Mamma Mia Tickets: Mamma Mia! Has Tremendously Increased Its Booking Period

Mamma Mia! is a stage musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of ABBA, composed by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, former members of the band. Although the title of the musical is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia", the plot is fictional, not biographical. Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, who composed the original music for ABBA, were involved in the development of the show from the beginning.

Anni-Frid Lyngstad has been involved financially in the production and she has also been present at many of the premieres around the world. The musical includes such hits as "Super Trouper", "Lay All Your Love On Me", "Dancing Queen", "Knowing Me, Knowing You", "Take A Chance On Me", "Thank You for the Music", "Money, Money, Money", "The Winner Takes It All", "Voulez Vous" and "SOS". Over 42 million people have now seen the show which has grossed $2 billion dollars worldwide. A film adaptation, Mamma Mia! The Movie, starring Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, Christine Baranski and Julie Walters was released in July 2008.

Mamma Mia! is based on the songs of ABBA. ABBA was a Swedish pop/dance group active from 1972/1982 and was one of the most internationally popular pop groups of all time, topping the charts again and again in Europe, North America and Australia. Following the premiere of the musical in London in 1999, ABBA Gold topped the charts in the United Kingdom again. This musical was the brain child of producer Judy Craymer. She met songwriters Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson in 1983 when they were working with Tim Rice on Chess. It was the song "The Winner Takes It All" that suggested to her the theatrical potential of their pop songs. The songwriters were not enthusiastic, but they were not completely opposed to the idea.

The musical opened in the West End at the Prince Edward Theatre on 6 April 1999 and transferred to the Prince of Wales Theatre on 9 June 2004, where it is playing as of 9 January 2011. Directed by Phyllida Lloyd with choreography by Anthony Van Laast, the original cast featured Shiobhan McCarthy, Lisa Stokke, and Hilton McRae.

Prior to the musical's Broadway engagement, it made its US debut in San Francisco, California at the Orpheum Theatre from 17 November 2000 to 17 February 2001, moving next to Los Angeles, California at the Shubert Theatre from 26 February 2001 to 12 May 2001, and finally to Chicago, Illinois at the Cadillac Palace from 13 May 2001 to 12 August 2001. The musical opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre on 18 October 2001 and is currently running, as of June 19, 2010. The director is Phyllida Lloyd with choreography by Anthony Van Laast.

In the United States, Mamma Mia! played in Las Vegas, opening at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in February 2003 and closing on January 4, 2009. In June 2005, Mamma Mia! played its 1000th performance in Las Vegas, becoming the longest running West End/Broadway musical in Las Vegas. The clothes and scenarios from this production are now used in Brazil.