How a masterpiece was born and carefully crafted. To shine some light on the musical that everyone loves and adores so much, Mamma Mia!
A star was born back in 1982 when the idea of the play came to mind as the creator, Judy Craymer, went to Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, songwriters for the group ABBA. Craymer wanted to create a new and exciting story about love, friendship, and laughter.
Craymer went to Andersson and Ulvaeus because she wanted to write a story that is written revolving around ABBA’s songs. Craymer made sure that this wouldn’t be an “ABBA story” or a tribute show, but an original “book” musical with songs made by ABBA, and no lyrics would change at all. But Andersson and Ulvaeus weren’t 100% into the idea given by Craymer.
Not until 1995 did Ulvaeus finally give Craymer the thumbs up, if she finds the right writer. Craymer wasted no time, and found Catherine Johnson and Phyllida Lloyd to be the directors. The three women working on an original “book” musical was appropriate, as the main characters of the story were to be three independent women.
In the summer of 1998, Claymer decided to open the musical on ABBA’s anniversary of winning the Eurovision Song Contest, April 6th in 1999. There was one more thing, she didn’t have a theater.
Claymer was looking for smaller theaters or venues, but then the Prince Edward Theater, the same theater where Andersson and Ulvaeus’s play Chess opened ten years earlier, was available. It was fate or a good omen to have the Prince Edward Theater for this musical.
On April 6th, 1999 in London, the musical was opened to the public and it was a huge success! The audience was so captivated and charmed by the music, cast, and the overall mood of the musical. It was definitely a hit, which made Claymer very happy.
The musical’s huge success led to Claymer bringing the musical to the United States. In Canada was where the first musical took place, and it lasted for five years. Claymer took Mamma Mia! onto Broadway, and now it’s played in more than 40 countries in all six continents.
The musical was translated into many different languages and many tours happened all over the world.
Then Hollywood came knocking at Claymer’s door. Claymer worked with Catherine Johnson and Phyllida Lloyd for the movie, and with the brilliant team, Claymer said, “It was a thrill when working on the movie.”
Mamma Mia!: The Movie had a worldwide premiere in London on June 30th, 2008 and the movie starred Meryl Steep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, and Dominic Cooper.
The movie made history as the highest grossing movie of all time in the UK box offices. Til this day, the movie is loved by millions all over the world and will forever be a favorite.
Judy Claymer said that the journey of creating Mamma Mia! has been life-changing and an experience that she’ll never forget. She’ll forever remember her team and everyone else who made Mamma Mia! happen, especially Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus for putting their trust in Claymer.
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