'She Was The Queen': Buell Prepares To Host 'Summer: The Donna Summer Musical'
DENVER (CBS4) – A musical following the "Queen of Disco's" life from adolescence to the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame will stop in Denver next week. "Summer, the Donna Summer Musical" tells the story behind each of her hits.
The musical visits the Buell Theatre in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts Jan. 28 through Feb. 9.
While the queen of disco has passed, the aura of her music, the heart of the disco decade, still beats through the musical.
"She really set the tone for some of the music we hear today," said Dan'yelle Williamson, one of the actresses who portrays Summer in the musical.
Three different actresses, known as Duckling, Disco and Diva, portray Summer through her different phases of life from adolescence, and an encounter with sexual abuse within the church, to stardom.
"You get to all the amazing highs, and lows, of Donna's life," said Steven Grant, who plays Summer's husband, Bruce, in the show.
CBS4's Dillon Thomas spoke exclusively with Mimi Sommer, Donna Summer's daughter, and discussed her thoughts on how well the show encapsulates her mother's life.
"I lived it. So, watching it on stage is surreal," Sommer said. "A lot of those moments in the show I am like, 'Oh my gosh. I totally forgot about that.' There are things in the show that are more sensitive. It brings a whole different meaning to the songs you are listening to."
The cast and crew have performed the show dozens of times, but each cast member interviewed told Thomas the music still gets them energized each time. Many said the music for the audience brings back memories of the disco decade.
"The bass that you feel, you feel like you are in a club like studio 54," said John Gardiner, an actor in the show.
The cast is predominantly made of women. Women play the roles of men, and are seen dressed as men many times.
"It didn't really matter who you were, or what you stood for, as long as you were going to treat everybody with love. And dance, and sing, and have a good time," Grant said.
Sommer said the musical brought back memories of her upbringing, and perfectly captured her mother's life with the time allowed.
"I remember her recording (some of the songs featured). I remember us doing the video for that," Sommer said. "She was the queen. She was just the queen. The show shows that, that we have this ability to cross roles a little bit, and still be powerful."
"It's amazing. You do feel like a rock star every show," said Alex Hairston, an actress who portrays Summer in the show.