A young woman on the search for her biological father on the eve of her wedding invites three possible candidates to her nuptials.
Set in the summer of 1999 on a remote Greek Island, the musical “Mamma Mia!” tells the story through the soundtrack of the 1970s Swedish pop band ABBA.
Creative producer Judy Craymer collaborated with playwright Catherine Johnson and former ABBA members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus to create the hit musical, which Broadway In Tucson is bringing to Centennial Hall May 20-25.
According to the Broadway In Tucson website, “Mamma Mia!” is “the ultimate feel-good show” for nearly 25 years, as people all over the world have fallen in love with the characters, the story and the music.
Amy Weaver, who plays the bride Sophie Sheridan, grew up listening to ABBA CDs.
“I knew almost every single song before coming into the role of Sophie,” she recalled during an interview last week.“My favorite song to perform in the show is ‘Thank You for the Music’. My mom taught it to me when I was young, and I’ve been singing it since.”
ABBA, a Swedish pop band known worldwide for their catchy hits including “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia” and “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” dominated the music scene in the 1970s. While the group disbanded in 1982, the impact of its music lives on.
The jukebox musical made its stage debut in 1999 in London. After a successful run in the U.K., the production made its U.S. debut in 2000 in San Francisco before it debuted in 2001 on Broadway, where it ran for 14 consecutive years.
But the “Mamma Mia!” craze didn’t stop there. In 2008, a film version of the story, “Mamma Mia! The Movie,” starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, hit theaters.
This will be the fourth time Broadway In Tucson has presented “Mamma Mia!”; the last was in 2016.
“Everybody is up on their feet at the end dancing and singing along,” Weaver said. “The show radiates joy.”
The storyline showcases multiple generations of female relationships, whether you relate to Sophie, the young bride-to-be, or her mother, Donna.
“If you need to laugh or if you need to cry, this show is for you,” Weaver said.
“Mamma Mia!” has been nominated for five Tony Awards and received a Touring Broadway Award for best long-running musical. The movie was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for best motion picture musical or comedy.
If you go:
What: “Mamma Mia!”
Written by: Judy Craymer and Catherine Johnson
Music by: ABBA
Presented by: Broadway In Tucson
When: 7:30 p.m. May 20-23; 2 and 7:30 p.m. May 24; 1 and 6:30 p.m. May 25
Where: Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd., on the University of Arizona campus
Tickets: $53-$173 through broadwayintucson.com
