Mamma Mia! News From Around the World

●The International Tour of MAMMA MIA!, the smash-hit musical based on the songs of ABBA, begins performances today in Johannesburg, South Africa at the Sandton Convention Centre before heading to the South African cities of Capetown and Durban. In 2005, the International Tour of MAMMA MIA! visits Estonia, Portugal, Belgium, France, Lebanon, Austria and Germany.

●MAMMA MIA! premiered in Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus' homeland of STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN on Saturday, February 12 in a first time ever Swedish translation marking the fourteenth production of the global phenomenon currently running in its seventh language.

All four ABBA band members, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad attended the gala opening night performance at Stockholm's Cirkus Theatre, marking the first time in 20 years that the super troupe has appeared together in public. MAMMA MIA! is sold out at the Cirkus Theatre through December 2005.

●MAMMA MIA! enters its 3^rd hit year in LAS VEGAS at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino with a special performance on Thursday, February 17. MAMMA MIA! has broken all box office records at the Mandalay Bay Theatre and was named the Number #1 Show in Las Vegas by Mike Weatherford of the Las Vegas Review Journal in 2004.

Seen by over 20 million people worldwide, and with four companies currently playing in North America (which between them grossed $190 million in 2004 alone), MAMMA MIA! has more productions playing around the world than any other current Broadway musical. In 2004 the phenomenon that Liz Smith calls "The most popular musical in the world!," surpassed a gross of $1 Billion in worldwide box office sales.

Inspired by the story-telling magic of ABBA's timeless songs, writer Catherine Johnson's sunny, funny tale of family and friendship unfolds on a tiny Greek island. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father brings 3 men from her mother's past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago. Songs including "Dancing Queen"; "The Winner Takes It All"; "Money, Money, Money" and "Take A Chance on Me" are all featured in this feel-good night of fun and laughter.

Produced by Judy Craymer, Richard East and Björn Ulvaeus for Littlestar in association with Universal, the creative team responsible for bringing MAMMA MIA! to theatrical life includes some of the most gifted and celebrated talents of musical theatre and opera. With music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, MAMMA MIA! is written by Catherine Johnson and directed by Phyllida Lloyd. MAMMA MIA! has choreography by Anthony Van Laast, production design by Mark Thompson, lighting design by Howard Harrison, sound design by Andrew Bruce and Bobby Aitken, and musical supervision, additional material and arrangements by Martin Koch.

For more information about MAMMA MIA! around the world:
www.mamma-mia.com