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: Broadway Beat From The Archives - Mamma Mia Opening
Nov 11, 2022
On July 27th, 2006 - Mamma Mia! celebrated 2,000 performances. To celebrate that milestone and their upcoming 5th anniversary, BroadwayWorld.com and Broadway Beat bring you back to the beginning...opening night of this megahit musical! Enjoy this supersized episode filled with scenes and interviews featuring the original cast!
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0:00
Broadway, Broadway Beat, Broadway, Broadway Beat
0:21
Broadway Beat, Broadway Beat, Broadway, Listen to the Broadway Beat. Broadway makes you want to move your feet
0:33
Everybody's stabbing to everything that's happening on Broadway Beats. Broadway Beets, Broadway Beat
0:46
Hello, I'm Richard Ridge. Welcome to Broadway Beat. We're at the Bryant Park Grill for the opening night celebration of one of this season's most equally awaited new musicals
0:55
Mama Mia, otherwise known as the ABA musical. Joining me tonight as my co-host is producer-director Richard J. Alexander
1:04
who purchased the Be the Host of Broadway Beat auction package at last year's Broadway Cares Equity Fight's Aids Flea Market
1:11
It is my pleasure to welcome to Broadway Beat, Richard J. Alexander. Hi, my name is Richard J. Alexander. I'm here for Broadway Beat
1:18
We're at the opening night party of Mama Mia, the biggest thing to hit Broadway in a long, long time
1:23
The show opened in London in April of 1999 and has been selling out ever since
1:29
It's toured across America, Australia. It's been a blockbuster everywhere. And tonight, the Abba musical, as they call it, opened at the Winter Garden
1:37
where I personally suspect it's going to be a tenant for a long, long time
1:41
Tonight you're going to meet a lot of the stars of the show. I'm losing my voice because it's been such a wild party here at Bryant Park Grill
1:49
And you're going to have a great time, so enjoy the show. I was cheated by you when I think you know when
2:00
So I made up my mind it must come to an end
2:07
Look at me now will I ever learn I don't know how
2:13
But I suddenly lose control There's a fire within my soul Just one look and I can hear about
2:23
rain one more looking like forget everything oh oh mama me up here i go again my
2:33
my how can i resist you mama me up does it show again my my just how much of this job yeah something broken
2:45
hearted too soon to take me carded my my my should i should not let you go let you go
2:53
We have Judy Kramer here, who is the producer, the sort of lead producer, on Mamma Mia
3:00
who has taken this all the way from London, across Canada, across the United States
3:05
and tonight to Broadway. You know we've been through a while time here in New York
3:09
I don't have to tell anybody who's watching. Tonight is a particularly great night for Broadway
3:14
What did it feel like for you tonight? It was very exciting
3:18
It has been, you know, obviously a very tough time for everyone. But I think everyone's really looking forward to Mama Mia
3:23
in the audience tonight certainly went crazy. Now for you, I know this from my Le Miserables'Ob experience of different companies and things
3:31
Do you feel something a little special about Broadway, or do you feel that that would be a terrible, mean thing to your other cast
3:37
Or how do you feel tonight? I think all the companies are very special. And of course, Louise Petra and Tina Madigan, who's star in this company
3:43
were from our original Toronto company. But they're a very special company, and I think a company that's very special for Broadway
3:50
Broadway's kind of going to claim them as their own. I suspect you're going to be a tenant at the Winter Garden for a very, very long time
3:56
What do you think? God, I hope so. These are very good friends of mine
4:01
These are the folks from Deca Records. They did the original cast recording of Mamma Mia
4:05
and I asked them to say a little bit about their recording, obviously, and what it felt like tonight to be part of the Broadway audience
4:11
First of all, Kevin, introduce yourself to everybody. Kevin Gore, President of Universal Classics
4:16
Tell us how the show was tonight. Show was great. Fantastic. This is my fourth time I saw it in San Francisco, and in London
4:21
It's a fantastic show. Everybody had a great time, clapping, singing, dancing
4:26
A lot of fun. This is Amy Gotrow, who's also at Deca
4:30
and the new mom of two beautiful twins. I happen to know that
4:34
How did it feel to be there tonight? It was wonderful. I wish I could have brought the twins with me
