New York City
Looking back to the beginning before Broadway’s feel-good musical plays its final performance.
Mamma Mia! played its first Broadway performance on October 5, 2001 at the Winter Garden Theatre. Nearly 14 years and over 5,700 performances later, the beloved ABBA musical ends its run tomorrow night at the Broadhurst Theatre. Over the past decade and a half, the show has become the godfather of Broadway's jukebox musicals, but in November 2001, just a few weeks after opening night, it was just another show making the morning show rounds. Take a look at the original Dynamos — Louise Pitre (Donna), Judy Kaye (Rosie), and Karen Mason (Tanya) — as they introduce Rosie O'Donnell's talk show audience to Broadway's "Dancing Queen" at the very beginning of her reign.