Mamma Mia! (musical)

Mamma Mia!
West End promotional poster
MusicBenny Andersson
Björn Ulvaeus
LyricsBenny Andersson
Björn Ulvaeus
BookCatherine Johnson
BasisABBA discography
Premiere6 April 1999: Prince Edward Theatre, London
Productions1999 West End
2000 1st North America tour
2001 Broadway
2002 2nd North America tour
2016 1st UK tour
2016 3rd North America tour
2019 2nd UK tour
2023 25th Anniversary US Tour

Mamma Mia! (promoted as Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus' Mamma Mia!) is a jukebox musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on songs recorded by Swedish group ABBA and composed by members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. The musical's title is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia". Ulvaeus and Andersson were involved in the development of the show from the beginning, while singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad was involved financially in the production and also appeared at many of the premieres around the world.

The musical includes such hits as "Super Trouper", "Lay All Your Love on Me", "Dancing Queen", "Knowing Me, Knowing You", "Take a Chance on Me", "Thank You for the Music", "Money, Money, Money", "The Winner Takes It All", "Voulez-Vous", "SOS" and "Mamma Mia". Over 65 million people have seen the show, which has grossed $4 billion worldwide since its 1999 debut.[1] A film adaptation starring Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, Christine Baranski, Stellan Skarsgård and Julie Walters was released in 2008.

As of 2024, the show has productions in London's West End, where it is the third longest-running show in West End history,[2] as well as various foreign productions. Its Broadway incarnation closed on 12 September 2015 after running for nearly 14 years, making it the ninth longest-running show in Broadway history.

  1. ^ "Facts and figures" judycraymer.com. Retrieved 17 October 2019
  2. ^ Brunsdon, Hay; Durrant, Joseph (11 October 2024). "Mamma Mia! West End celebrates 9000 performances today". Stagedoor. Retrieved 21 October 2024.