Post by Jazz on Aug 30, 2007 8:50:48 GMT 1
MEET Meryl as Donna and Pierce as Sam:
This is from USA TODAY:
USA TODAY:
The mother of all jukebox musicals is going Hollywood.
Mamma Mia! is the name of the game as super troupers Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan meet their Waterloo and other catchy chart-toppers by '70s Swedish pop sensation ABBA in the film adaptation.
As the show seen by more than 30 million Dancing Queen-humming theatergoers worldwide continues its sixth year on Broadway, the production of the summer 2008 release has shifted to the picturesque isles of Greece this week after 10 weeks at Pinewood Studios outside of London.
That fairy-tale setting is where bride-to-be Sophia (Amanda Seyfried of Mean Girls) gathers three ex-suitors of her taverna-owning mom, Donna (Streep), the better to learn which one is her father.
The hook-happy songs written by ABBA's Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus provide much of the electricity on stage, but movies need stars. And Mamma Mia! creator Judy Craymer, who also is one of the film's producers, says the key to luring such non-musical talents as Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard as the possible papas was the mighty Meryl.
"She obviously loves singing and was bursting to do it with various projects," Craymer says of the 14-time Oscar nominee who famously lost Evita to Madonna.
"We knew that she had seen the show because she wrote a letter to the Broadway cast five years ago. Now she gets to sing nine ABBA songs."
Streep also plays disco diva with pals Julie Walters as fun-loving Rosie and Christine Baranski as naughty divorce Tanya, who used to perform as Donna and the Dynamos.
"These are great roles for people of a certain age," Cray-mer says. "We explore the relationship between Sam (Brosnan) and Donna a little more. There are no bounds on romance with Pierce Brosnan."
The former James Bond never had the occasion to break into song in his 007 outings, although he warbled Irish folk tunes in 2002's Evelyn.
But Brosnan is making up for lost time. "When people ask me what I am doing next, and I say Mamma Mia!, a look of shock comes across their faces," he says on the first day of shooting on Skiathos in 100-degree heat. "Then they ask, 'Do you sing?' But so far, I've gotten away with it."
Craymer assures: "He sings brilliantly. He does a sexy Springsteen-style thing."
Though some might salivate at the thought of La Streep laying into The Winner Takes It All, ABBA fan Craymer is most thrilled Benny and Bjorn are on board. "They re-orchestrated tracks with the original ABBA band. It is a wonderful soundtrack."
This is from USA TODAY:
USA TODAY:
The mother of all jukebox musicals is going Hollywood.
Mamma Mia! is the name of the game as super troupers Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan meet their Waterloo and other catchy chart-toppers by '70s Swedish pop sensation ABBA in the film adaptation.
As the show seen by more than 30 million Dancing Queen-humming theatergoers worldwide continues its sixth year on Broadway, the production of the summer 2008 release has shifted to the picturesque isles of Greece this week after 10 weeks at Pinewood Studios outside of London.
That fairy-tale setting is where bride-to-be Sophia (Amanda Seyfried of Mean Girls) gathers three ex-suitors of her taverna-owning mom, Donna (Streep), the better to learn which one is her father.
The hook-happy songs written by ABBA's Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus provide much of the electricity on stage, but movies need stars. And Mamma Mia! creator Judy Craymer, who also is one of the film's producers, says the key to luring such non-musical talents as Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard as the possible papas was the mighty Meryl.
"She obviously loves singing and was bursting to do it with various projects," Craymer says of the 14-time Oscar nominee who famously lost Evita to Madonna.
"We knew that she had seen the show because she wrote a letter to the Broadway cast five years ago. Now she gets to sing nine ABBA songs."
Streep also plays disco diva with pals Julie Walters as fun-loving Rosie and Christine Baranski as naughty divorce Tanya, who used to perform as Donna and the Dynamos.
"These are great roles for people of a certain age," Cray-mer says. "We explore the relationship between Sam (Brosnan) and Donna a little more. There are no bounds on romance with Pierce Brosnan."
The former James Bond never had the occasion to break into song in his 007 outings, although he warbled Irish folk tunes in 2002's Evelyn.
But Brosnan is making up for lost time. "When people ask me what I am doing next, and I say Mamma Mia!, a look of shock comes across their faces," he says on the first day of shooting on Skiathos in 100-degree heat. "Then they ask, 'Do you sing?' But so far, I've gotten away with it."
Craymer assures: "He sings brilliantly. He does a sexy Springsteen-style thing."
Though some might salivate at the thought of La Streep laying into The Winner Takes It All, ABBA fan Craymer is most thrilled Benny and Bjorn are on board. "They re-orchestrated tracks with the original ABBA band. It is a wonderful soundtrack."
