mia!

Lisa Brescia has been tapped for the leading role of Donna Sheridan in the long-running Broadway musical hit Mamma Mia!. Brescia is set to join the show on October 22, replacing Beth Leavel, who will move on to the cast of the holiday musical Elf. Leavel will play her final performance at the Winter Garden Theatre on October 10, and the role of Donna will be played by a combination of understudies in the two weeks before Brescia’s start date.

Also set to assume leading roles in the show on October 22 are Liana Hunt as bride-to-be Sophie Sheridan, Corey Greenan as fiancé Sky and Clarke Thorell as Harry Bright, one of Sophie’s three possible dads. They join continuing cast members John Dossett (Sam Carmichael), Patrick Boll (Bill Austin), Judy McLane (Tanya) and Gina Ferrall (Rosie).

Brescia has appeared on Broadway as Elphaba in Wicked, Amneris in Aida, Cleo in Twyla Tharp’s The Times They Are A-Changin’ and Marion Halcombe in The Woman in White, when she stepped in for British star Maria Friedman. Regional credits include Side Show, Evita, The Last 5 Years, A Little Night Music and Brigadoon. For five years, Lisa toured internationally with The Mamas and The Papas with original members John Phillips and Denny Doherty.

Hunt is making her Broadway debut after playing Sophie Sheridan the show’s national tour. Greenan is moving up from the Broadway ensemble to play Sky after having appeared on Broadway in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Thorell has appeared on Broadway in Hairspray, Titanic and The Who’s Tommy. Off-Broadway, he has appeared in Juno, Satellites, Saturday Night, Wise Guys and Lone Star Love. Regional credits include Catch Me If You Can, Twelfth Night, Floyd Collins and School for Scandal.