4:38
It was such a bright moment and everything that's happening right now. Great
4:42
Kevin, just tell us a little bit for the audience because you've been doing a lot of reissues. You do a lot of Broadway cast recordings
4:47
I know because you've been kind enough to give them to me. They're pretty fantastic
4:51
But is there anything coming up that you're particularly excited about or any reissues that the audience should know about
4:57
Well, I'm trying to think off the top of my head, and I'm not thinking very well off the top of my head. But this cast album's been out
5:02
We actually put it out last year when we started with the San Francisco premiere, the first U.S. state
5:08
and it's been selling like hotcakes. And now that it's on Broadway, you think it's going to go crazy. So, Amy, you might want to try to do
5:13
We have the new cast recording of By Jeeves coming out. And we have reissues, as we always do, of the London cast
5:21
We had a wonderful reissue that came out fairly recently of Connecticut Yankee
5:28
Is it a Yankee in Connecticut? I forget. Connecticut Yankee. Yes. Which is really a wonderful reaction
5:34
And down the aisle we had. I'm so happy to be able to introduce them to you because these are the kind of people you don't usually meet
5:41
Two on the aisle. Two on the aisle. And not the one with Stephen Eadie
5:46
And they haven't even started drinking yet. And we have the Andrew Lloyd-Weber box set coming in..
5:50
Oh, yes. We have an Elvis track that has never before been released
5:55
Elvis singing Andrew Lloyd Weber. What did he sing? I don't remember this. It's a song that he and Tim Rice wrote for Elvis
6:03
Great song. Wow. Well, we got the scoop tonight. Thanks for coming over to talk to us
6:08
This is Nancy Coyne from Serino Coyne. And I'm so glad she's here tonight for the opening of Mama Mia because I've been watching her work ever since September 11th
6:16
She's so responsible for bringing Broadway back to life for doing the commercial in Duffy Square
6:21
and I would just like her to say something because it's a face you don't see very often
6:25
And we know her because she's in the community and we read about her in the Times and everything
6:29
But for the Broadway beat audience, this is Nancy Coyne. What would you like to say? Well, tell us about the show tonight
6:33
This is a great moment. This is like the first big opening since September 11th
6:38
And the theater was just, it was incredible. It was filled with people who were having the time of their lives
6:43
They were singing and dancing and I'm just so happy to be here. And I'm so happy that Broadway's come back the way it has
6:49
It such a tribute to the people of New York I mean we relied on tourists for a long time and now we turning to them and they coming through in the most remarkable way It just great It great to be part of this business
7:01
It's so perfect that she's here. I've been wanting to write her a letter. This is great
7:04
Thank you. You are the dancing queen. Young and sweet, only 17
7:17
Dancing queen, feel a me, pride. from the tabarid you can dance
7:28
you can try having the time of your life who's seen a girl
7:38
watch that seen in the Latin queen Okay, I'm here with Jim Dale
7:46
who's worried about speaking because he's a Tony nominating committee person Or Tony voter
7:50
Which is a nominator or voter? I'm a nominator. Oh, nominator. Well, as Jim Dale, as a performer tonight
7:55
did you have a good time at Mama Mia? Well, who couldn't have a good time? No, we had a great time. Unfortunately, I didn't know all the songs
8:01
which was a great pity because my wife kept nudging me, saying, why aren't you tapping your foot and doing that
8:05
But I thought it was just a great ball of fun. Everybody in it seemed to be enjoying themselves so much
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and I think that's what we need at the moment. It doesn't matter how irrelevant anything is
8:15
This is what we need. A whole ball of fun after what we've had to go through in New York
8:19
and throughout America. And this is perfect, perfect timing for Mamma Mia
8:23
And I hope everybody comes to New York to see it. We're here with Bjorn Ulvaas of Abba
8:29
I'm sure everybody's asked you about the music. We know everybody loves the music. We know the audience sings along
8:34
We know they've gone crazy for the show from London to Australia to San Francisco
8:39
I just want to ask you point blank, are you just... I mean, you're not new to Broadway
8:44
You have the chess experience. Are you just dumbfounded by this phenomenon
