Meg Hateley and Miles Henderson in Mamma Mia! Picture: Brinkhoff/Moegenburg
ITV is taking another chance on a musical theatre talent search with the launch of a new entertainment show aimed at discovering two new stars to join the London production of multi-award-winning feel-good musical Mamma Mia!
Produced by Thames and Littlestar, Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream will search for two newcomers to take on the roles of Sophie and Sky (as played by Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper in the hit film adaptation of the stage show).
Filmed against the beautiful backdrop of the idyllic Greek islands where the original Mamma Mia! story is set, the eight-part series will involve the contestants being mentored by guest stars and judged by a panel of industry experts.
The competition will culminate in a live, grand finale broadcast from a theatre in London’s West End with the two winners set to take to the stage at the Novello Theatre where the musical will celebrate its 25th birthday in 2024.
Series co-producer, the musical’s creator and global producer Judy Craymer said: “Mamma Mia! has always been a show that has encouraged young actors and given opportunities to those making their stage debuts – just as our current Sophie and Sky in London (Meg Hateley and Miles Henderson) are making their West End debuts – so it feels the perfect fit for a TV show that will seek out new talent for musical theatre.
“In the lead-up to the celebrations for the stage musical’s 25th birthday in 2024, we’re really looking forward to working with Thames and ITV on this show and involving our well-loved musical as much as possible in the programme.”
Amelia Brown, managing director of Thames, commented: “The excitement we have for making this show is like no other – it’s a dream come true for so many of us at Thames. Merging the global brand of Mamma Mia! and all the talent at Littlestar with the power behind the talent show juggernauts such as Britain’s Got Talent will mean it’s a show that can’t be missed.”
ITV’s head of entertainment commissioning Katie Rawcliffe added: “Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream is everything we could want in an entertainment show – legendary music, an iconic West End theatre show, high energy performances and a brand new search for talent, set against the backdrop of a gorgeous island.”
Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream is executive produced by Amelia Brown, Charlie Irwin and Ashley Whitehouse for Thames (a Fremantle label) and Judy Craymer for Littlestar. The show is commissioned by Katie Rawcliffe, head of entertainment commissioning at ITV; Lily Wilson, commissioning editor for ITV; and Louise Major, commissioning editor for ITV.
Craymer’s inventive re-working of the hits of Swedish supergroup Abba, Mamma Mia! has been seen live by 65 million people in 50 different productions in 16 different languages grossing more than $4 billion at the box office. In 2011 it became the first Western musical to be staged in Mandarin in China.
The show originally opened in London at the Prince Edward Theatre in 1999, before moving into the Prince of Wales Theatre in 2004, and then reopening in its new London home, the Novello Theatre in 2012.
The London production of has been seen by over 10 million people, played over 9,000 performances and has broken box office records in all three of its London homes. With music and lyrics by ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, Mamma Mia! is written by Catherine Johnson, directed by Phyllida Lloyd and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast.
Angela Thomas
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