Mamma Mia!
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Mamma Mia!, a musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, is based on the songs of ABBA. It includes such hits as "Super Trouper", "Dancing Queen", "Thank You for the Music", "The Winner Takes It All", "Mamma Mia" and "SOS". It has been seen by over 20 million people worldwide.
The story revolves around Sophie and her mother, Donna. Sophie is about to be married and wants her father to give her away at her wedding; Donna isn't sure which of three possible men he might be.
Mamma Mia! premiered in London on April 6, 1999 at the Prince Edward Theatre, and in North America at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto, Ontario on May 23, 2000. Other companies are currently running in the USA (Broadway, Las Vegas, and a National Tour), Australia (Melbourne), Europe (an International Tour), Japan (Osaka), Germany (Hamburg and Stuttgart), Holland (Utrecht), Spain (Madrid), and Sweden (Stockholm). In October 2005, Mamma Mia will open in Italy (Milan). Italian will be the eighth language this musical has been performed in along with English, German, Dutch, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Swedish. The London production transferred to the Prince of Wales Theatre in 2004. Unconfirmed rumors state that a production of Mamma Mia will begin in Mandarin Chinese in China (Shanghai) in 2007.
On May 15, 2005, Mamma Mia surpassed the original Broadway runs of The Sound of Music, The King and I, and Guys and Dolls with 1,500 performances. It is also currently the 50th longest running Broadway musical of all time.
Story
The story takes place on a fictional Greek island. Sophie has always wanted to know who her real father was; Donna wouldn't talk about her past. Sophie reads through her mother's (Donna's) diary and finds entries where Donna describes intimate dates with the three men. Sophie believes that one of these three men is her father. She sends them invitations to her wedding without letting her mother know.
The three men — Harry "Head Banger" Bright, Bill Austin, and Sam Carmichael — all have their own quirks. Harry is nerdy banker with a unique laugh; Bill is a stereotypical Australian; Sam is an architect who had an affair with Donna. In addition, Donna invited two of her old friends; Tanya, a rich multiple (three-time) divorcee, and Rosie, an unmarried woman who likes to have fun. The three of them used to be in a singing group called "Donna and the Dynamos."
Sophie initially believes Bill is her father because his aunt Sophia left a large amount of money for family. Sophie says she was named after a Sophie, and that the money to build the taverna came in an inheiritance. She asks Bill to give her away at the wedding, and he agrees to do it. Soon thereafter, Harry and Sam figure out what's going on, and approach Sophie about it. All three possible fathers believe that they're giving Sophie away.
Sophie sends notes to the three men saying they aren't giving her away anymore. Donna would take that position. At the wedding, Sophie and her fiancee realize they actually don't want to get married. Instead of calling off the wedding, Sam and Donna get married. It's also made apparent that Rosie and Bill become attracted, and Harry tells everyone that he's gay.
External links
- Official Mamma Mia! website (http://www.mamma-mia.com/)
- Official ABBA website (http://www.abbasite.com/)