8:48
I mean, is it just, does it just make you happy to wake up and think about this every day
8:53
You know, it does. Every day I wake up, I think, oh, yeah, there's Broadway happening, there's the West End, there's all of that
9:05
And plus, I have new projects in mind, so yeah, it's great
9:11
And why is happening? I have no idea, but the fact that it is happening
9:18
Now, I haven't read the reviews in New York. Are they out already
9:24
I think, you know, in a couple of hours or so, it sort of really doesn't matter
9:31
A $27 million advance, it's phenomenal. I think you're going to be the longest tenant in the Winter Gardens since Cats
9:36
What does that feel like? Oh, if that is the case, I feel wonderful
9:41
because it is the most beautiful theater in New York. It's wonderful, yeah
9:46
You're beautifully refurbish it. I also have another question for you. you. Obviously they're going to translate this because it's an enormous success. They will
9:53
translate this into other languages. Does that mean that just the book will translate but the
9:57
songs will stay in English or have the songs been translated in the past into other languages
10:02
for hit radio? I'm unaware of this fact. No. Well, in the very beginning of our career
10:08
which was 74-75, we recorded a couple of songs like Waterloo in other languages, but since then
10:15
nothing apart from Spanish and I'm in complete control over this so I will not
10:24
allow them to translate anything into any other language other than I think that
10:29
this is you know I'd like to hear this and we're doing it we we're having an
10:35
experiment right now with Holland so it's being translated into Dutch and later
10:43
into Japanese as well But I'll watch that closely to see whether I like it or not
10:50
Right, that's interesting. Now, you know people still love chess. They still want to do it
10:54
They do it in concert. They're still trying to figure out what happened. What do you think
10:59
I mean, do you want to see chess again? Would you like to see it mounted again
11:02
Is it close to your heart? How do you feel about it? It's very close to my heart
11:07
And while I've been doing auditions from Romania around the world, I hear actors and sing me is always coming up to me saying that
11:15
Like there's a Freddy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. So what we're doing, we're doing a revival of chess in Stockholm in February next year
11:25
with a slightly revised story. And if that works, we translate it back
11:32
And then, of course, my ultimate goal would be to come here, come back here with it
11:40
Well, it's an honor and a pleasure to meet you. Enjoy your party and your triumph on Broadway tonight
11:44
Thank you very much. I'm here with Karen Mason, one of the stars of Mamma Mia
11:49
and I just have to say unabashedly, Karen is one of the most beloved people in New York City
11:54
She really is. She's been around for a while. Everybody knows she understudied and was walking around the beeper
11:59
Midtown Manhattan, you know, when she was covering for Betty Buckley and for Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard
12:07
Now the part is hers opening cast, Tony Possibility, the whole thing
12:12
Man. How do you feel? We just opened and opened. ready this pressure. I feel more ecstatic than I have in a long time. I was at the theater this
12:20
afternoon about 1230 and it's just been an incredible adventure. There's, you know, there's nothing
12:28
better than having an entire audience just adore you. Everyone should try this at some point
12:35
in their lives. Should just have a standing ovation and people just screaming for you. And it's
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I've never been part of such a huge, an active part of a huge opening
12:47
But you so deserve this. You've waited so long. I'm going to do a little bit of Joan Rivers. I love the dress
12:51
Can we get the dress? Thank you very much. Who did your dress? Pamela Dennis did my dress and Harry Winston did my jewels
12:58
Wow, that's Broadway, baby. Check it out. There she goes. Everybody loves Karen
13:07
Well, thank you. I saw you on 2020 last night. I was home visiting my dad, and they'd rent the whole piece
13:10
And there you are in your boots and the whole thing. Okay, so you're going to settle in for the run
13:16
Yeah, you bet. And what about the music? Like, were you ever an ABBA fan before this
13:21
Like, truly, was it in your consciousness? Because we all know you as an interpreter
13:25
I should lie and say it. No, you should tell the truth. No, it wasn't really
