Catherine Johnson News

Sean Allan Krill is making his Broadway debut as 'Sam Carmichael' in Mamma Mia! after playing the role in the North American tour for two years, as well as starring in the first national tour of Thoroughly Modern Millie.

Original and current cast members from the West End stage production of Mamma Mia! will share their stories and experiences of the musical as part of a 10th annual documentary Called Mamma Mia!-The Real Story. The documentary is being made by USP Content and broadcast by Guardian Media Group's Smooth Radio and Real Radio networks. It will be released in March. The piece will also include stories and contributions from the production's writer Catherine Johnson. In it Johnson will discuss her original ideas for the show and how much she pushed to retain control of the film version with Meryl Streep. Streep will also be featured in the two part documentary.

Benny Andersson and Bj?rn Ulvaeus' Broadway smash hit musical MAMMA MIA! will be honored with a Tony's DiNapoli 'Broadway Wall of Fame' portrait to be unveiled on Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 at the Times Square restaurant (147 West 43rd Street at Broadway).

Benny Andersson and Bj?rn Ulvaeus' Broadway smash hit musical MAMMA MIA! will be honored with a Tony's DiNapoli 'Broadway Wall of Fame' portrait to be unveiled on Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 at the Times Square restaurant (147 West 43rd Street at Broadway).

The Kimmel Center and Shubert Organization are thrilled to announce a top-notch lineup of Broadway theater as part of the new 2009-2010 Broadway Series at the Academy of Music and the Forrest Theatre. The new Broadway Series subscription season will feature: Grease starring American Idol Winner Taylor Hicks (July 7 - 12, 2009); White Christmas (Nov. 24 - 29, 2009); Dreamgirls (June 22 - 27, 2010) all at the Academy of Music; and August: Osage County (April 27 - May 2, 2010) at the Forrest Theatre.

The international tour of 'MAMMA MIA!' will play at the Metro Radio Arena Newcastle for 4 weeks only from 12 December 2009 to 10 January 2010, with a gala press night on Tuesday 15 December. This will be the show's first visit to Newcastle and the International Tour's only UK date in 2009. Producer Judy Craymer says, '2008 was a phenomenal year for 'MAMMA MIA!', and I am thrilled that 2009 will end on another high with this exclusive UK engagement. Thanks to the support of the NewcastleGateshead Initiative, I am really looking forward to bringing 'MAMMA MIA!' to Newcastle.'

Mamma Mia! writer Catherine Johnson is returning to the theatre to premiere a new work, she spoke to the Times Online about her upcoming play, Suspension and her mega hit Mamma Mia!

The full list of winners for the British Academy of Film and Television arts were given out in London on February 8, 2009.

Original and current cast members from the West End stage production of Mamma Mia! will share their stories and experiences of the musical as part of a 10th annual documentary Called Mamma Mia!-The Real Story. The documentary is being made by USP Content and broadcast by Guardian Media Group's Smooth Radio and Real Radio networks. It will be released in March. The piece will also include stories and contributions from the production's writer Catherine Johnson. In it Johnson will discuss her original ideas for the show and how much she pushed to retain control of the film version with Meryl Streep. Streep will also be featured in the two part documentary.

Mamma Mia!, one of the biggest hits of 2008, gets its final release in Japan on January 30. Currently worldwide the movie is at $573,093,048. Mamma Mia is directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Catherine Johnson. It stars Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Stellan Skarsgard, Pierce Brosnan, and Colin Firth. Set on a colorful Greek island, the plot serves as a background for a wealth of ABBA songs. A young woman about to be married discovers that any one of three men could be her father. She invites all three to the wedding without telling her mother, Donna, who was once the lead singer of Donna and the Dynamos. In the meantime, Donna has invited her backup singers, Rosie and Tanya. http://www.mammamiamovie.com/

Benny Andersson and Bj?rn Ulvaeus' global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA! welcomed Brandi Burkhardt to the Broadway cast as bride-to-be 'Sophie Sheridan' when she began performances at the Winter Garden Theatre on Tuesday, January 27th, 2009. Burkhardt was a guest on WGHT Radio's 'CURTAIN CALL with Teisha Bader'. Burkhardt made her Broadway debut earlier this season when she created the role of 'Lucie Manette' in the world premiere musical A Tale of Two Cities. She also starred as 'Daisy Mae' in Lil' Abner for the Los Angeles Reprise series and as 'Emma' in the international touring production of Jekyll & Hyde: Resurrection.

Mamma Mia!, one of the biggest hits of 2008, gets its final release in Japan on January 30. Currently worldwide the movie is at $573,093,048. Mamma Mia is directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Catherine Johnson. It stars Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Stellan Skarsgard, Pierce Brosnan, and Colin Firth. Set on a colorful Greek island, the plot serves as a background for a wealth of ABBA songs. A young woman about to be married discovers that any one of three men could be her father. She invites all three to the wedding without telling her mother, Donna, who was once the lead singer of Donna and the Dynamos. In the meantime, Donna has invited her backup singers, Rosie and Tanya. http://www.mammamiamovie.com/

The full list of nominations for the British Academy of Film and Television arts was announced this morning. FROST/NIXON received 6 nominations and DOUBT 3 amongst other theatre-related nominees. The awards will be given out on February 8, 2009 in London.

Seen by over 32 million people around the world, MAMMA MIA! is celebrating 6 sold out years at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway, and is currently playing record breaking engagements in Las Vegas and on National Tour in the United States. The original West End production has played more than 3,500 performances, an international tour has played in more than 30 foreign cities

Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA! will welcome Brandi Burkhardt to the Broadway cast as bride-to-be 'Sophie Sheridan' when she begins performances at the Winter Garden Theatre on Tuesday, January 27th, 2009. Allison Case will play her final performance in the role on Sunday, January 25th.

The Bristol Evening Post is reporting that 21 years after her first play was staged at the Bristol Old Vic, Mamma Mia! writer Catherine Johnson is returning to the theatre to premiere a new work.

Mamma Mia! The Movie is hosting a virtual conga line that stretches worldwide online. There are already over 1000 participants. You simply insert your photo and join the other 'conga dancers', it is a fun way to be your very own 'Dancing Queen'.

Benny Andersson and Bj?rn Ulvaeus' global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA! will end its record-breaking engagement at Mandalay Bay Theatre this Sunday, January 4, 2009. After nearly six years on The Las Vegas Strip, MAMMA MIA! set the precedent for musicals in Las Vegas celebrating more than 2,200 performances and 2 million guests.

The MAMMA MIA West End 'Dynamos', Linzi Hateley as Donna Sheridan, Joanna Monro as Rosie and Jane Gurnett as Tanya took a moment out of their busy 'muscial day' to wish you all a very special 2009.

The Abba stage hit big screen transfer is the first disc to sell more than 5 million copies placing it in one in four UK households. Its closest rival was The Dark Knight with 1.5 million sold. The previous top seller was Pirates of the Caribbean.