Will mamma mia revival success inspire move jukebox musicals

[KrupYou]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 3:00pm

Not bio-musicals but slamming pop hits into a new story?

 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 3:12pm

It did, after it originally opened back in 2001.

This revival, in my opinion, will inspire more money-making national tours to grab a quick buck on Broadway for a limited run. (Especially if more theaters open up a lot earlier than expected and sit dark following a sudden closure.)

[Zeppie2022]

Posted: 8/5/25 at 7:33pm

My answer is no. It is hard to take songs from artist and make a decent original story out of the music unless music was from "rock opera" like the album "Tommy". Pink Floyd's album "The Wall" might be interesting for somebody to try and see if they can make it work.

[Wick3]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 7:29am

I thought the Huey Lewis musical last year Heart of Rock and Roll had a pretty good original story.

[SteveSanders]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 7:43am

I'm not sure any creatives looking to "slam pop hits" into a new musical need any inspiration to do so.  But it might be nice if those doing so did it in a more inspired and interesting manner.

[binau]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 8:17am

EDSOSLO858 said: "It did, after it originallyopened back in 2001.

This revival, in my opinion, will inspire more money-making national tours to grab a quick buck on Broadway for a limited run. (Especially if more theaters open up a lot earlier than expected and sit dark following a sudden closure.)"

Exactly. We already went through this and flop after flop I think producers recognise now that the format is not intrinsically a success. There is something uniquely special and successful about Mamma Mia itself. 

[Owen22]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 8:40am

I guess it depends.  "& Juliet" is a massive hit, as well as probably the best of the non-bio jukebox musicals.  It actually made me ENJOY a jukebox musical (I am not a "Mamma Mia" fan). But Juliet has a very talented director and bookwriter who knew how to work these songs in a way that actually made these familiar tunes dramatic.  That only really happens in Mia the last quarter, from "Slipping Through My Fingers" onward, not enough, IMO, to save a show whose other grace note is that it obviously feels very cohesive musically (ABBA has a more distinctive sound than Max Martin). 

[Crusty Bagel]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 1:24pm

Bring back rock of ages!!

[JSquared2]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 1:50pm

Crusty Bagel said: "Bring back rock of ages!!"

 

They already brought it back (2019) to New World Stages -- and it was a massive flop.

 

[Crusty Bagel]

Posted: 8/6/25 at 2:29pm

No it wasn’t, it just didn’t come back after covid