13:28
I knew the hits, you know, like a couple of the hits that were here. But I was not really an ABBA devotee until this show
13:36
And, you know, it was funny when we did the first sing-through, and everybody's having a great time
13:41
I thought, this music was really magical, and I'm not just saying that
13:46
because it such a wonderful thing to be a part of this show It was really happy you know And then after the September 11th event somehow it all got the happiness just became a little bit more intense
14:00
And Judy Kay would say that we were on a mission, you know. And it really is
14:05
It's just a happy, fun show with a lot of happy, fun people in it
14:11
I've never been involved with such a great group of people. Okay, we're here with Judy Kay. This is another one of the most beloved and Broadway. The Tony Award for Phantom of the Opera. Ragtime. This is, you know, I know, but listen, I know Muni Shapiro's songbook
14:47
That's how long I've been around. But like I was talking to Karen, you guys so deserve this
14:53
Just tell me, how do you feel tonight? I'm so elated. I'm having just the best time
15:00
I kind of had to be talked into this whole thing. I wasn't sure that it was right for me and I was right for it
15:06
And I am so grateful that it all worked out because... But you are such a fun-loving gal
15:10
I am. I am. And I'm more fun-loving because I'm working with my girlfriend, my girlfriend, Karen
15:15
and we are having such a good time with she and I and Louise. I saw you guys on 2020 last night
15:20
I have directed Louise twice in Les Maze, as you probably know. Yes, yes, she did it. Just tell me like a girl thing about you guys, like about the chemistry
15:27
It is so good. We are sharing really secret things that we can't talk about in front of anyone else
15:33
because they are too embarrassing. That is true. And shortly we'll be going shopping together, which is big trouble for New York
15:41
Tell me about the necklace you're wearing, which is pretty knockout. Thank you, thank you. Well, I am from the Southwest
15:45
originally and i've been collecting this beautiful american native american that's what we want to call it this is navajo
15:54
this is zuni and my father gave this to my mother when they first moved to
16:00
arizona before i was born and she gave it to me so
16:03
it's called a squash blossom i think you're the only lead girl here tonight not
16:07
with borrowed jewels no this is my own there you go let's get the outfit here because we got the other girls
16:15
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you
16:21
We're here with Catherine Hickland, huge daytime star, who I catch every once in a while and
16:25
leave her phone messages about, you know, that character of Lindsay. So you're here
16:30
Now, is it true? Is this actually your first Broadway opening night you've ever been to
16:33
It's the first Broadway opening night I've ever been to. How is that possible? You're such a fan of Broadway and you start on Broadway yourself
16:39
Because you have to get tickets to these things. And I just never think of calling anybody
16:44
So your press agent wangled it? She did. And I have to say it was about the most thrilling thing, really
16:50
I saw it in London, and I loved it, but it was just powerful
16:55
Now, do you think it's because you knew people like Karen Mason and Judy Kaye? Or it just, you just had a better time
17:00
No, I just think that because there's a war going on, that anything that can take my mind off of that war for three hours is, it's amazing
17:11
You know, I just didn't think about it. I'm happy, and it stayed with me
17:15
Now, do you have an eye on that show for it to go in as a replacement? I'd have to go back into some serious voice work for that
17:22
Those girls were fierce. That's not what I'm asking. I'm asking, were you eye in it
17:26
Yeah. See, do I know my girls or what? I was eyeing it
17:31
Well, have a great time at the party. Thanks for talking to us. All right, bye. We're here with the director, Philadelphia Lloyd
17:37
Now, I'm going to try not to bore you because I know you've been interviewed to death. But just, I want to know one thing
17:43
You walk up to that winter garden. you know you're going to be the longest tenants since cats
17:47
What does that feel like? If we are even tenants for even a half as long as cats
17:52
we'll be incredibly happy and very lucky. Are you just blown away by the success of this
17:57
I mean, we know it's a phenomenon, but what does it feel like inside your head to you
18:03
