The Buffalo News
Byline: Jane Kwiatkowski

Sep. 29--She didn't realize it at the time, but when actress Laurie Wells worked in Manhattan as a nanny, she actually was preparing for her leading role of single mom Donna Sheridan in "Mamma Mia!"

"My story is very similar to Donna," said Wells. "I left home early, grew up very fast and I have been acting since I was 8. I've been working and struggling. I'm very independent and fiery. There are a lot of similarities."

On this midweek day, Wells is speaking by phone from a hair salon in Providence, R.I., just one stop on the "Mamma Mia" tour scheduled to play Shea's Performing Arts Center next week. At the moment, hair color and highlights are on Wells' agenda, but a pop phenomenon called "Mamma Mia!" constantly fills her mind. She admits her obsession with the play, and she is not alone.

"I know from doing the show every night for two-and-a-half years: People never get tired of it," Wells said. "It's like a rock concert with an amazing, very funny, heartfelt story. I don't know how you can go wrong. Every single audience member can relate to someone in the company. People get addicted to it and they keep on coming back."

"Mamma Mia!" takes place on a lush Greek isle and tells the story of a single mom and her grown daughter, who is about to marry. Just before the wedding, daughter Sophie Sheridan discovers that her father may be one of three men. Determined to find the father she never knew, Sophie invites all three back to the island.

Written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, the musical is based on 22 ABBA songs, including "Dancing Queen," "The Winner Takes All," "Fernando" and "Take a Chance on Me." Many of the actors in the production's touring company -- including Wells -- were not even born when ABBA topped the charts in 1975 with the musical's title song. Even ABBA co-founder Bjorn Ulvaeus expressed astonishment at the musical's wild success.

"When we split up in '81, I thought that was the end of it," Ulvaeus told The News in December 2002, just before the first of "Mamma Mia's" three runs in Buffalo. "I thought I would hardly ever hear of ABBA again. I have no idea why this all is happening and why the music is so much present. Every morning I wake and I feel, 'This is amazing.' And I can't get into my leotards anymore."

The concept -- dubbed jukebox musical -- has been much repeated, but never with the success that has defined "Mamma Mia!" since it debuted at London's Prince Edward Theatre in 1999:

A permanent "Mamma Mia!" production remains the longest running full-scale Broadway musical ever to play Las Vegas, attracting 1,458,000 people.

The story will make the transition to film in 2007 with Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson as executive producers. Under consideration for the lead role, according to reports in Variety, are Kim Basinger, Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep and Michelle Pfeiffer.

In October, the play will debut in Moscow, marking the translation into its 10th language.

When the current English-speaking tour played Mexico City, according to Wells, Spanish story boards were displayed before each scene.

"They don't laugh at the same places that English speaking audiences do, but they get it," she said. "The music and excitement of the show speaks to anyone."

At Shea's, Carrie Manolakos, 22, from Syracuse, will fill the role of Sophie. It is the first major role for the New York University student, who needs only six more credits to graduate from the Tisch School of the Arts.

"I was familiar with 'Dancing Queen' and 'Mamma Mia,' " she said, "but I'm not sure I even totally connected them with ABBA. It's like ABBA is everywhere. The show is our life. We'll be sitting at a Subway or Quiznos, and 'Fernando' will start playing."

Combine the musical's sugary songs with more than a little Lycra -- think skin-tight silver jumpsuits -- and throw in a hair dryer for use as a microphone.

Get the picture?

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