On Saturday 6 April 2024, the original production of MAMMA MIA! will celebrate its 25th anniversary, making it only the third musical in the history of the West End, to reach its Silver Jubilee.
Since premiering in London’s West End in 1999, the exhilarating smash-hit has become a global phenomenon, with a staggering 70 million people having seen it worldwide.
The sunny, funny tale of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads on a Greek island idyll, all unfolding to the magic of ABBA’s timeless pop masterpieces, has been seen in over 50 productions in 16 different languages grossing more than $4 billion at the box office and turned into two record-breaking movies – MAMMA MIA! The Movie and MAMMA MIA! Here We Go Again.
MAMMA MIA! originally opened in London at the Prince Edward Theatre on 6 April 1999, before transferring to the Prince of Wales Theatre in 2004, and then to the Novello Theatre in 2012. The London production of MAMMA MIA! has been seen by over 10 million people, played over 9,300 performances and has broken box office records in all three of its London homes and last month set a new record for the highest ever weekly gross in the musical’s history.
MAMMA MIA! continues to have great success around the world, with the current UK & International Tour and the North American Tour both selling out.
Judy Craymer, creator and producer of MAMMA MIA!, said of this landmark anniversary, “The success of MAMMA MIA! is extraordinary and a joyous occasion to celebrate. The West End production is still the global flagship and it’s wonderful to be able to acknowledge such a momentous anniversary with our incredible casts and crews, our original creative team, and all the fabulous audiences we’ve had in London over the past quarter of a century. Back when we opened on 6 April 1999, we never dreamt that in 2024 we’d be celebrating our 25th Birthday on the very same day ABBA mark 50 years since their Eurovision win. It’s simply magnificent that MAMMA MIA! continues to be loved and to resonate with audiences today. Here’s to many more years!”
The London production stars Mazz Murray as Donna, Kate Graham as Tanya, Nicola-Dawn Brook as Rosie, Haydn Oakley as Sam, Christopher Dickins as Harry, Stephen Beckett as Bill, Stevie Doc as Sophie, Tobias Turley as Sky, Jessie Odeleye as Ali, Olivia Brookes as Lisa, Chay Wills as Eddie and Arcangelo Ciulla as Pepper, with Natalie Langston playing Donna at certain performances.
Also in the cast are Aaron Archer, Amy Barker, Matthew Barrow, John-Paul Birss, Daniel J Brian, Sinéad Courtney, Izzy Cross, Ellis Dackombe, Lauren Dawes, Léa Desjacques, Lawrence Guntert, Samantha Ivey, Jennie Jacobs, Luke Jasztal, Nicole Lupino, Flyn Mullins, Hayley-Jo Murphy, Bradley Perret, Jacob Ritzema and Ella Tweed.
As part of the 25th year celebrations, Judy Craymer was Executive Producer of ITV’s MAMMA MIA! I Have a Dream, which searched for new young talent to join the stage musical. Host Zoe Ball revealed Stevie Doc and Tobias Turley as the worthy winners and this year they joined the London production in the roles of Sophie and Sky.
Produced by Judy Craymer, MAMMA MIA! The Movie became the highest grossing live action musical film of all time upon its release in 2008. A second film, MAMMA MIA! Here We Go Again, opened in July 2018 and is the most successful live musical movie sequel of all time. Both films starred Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stella Skarsgård, Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper, with Lily James, Andy Garcia and Cher joining them in the second film.
With music & lyrics by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, MAMMA MIA! is written by Catherine Johnson, directed by Phyllida Lloyd and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast. The production is designed by Mark Thompson, with lighting design by Howard Harrison, sound design by Andrew Bruce & Bobby Aitken, and musical supervision, additional material & arrangements by Martin Koch.
MAMMA MIA! is produced by Judy Craymer, Richard East & Björn Ulvaeus for Littlestar in association with Universal.
