Mamma Mia! Once Again Celebrates ROCKTOBER; Schedule Announced

ROCKTOBER is back; packed with news about Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus’ global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA!,  which celebrates 7 years on Broadway this month, along with other ABBA-related news and trivia!

Throughout October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, MAMMA MIA! will continue its year-round support of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Seen by over 32 million people around the world, MAMMA MIA!, is celebrating 7 sold-out years at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre, and is also currently playing record-breaking engagements in Las Vegas and on National Tour in the United States.  The original West End production will pass 4,000 performances this month, an international tour has played in more than 50 foreign cities, and the blockbuster feature film MAMMA MIA! – THE MOVIE, produced by Judy Craymer and Gary Goetzman, has become the most successful movie musical of all time around the world, grossing close to $500 million.

To download the MAMMA MIA! ROCKTOBER calendar please click HERE

The schedule is as follows:

“ROCKTOBER” 2008
Wednesday, October 1

On this date in 1983, the Swedish Post Office issued an ABBA commemorative stamp. This was the first time a pop group had appeared on a Swedish stamp.

Thursday, October 2

Twenty-nine years ago on this date, ABBA performed Radio City Music Hall. This is one of only 3 performances the band ever played in New York.

Friday, October 3

• MAMMA MIA! – The Movie opens in Italy.

• On this date in 1979, ABBA performs in Boston on its North American tour. This was one of only 14 concerts the band played in the U.S.

 
Saturday, October 4

“ABBA GOLD” celebrates 633 weeks on the Billboard Top Pop Catalog Chart with sales of over 6 million in the U.S. alone.

 
Sunday, October 5

MAMMA MIA! Broadway celebrates the 7th anniversary of its first preview performance at the Winter Garden Theatre.

 
Monday, October 6

• Now in its 10th hit year, the West End production of MAMMA MIA! plays its 3,969th performance at the restored Prince of Wales Theatre tonight.

• On this date in 1979, ABBA played the Forum in Montreal, Canada. ABBA recorded several songs in French – notably “Waterloo.”

 
Tuesday, October 7

• The MAMMA MIA! International Tour begins performances in Istanbul, Turkey.

• The MAMMA MIA! - The Movie soundtrack surpasses 1 million units sold.

 
Wednesday, October 8

On this date in 1982, ABBA’s “The Day Before You Came” single was released in the UK. This was the band’s 32nd single in a ten-year period.

 
Friday, October 10

On this date in 1982, THE VISITORS was the first ABBA album to be released in the Compact Disc format. At the time, a CD player cost between $600 - $1,000.

 
Saturday, October 11

On this date in 1975, ABBA’s single “SOS” entered the Billboard Top 40.  In the U.S., it won a BMI award as one of the most played records of the year.

 
Sunday, October 12

On this date in 1973, the single “Ring Ring” was released.  It was the first ABBA record issued in England and Neil Sedaka provided the English lyrics.

 
Tuesday, October 14

• On this date in 1977, “Name of the Game” ABBA single was released in the UK. The single went to #1 within 2 weeks.

• The MAMMA MIA! original cast recording hits 1.5 million copies sold in the U.S. alone.

Wednesday, October 15

The MAMMA MIA! U.S. tour plays its 2,753rd performance in Peoria, Illinois.

Thursday, October 16

• MAMMA MIA! - The Movie opens in Chile, South America.

• On this date in 1973, the name “ABBA” is used for the first time. The name, coined by producer Stig Anderson, is derived from the names of the band members – Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Agnetha Fältskog.

 
Friday, October 17

On this date in 1976, ABBA taped a performance for the US TV show “Don Kirschner’s Rock Concert.” The band would also appear on the popular concert show “Midnight Special.” For both shows, the band performed “Dancing Queen.”
 
Saturday, October 18

MAMMA MIA! celebrates the 7th Anniversary of its Broadway opening at the Winter Garden Theatre.

 
Monday, October 20

• On this date in 1979, ABBA played a hometown concert at the Isstadion in Stockholm, Sweden. (One band member, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, was actually born in Norway).

• The MAMMA MIA! Broadway cast performs at “Opening Night on Broadway” at Bloomingdale’s in New York City.

Tuesday, October 21

• MAMMA MIA!’s German language production celebrates its 1st anniversary at the Theater am Potsdamer Platz in Berlin.

• On this date in 1979, ABBA played a sold out concert in Copenhagen, Denmark, a warm-up date for 6 sold out concerts at London’s Wembley Arena.

 
Wednesday, October 22

On this date in 1973, ABBA begins the first recording sessions for the “ABBA” album, which produced the smash hit “Mamma Mia.”

 
Thursday, October 23

On this date in 1981, the “ABBA LP” was re-issued in the UK. The original, released in 1975, saw all 11 tracks released as singles – a claim which few other albums can make.

 
Saturday, October 25

The MAMMA MIA! Las Vegas company celebrates 2,175 performances at Mandalay Bay Resort. It is the longest running full-length Broadway production to ever play The Strip.
 
Sunday, October 26

On this date in 1979, “ABBA’s Greatest Hits Vol. 2” was released. This, their final album of the 1970s, received 600,000 advance orders and sold faster than any previous ABBA album.

 
Monday, October 27

On this date in 1979, ABBA played a sold out concert at the Olympiahalle in Munich, Germany. It is the largest concert venue in Munich, built for the 1972 Olympic games.

 
Wednesday, October 29

On this date in 1979 ABBA’s first volume of Greatest Hits (first released in 1976) reaches sales of over 2 million copies.

 
Thursday, October 30

On this date in 1984, ABBA’s single “Lay All Your Love on Me” was reissued in the UK. The original, released in 1981, became the highest placed single ever to only be available in a 12” format.

 
Friday, October 31

The MAMMA MIA! U.S. Tour plays its 2,771st performance on Halloween in Schenectady, New York.

Download the MAMMA MIA! ROCKTOBER Calendar HERE.

Photos by Joan Marcus