Photo by Joan Marcus

Broadway favorite Judy McLane, now starring as “Donna Sheridan” in Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus’ smash hit musical MAMMA MIA! on Broadway after playing the role of “Tanya” for the last eight years, is featured on the cover of Theatermania’s TM Magazine July issue.

TM MAGAZINE – July 2012

MAMMA MIA! Judy McLane –Broadway’s long-time Tanya talks about stepping into the prime role of Donna Sheridan

Judy McLane, who’s been playing the oft-married Tanya in the mega-hit Mamma Mia! at the Winter Garden Theatre for over seven years now, has taken on the leading role of Donna Sheridan, the happily unwed mother-of-the-bride.

It’s actually the role that she auditioned for originally, but McLane admits that she wasn’t entirely sure about revisiting the idea of playing the show’s leading role so many years later.  “I’m the type of person who puts things to rest,” she says.  “If something hasn’t happened, I can usually put it aside, and I’d done that with Donna.”

Yet, when the producers asked her to sing for it, she says “I thought well, why not?” And luckily, the actress is now loving her time in a role. “I actually feel more connected in a lot of ways to Donna than I did to Tanya.  I’m much more of a hiker and a flat sandals, not heels and nails, kind of person. I even look at Felicia Finley – who’s fabulous – playing Tanya and I don’t even see myself as Tanya.  It’s like she’s another character in another show.”

Read the rest of the feature: http://www.theatermania.com/magazine/current-issues/