Benny Andersson News

An era on the Great White Way came to end on Saturday, September 12th, as Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' global smash hit musical Mamma Mia!, inspired by the songs of ABBA, concluded its historic, record-breaking run of 5,773 performances. Below, we take you inside closing night- from the curtain call speeches to the after party!

„One Night in Bangkok" gehort zu den großten Hits der Achtziger, aber wahrscheinlich wissen nur wenige, dass er aus dem Musical „Chess" stammt und dass dieser Rap wie auch alle weiteren Songs von den beiden Mannern der Popgruppe ABBA geschrieben wurde. „Chess" („Schach") erzahlt vom Schachspiel der Supermachte: 1972 trafen im islandischen Reykjavik der amerikanische Schachweltmeister Bobby Fischer und der sowjetrussische Herausforderer Boris Spassky aufeinander. Bis dahin ein Nischensport, stand Schach plotzlich im Rampenlicht der Weltoffentlichkeit - dank des vorherrschenden Kalten Krieges, der dieses Ereignis zum Stellvertreter-Krieg zwischen der USA und der UdSSR machte. Knapp neun Jahre spater setzte der Songwriter und Textdichter Tim Rice seinen Plan in die Tat um, anhand dieses Schachwettkampfes ein Musical zu kreieren, das nach einem uralten Theatertrick die politische mit der sportlichen sowie einer sehr privaten Ebene verband. Herausgekommen ist 1984 das Konzeptalbum „Chess" und 1986 die erste Buhnenfassung am Londoner Westend, inszeniert von Trevor Nunn.

Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' MAMMA MIA!, the smash hit musical based on the songs of ABBA, will continue its successful North American tour in 2015-2016. The tour will visit more than 50 cities including St. Louis, Chicago, Anchorage, Los Angeles, and Cleveland.

An era on the Great White Way came to end on Saturday, September 12th, as Benny Andersson andBjorn Ulvaeus' global smash hit musical Mamma Mia!, inspired by the songs of ABBA, concluded its historic, record-breaking run of 5,773 performances. BroadwayWorld is exclusively bringing you the retrospective video that was played at the closing night after party. Below, check out messages from the cast, past performance clips and more! CLICK HERE for even more Mamma Mia! memories!

An era on the Great White Way came to end on Saturday, September 12th, as Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' global smash hit musical Mamma Mia!, inspired by the songs of ABBA, concluded its historic, record-breaking run of 5,773 performances. Below, check out photos from inside the after party!

An era on the Great White Way came to end on Saturday, September 12th, as Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA!, inspired by the songs of ABBA, concluded its historic, record-breaking run of 5,773 performances.

'Broadway will never be the same,' says MAMMA MIA! alum Courtney Reed. It's true... later tonight, after the Dynamos take their final bows as the reigning dancing queens of the Great White Way, an era will end in New York CIty that has lasted a whopping 14 years. Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA!, inspired by the songs of ABBA, will end its historic, record-breaking run tonight, September 12, 2015, after 5,773 performances.

Below, take a trip down memory lane with performances from some of the Broadway casts throughout the show's historic run!

Broadway In Chicago has announced that individual tickets for Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' MAMMA MIA!, the smash hit musical based on the songs of ABBA, go on sale to the public on Sunday, September 13. MAMMA MIA! returns to Chicago to play the Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W Randolph) for one week only, November 10-15, 2015.

MAMMA MIA! might be leaving Broadway this month, but it will go out with a bang. The New York Post writes that cast members from all fourteen years of the show's Broadway run will return for the final performance on September 12. No word yet on the final guest list, but it's sure to be a night to remember!

My, my, here we go again! MAMMA MIA! might be leaving Broadway this month, but the musical will live on in a sequel to the 2008 film adaptation. 

As BroadwayWorld previously announced, Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA!, inspired by the songs of ABBA, will end its historic, record-breaking run on Broadway on Saturday, September 12, 2015, following 5,773 performances. With just weeks left of performances, the current cast met up with veterans of the show's fourteen-year run to take a farewell photo in Times Square. Go behind the scenes of the special day below!

Fraser Entertainment Group's critically-acclaimed ongoing series AN EVENING OF CLASSIC BROADWAY returns to Rockwell Table & Stage in Los Feliz on Monday, August 10 at 8pm, the ninth installment of the successful concert series, produced by Dianne Fraser. Acclaimed musical director Brad Ellis (from the hit television series GLEE, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, etc.) leads a cast of superb singers from Broadway, television, and film.

Ever wonder which Broadway tunes have inspired your favorite performers? Check back every Tuesday for ON RECORD- to find out which cast recordings have made an impact on Broadway's brightest stars. In this week's edition, we hear from Sarah Stiles, who is currently starring as 'Jessica' in Hand to God- playing at the Booth Theatre. Read on to find out her top five picks!

White Plains Performing Arts Center STAGE 2 presents CHESS, the smash hit rock musical of the 1980s is back in a re-imaged production updated to today's explosive political climate between the United States and the Middle East.

Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' MAMMA MIA!, the smash hit musical based on the songs of ABBA, returns to The Orpheum Theatre in June. Performances begin tonight, June 19 and run through June 21 at The Orpheum Theatre in Memphis TN.

The Hollywood Pantages, a Nederlander Theatre, announced today the addition of eight shows available as options to the already on sale 2015-2016 SEASON. This new lineup of shows includes the return of Six Hollywood Pantages favorites. The Added Optional Shows will include Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, RIVERDANCE - THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY WORLD TOUR, MAMMA MIA!, ONCE, RAIN - A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES & last season's smash hit, KINKY BOOTS.

Broadway In Chicago has announced that Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' MAMMA MIA!, the smash hit musical based on the songs of ABBA, returns to Chicago to play the Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W Randolph) for one week only, November 10-15, 2015.

Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' MAMMA MIA!, the smash hit musical based on the songs of ABBA, returns to The Orpheum Theatre in June. Performances begin on June 19 and run through June 21 at The Orpheum Theatre in Memphis TN.

Happy Birthday, Judy Kuhn! Kuhn made her Broadway debut was in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. She then played Cosette in the 1987 multiple award winning Broadway production of Les Miserables brought her the first Tony Award nomination. The following year, Kuhn took on a transfer from London's West End, playing one of the main roles (Florence Vassy) in the Trevor Nunn-directed Chess, with music by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus (formerly of ABBA) and lyrics by Tim Rice. Later in 1993, Kuhn played the role of Betty Schaefer in the U.S premier production of Sunset Boulevard at the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles. Kuhn sang the title role in the 1995 Disney animated film, Pocahontas, the film included her rendition of the song Colors of the Wind, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for its composers Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. On October 23, 2007, Kuhn returned to the Broadway Production of Les Miserables after 20 years, but this time assuming the role of Fantine.