Catherine Johnson News

Metta Theatre today announces the world premiere of Mouthful, the centrepiece of their 10th anniversary celebrations. Mouthful is a darkly comic and at times heartbreaking response to the global food crisis through six brand new plays from six of the world's leading dramatists - Lydia Adetunji, Bola Agbaje, Clare Bayley, Inua Ellams, Neil LaBute and Pedro Miguel Rozo. The playwrights, with support from a Wellcome Trust Arts Award, have teamed up with six world-renowned scientists - Professors Tim Benton, Kamal Bawa, Suzanne Filteau, Ilkka Hanski, Molly Jahn and Tim Lang to collaborate on this politically provocative and theatrically imaginative production.

The winner of the seventh Papatango New Writing Prize was announced today 27 June at this year's host venue, Southwark Playhouse. 

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.

There will be major cast changes for MAMMA MIA! in London from Monday 8 June.  Mazz Murray will be joining the cast as Tanya, Jo Napthine as Rosie, Gabriella Williams as Sophie Sheridan and James Darch as Sky.  Also joining the cast from 8 June will be Louise Young as Ali, Stephanie Fearon as Lisa, Dan Partridge as Pepper and Rory Phelan as Eddie.  Dianne Pilkington will continue to star as Donna Sheridan, with Richard Trinder as Sam, Alasdair Harvey as Harry and Charles Daish as Bill.  At certain performances, the role of Donna Sheridan will be played by Shona White.

There will be major cast changes for MAMMA MIA! in London from Monday 8 June.  Mazz Murray will be joining the cast as Tanya, Jo Napthine as Rosie, Gabriella Williams as Sophie Sheridan and James Darch as Sky.  Also joining the cast from 8 June will be Louise Young as Ali, Stephanie Fearon as Lisa, Dan Partridge as Pepper and Rory Phelan as Eddie.  Dianne Pilkington will continue to star as Donna Sheridan, with Richard Trinder as Sam, Alasdair Harvey as Harry and Charles Daish as Bill.  At certain performances, the role of Donna Sheridan will be played by Shona White.

Portland Ovations brings back Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' MAMMA MIA!, the smash hit musical based on the songs of ABBA, to Merrill Auditorium for only two shows on May 13th and 14th at 7:30pm.

Mamma Mia has come to The Overture Center in downtown Madison this week! The feel good musical that is jam packed with catchy tunes is going to be in the capital city for a few more days. Georgia Kate Haege, who is playing Donna Sheridan for the second time, as well as Jeff Drushal (who plays Sam Carmichael) were kind enough to provide me a little bit of time this morning. In the final stretch of the national tour, I got the chance to sit down with these two lovely performers to chat about their show and what they have going on next.

Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA!, inspired by the songs of ABBA, will now end its historic, record-breaking run on Broadway on Saturday, September 12, 2015, following 5,773 performances. (September 5 was the previously-announced closing date.)

The global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA! at London's Novello Theatre is now extending its booking period until 23 April 2016, taking the show through to its 18th playing year in London.

MAMMA MIA! is worth your time and money. Go see it.

Broadway's Mamma Mia! has put a new spin on BC/EFA collection speech! The musical's company recently debuted a rap version of the famous speech after the final curtain, which you can check out below!

?Creator and global producer Judy Craymer has announced that Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus' global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA!, inspired by the songs of ABBA, will end its historic, record-breaking run on Broadway on September 5th, 2015 at the Broadhurst Theatre following 5,765 performances.

The global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA! at London's Novello Theatre celebrates its 16th birthday in London on Monday 6 April. From West End to global phenomenon, MAMMA MIA! is Judy Craymer's ingenious vision of staging the story-telling magic of ABBA's timeless songs with an enchanting tale of family and friendship unfolding on a Greek island paradise. To date, it has been seen by more than 54 million people in 49 productions in 16 different languages grossing more than $2 billion at the box office.

I went to see Theatre Forever's newest creation NATURE CROWN in the Guthrie's Dowling Studio Theater not knowing what it was about. I left the theater still not knowing exactly what it was about, except that it's lovely, delightful, innovative, poignant, creative, and incredibly moving. The original fairy tale deals with the ideas of home, place, and change, but I'll let creator and director Jon Ferguson explain it: 'It's about returning to a source or place of origin, honoring that place and letting it go, all at the same time. It's about love and change and re-connection. And that's what I hope for everyone. Through the experience of this play I hope that this story and this place becomes yours. I hope that we find parallels between us, to better understand each other, and ourselves, in order to live better together.'

Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' MAMMA MIA!, the smash hit musical based on the songs of ABBA, returns to Omaha's Orpheum Theater for five performances Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 26.

The national tour of MAMMA MIA!, which played at Kingsbury Hall this past weekend, is a crowd-pleasing mix of enjoyable performances, appealing characters, and well-loved pop hits.

Growing up Father's Day must have been very confusing for Sophie Sheridan, the lead character for MAMMA MIA. The product of a brief love affair, Sophie never knew who her real father was. So on the weeks before her wedding, she sends out invitations to the three chief suspects in hopes of finding out how her real dad is.

The MAMMA MIA! International Tour opened in Liverpool earlier this week - check out photos below!

MAMMA MIA!* will play Toronto from May 5-10 2015 at The Princess of Wales Theatre via Mirvish Productions. MAMMA MIA! is the ultimate feel-good show that has audiences coming back again and again to relive the thrill.