?Mamma Mia? returns to TPAC May 1-6

Inspired by the story-telling magic of ABBA?s timeless songs, writer Catherine Johnson?s sunny, funny tale of family and friendship unfolds on a Greek island. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter?s quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother?s past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago. Songs including “Dancing Queen,? ?The Winner Takes It All,? ?Money, Money, Money? and ?Take A Chance on Me? are all featured in this feel-good night of fun and laughter.

“?Mamma Mia!? has been the best-selling show in the world for years, consistently selling about $1 million in tickets a week on Broadway, in Las Vegas, in London, and on tour. No doubt about it, ?Mamma Mia!? is a mega hit ? people just love it!” said Kathleen O?Brien, TPAC?s President and Chief Executive Officer. “I believe the extraordinary success of this show is simply because it?s just great fun ? and so well done. ?Mamma Mia!? consistently attracts audiences of all ages and backgrounds. The music, the story, the energy and talent of the cast, and the high production values ? all come together for an amazing experience at TPAC.”

With more productions playing simultaneously around the world than any other new musical, ?Mamma Mia!? is now The World?s # 1 Show. There are currently 10 productions of ?Mamma Mia!? running concurrently around the world (8 permanent productions and 2 tours). With a worldwide gross of over $2 billion and audiences of more than 30 million people, ?Mamma Mia!? is acclaimed by the Associated Press as “quite simply, a phenomenon.”

Tickets for ?Mamma Mia!? range from $20-70, depending upon performance times and seat locations. Show dates are May 1-6 at TPACs Andrew Jackson Hall. For tickets, visit the TPAC Box Office (Downtown or at Davis-Kidd Booksellers in The Mall at Green Hills), online at www.tpac.org and www.broadwayacrossamerica.com, or any Ticketmaster outlet, including area Kroger stores and Macy?s. Tickets may also be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 615/255-ARTS (2787). For information on offers for groups of 20 or more, call TPAC Group Sales at 615/782-4060.

TPAC Education?s adult education program, InsideOut, will offer a pre-show “Arts Appetizer” on Wednesday, May 2 at 6:15 p.m. in TPAC?s Polk Theater Lobby. This program, which is free and open to the public, will feature a real, live wedding as well as cast members from the show. To RSVP or for more information, please call 615/687-4291.

The original cast recording of ?Mamma Mia!? is available on Decca Broadway. For information about ?Mamma Mia!? around the world, go to www.mamma-mia.com.

The Tennessee Performing Arts Center is a private, non-profit corporation dedicated to providing and supporting the presentation of the performing arts to the citizens of Tennessee. Its four stages are home to Broadway in Nashville at TPAC, Nashville Ballet, Nashville Opera, Tennessee Repertory Theatre and a variety of special engagements. TPAC administers one of the largest and most comprehensive arts-in-education programs in the United States, offering learning opportunities for children and adults. The organization has served more than 1.4 million students from pre-school to high school over the past two decades. For more information, visit the web site, www.tpac.org.