It's been incredibly successful in Australia, London and Canada. We came here absolutely with no illusions about the competition
18:13
the stakes being very high here and also the events of the last month
18:21
and I think we're just sort of very relieved and very kind of humbled
18:28
that people here are receiving the show with the same joy maybe that they are in other parts of the world so at the moment I just feel like
18:37
oh my God we got through it and not in any way triumphant but just
18:43
full of delight and we've got that wonderful theatre and that people are
18:51
seem to be enjoying it and understanding it now speaking to one of your actors earlier
18:57
I won't identify him but I was saying you know in terms of an actor prepares for this
19:01
type of show he claimed that you dealt with it exactly as if you were directing
19:05
Hamlet. Can you sort of pontificate on that a little? I think
19:09
somebody once said I'll try not to be pretentious but I think it was Gertrter
19:15
that Faust was something like a very serious jest and I think that's the way in which
19:22
we've approached this it's very very tongue in cheek we try not to take it too
19:28
seriously but underneath it is something quite profound about lost parents and
19:36
identities and lost lives and the past meeting the future and also I wanted the actors to really own the material and for it not to feel like a British show
19:50
that the American actors were having to just sort of cookie cup clone those things that we'd done before
19:58
So I just tried to get them to rehearse it as if the material had never been done before
20:05
I thought the story was sort of Shakespearean actually. Yeah, and that's deliberate. The idea of they're coming to this island
20:11
Everybody's coming here with some kind of history, some past, some secret
20:17
And everybody who comes to the island gets transformed. And the fact that there's 24, it takes place in 24 hours
20:22
It's quite a classical idea. Three fathers. She has to choose between the three
20:27
It could be, you know, it's a mixture of elements of the tempest and Merchant of Venice
20:32
and maybe Mid-Summer Night's Dream. What about the whole experience? Like when you auditioned and you found out you got this, what's the journey been like
20:40
Is it been crazy? November. auditioned in November, so it's been a year. And I found out in April that I got the job And I live right around the corner from the Winter Garden So I been seeing the billboard go up and watching the theater change and every minute I been appreciating every minute on it It been incredible
20:54
It's a good time to appreciate things. Yeah, definitely. Definitely. It's such a gift
21:00
Feel a kind of fee. I don't have you need. I'm satisfied
21:09
I skip my pride. I thank you deep. Don't go wasting your emotion
21:22
Lay all your love on me We're here with Tina Madigan
21:31
Who plays Sophie and Mamma Mia You played it on the road before coming
21:37
Were you excited when you actually found out you were headed to Broadway? I mean, I'm sure you were nervous
21:41
I was so excited Yeah, absolutely. I've been looking forward to this now for a while, and I never thought the part would come my way, but I said my prayers and God answered them, and so did the directors and the producers
21:52
And I'm having a ball. I love it. Now, did you know you were coming to Broadway, or there was that moment before you found out
21:58
No, I didn't know that I was coming to Broadway. I mean, I had sort of said, hey, if you don't find anybody or can you keep me in mind
22:05
But they thought they wanted an American, and I don't know. I'm from Canada. I'm from Canada
22:11
St. John's, Newfoundland. And somehow the dice rolled my way, and I'm very happy
22:17
I love New York. I love being here. It's a great time to love New York
22:21
Well, thanks. Have a great time at your opening night party. Thank you so much, very much. I'm standing here with David Keely, who plays Sam
22:27
David, we know about the show. We know everybody's dancing and singing in the aisles
22:31
We know you're not singing dancing, Queen. But what's this whole experience been like for you
22:36
I mean, like, are you just flying high tonight that you're part of such an enormous mega music
22:41
been anything like this in so long and we're so neat it right now. Yeah, we certainly, we all need
22:47
it right now and it's just blowing my mind. I mean, it's, I'm kind of in shock, you know. It's just
22:52
extraordinary the response that the show is getting and what came off tonight was just, I've
22:59
