Mamma Mia!

musical theater

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 19, 2026

Quick Summary

The musical Mamma Mia! is a theatrical production that uses the songs of the Swedish pop group ABBA to tell its story. Debuting in London's West End in 1999, the musical was created in collaboration with ABBA members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus.12

The narrative of Mamma Mia! is woven around some of ABBA's most popular songs, including the title track, "Mamma Mia". The musical's global success led to a film adaptation in 2008, starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, which became a box-office hit. A sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, was released a decade later, exploring more of ABBA's catalog.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

ABBA
Breakup and solo projects
…ABBA back catalog to produce Mamma Mia!, a romantic comedy that debuted in London’s West End in 1999 and was subsequently seen by millions of people worldwide. A film version, starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, and Colin Firth, was one of the top global box office draws of…
Read More
…ABBA back catalog to produce Mamma Mia!, a romantic comedy that debuted in London’s West End in 1999 and was subsequently seen by millions of people worldwide. A film version, starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, and Colin Firth, was one of the top global box office draws of…
Read More