never experienced anything like it in my life. What about work preparation for a show of this nature
23:04
Like, how is it different from you, you know, and that actor prepares sort of thing from most shows
23:08
It isn't any different. The director, Philo Deloitte, just treats this show as if we were doing Hamlet
23:16
It is no difference as far as preparation is concerned. And that's what's so terrific about it
23:21
It really grounds it and it makes it real. And that's why I think it's so fantastic
23:26
Okay. This is such a happy moment for me personally, because I've worked with this girl twice, two productions of Le Miserables
23:34
This is Luis Pietre, who tomorrow, at this time, everybody is going to know
23:38
know her name. All right, just tell us. What do you feel like? Oh, God, I don't know how I feel
23:43
I feel fantastic. I've gotten my bearings back a little bit. I lost it after winter takes it all
23:49
I sang that last note and they yelled and I thought, okay, this is it. I want to just melt in a puddle
23:54
right here. Now, let's do the dress because we did the other girls. Show us the dress
24:02
And tell us who did the dress and the jewels. David Rodriguez did the dress. He's a young
24:08
hot designer in New York. The jewels are by Christian Say, T-S-E, from California
24:15
The shoes are Stuart White's living. There you go. My little Barbie shoes. Now, the other girls have told me a little secret. I want you to give me a little bit of
24:21
girl chemistry information. I talk to Karen, I talked to Judy. They gave me the scoop
24:26
Like, give me a little bit of the girl thing. Like, how are you guys getting on there? You know what? I walked in first day rehearsal, and I heard people talk to me about Judy
24:33
Kay, and I went to see Karen Mason perform in Chicago. And I thought
24:38
But okay, I'm dealing with two pretty hard ladies here. And they thought the same thing as we talked later
24:44
We are three strong women. Very different. Strong. But you know what
24:49
We all have a good sense of humor. And it's absolutely a blast working with these three
24:54
I saw you on 2020 last night. I read the Times piece. This girl's heart is so huge
24:59
Her dressing room is always the center of the show. I went to see her in Los Angeles
25:03
Everybody's always hanging out in Louisa's dressing room. She's a huge star in Canada
25:06
and also made a big splash in Paris and people just haven't known who she is
25:10
But this has been a dream to come to Broadway, hasn't it? Yeah, absolutely. And she's got a great new album out
25:15
Just tell us the name of the album. All of my life has led to this. And it has
25:20
It's great. I actually sent her an email because it's a beautiful album
25:24
But I want you to introduce us to your husband. Yes. Because I had lunch. My husband, Joe Matheson
25:29
Right. Who's an actor-singer dancer as well. Right. Who is here with me tonight
25:33
He wasn't supposed to be here. When I had lunch with Louise, she was very blue because her husband wasn't going to be able to be here for her Broadway opening
25:39
So you know this is a dream come true for her. How do you feel? It's a dream come true for both of us
25:44
And I'm just living vicariously through her now. Now, you know you have one of the most beautiful, talented women as a wife, right
25:52
Oh, I knew that a long time ago, but... But I'm not doing too badly either, as you can see
25:57
After seeing her in this dress, I think now I'm just happier
26:01
I caught her at a weak moment. She's going to be a good night at home tonight. Yeah. And they have a little cabin somewhere, like hidden in Canada
26:09
Louise, I'm just so thrilled for you. Is there anything you want to tell these people that don't know you
26:14
Oh, God. Come and see the show. Go see any show on Broadway
26:17
Every show on Broadway. It's happening. It's alive in New York right now
26:21
It's the best place to be. So come and spend your money in New York now. Go enjoy your husband and the party
26:26
Thanks for talking to us. All right. in the web. So I made up my mind it must come to an end
26:42
Look at me now, will I ever learn? I don't know how, but I suddenly lose control
26:54
There's a fire within my soul. Just one look and I can hear about rain
27:02
One more look and I forget. So can I forget everything? Oh
27:07
Mama me up, Here I go again. My, my, how can I resist you
27:14
Follow me up, does it show again? My, my, just how much I miss you
27:21
Yeah, something broken, hearted. Who seems to take me aparted? My, my, I should not have let you go
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