Born 16 December 1946 in Stockholm. 1952: Received accordion lessons from his father and grandfather. 1964-1968: Member of the Hep Stars, Sweden’s most popular rock band in the 1960’s. During this time, he began composing music. “Sunny Girl” and “Wedding” were huge hits for the Hep Stars. 1972-1982: ABBA. 1982-1984: Composed the music (together with Björn Ulvaeus and Tim Rice) for the musical, Chess. 1987: Began collaborating with Orsa Spelmän. Recorded three albums deeply rooted in Swedish folk music: Klinga Mina Klockor, November 1989 and Fiolen Min. In 2001, this collaboration led to the formation of Benny Andersson’s Orchestra, a 16-man constellation with vocalists, Helen Sjöholm and Tommy Körberg. Thus far, this has resulted in five CD albums and several summer tours. 1990-1995: Composed the music to Kristina from Duvemåla. Premiered in October 1995. 1995: Received the title of professor from the Swedish government. Inducted to in the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 2007. Appointed Honorary Doctor of the College of Humanities at Stockholm University in 2008, and at Luleå University of Technology in 2012. Benny Andersson is married to former TV producer, Mona Nörklit. They have one child, Ludvig Andersson. Benny Andersson also has two children from a previous marriage, Peter Grönvall and Helene Odedal. He has five grandchildren: Charlie, Felix, Fabian, Malin and Viola.
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus was born in Gothenburg on April 25, 1945. When he was six years old the family moved to the small town of Västervik, and this is where Björn grew up. In the mid-fifties Björn fell in love with rock’n’roll and skiffle. By the early sixties he was a member of a folk group called the West Bay Singers. In 1963 they entered a talent contest arranged by Swedish radio. This led to discovery by songwriter and publisher Stig Anderson and his partner, Bengt Bernhag. Stig and Bengt had recently started a record company called Polar Music. The band acquired a new name, the Hootenanny Singers, and quickly became one of Sweden’s most popular groups of the sixties. In 1966, Björn had a chance meeting with Benny Andersson, himself a member of Sweden’s number one pop group, The Hep Stars. They hit it off and wrote their first song together, “Isn’t It Easy To Say”. Björn recorded a couple of solo singles in the late sixties, at which point he also started concentrating more on his collaboration with Benny Andersson. In 1970 the pair started releasing records as a duo and also staged a cabaret show together with their fiancées, Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. On July 6, 1971, Björn and Agnetha got married. From 1972 and a decade onwards Björn was occupied by his work with ABBA. In 1983 Björn and Benny started writing the musical Chess with lyricist Tim Rice. A concept album was released in the autumn of 1984, and in May 1986 the musical opened in London’s West End. In 1988 Chess received its Broadway première. A reworked version of the musical opened in Stockholm, Sweden in 2002. By 1990, Björn and Benny had decided to write a new musical. This time they wanted to write exclusively in Swedish, and they chose the Emigrants novel series by author Vilhelm Moberg as basis for their work. The musical Kristina från Duvemåla (Kristina From Duvemåla) opened in October 1995. The show ran for three and a half years at various theatres in the Swedish cities of Malmö, Gothenburg and Stockholm. Björn and Benny’s most recent musical is Hjälp sökes (Help Wanted), a collaboration with playwright Kristina Lugn and Kristina director Lars Rudolfsson. Björn writes many of the lyrics for the Benny Andersson Orchestra, and has involved himself in the stagings of MAMMA MIA!, as well as the 2008 movie version. In 2016, MAMMA MIA! THE PARTY opened in Stockholm in January 2016, with Björn as one of the producers, followed by the film sequel to the original musical MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN in 2018 to worldwide acclaim.
Theatre credits include: Rag Doll, Renegades, Suspension (Bristol Old Vic), Too Much Too Young (Bristol Old Vic and London Bubble), Boys Mean Business, Dead Sheep, Little Baby Nothing (Bush Theatre, London), Shang-a-Lang (Bush Theatre and national tour), Through the Wire and A Letter to Lacey (NT Connections) and MAMMA MIA! The Musical (worldwide). Catherine also wrote the screenplay for MAMMA MIA! THE MOVIE, released in July 2008. Television credits include: Casualty, Byker Grove, Love Hurts, Gold, Linda Green, original screenplays for Rag Doll, Where’s Willy? (both HTV), Sin Bin (BBC), the series Love in the 21st Century (Channel 4) and Dappers (BBC3). Catherine worked as a Creative Consultant on ABBA the Museum in Stockholm. Catherine has won the Bristol Old Vic/HTV Playwriting Award, Thames Television’s Writer-in-Residence Award and Thames Television’s Best Play Award and was nominated in 2002 for a Tony® Award for Best Musical Book for MAMMA MIA! The Musical.
Judy Craymer graduated from the Guildhall School of Music in 1977 and has since worked extensively in the theatre, film, television and music industries. Judy originated the idea of MAMMA MIA! The Musical and, in 1996, formed Littlestar Services Limited with Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Richard East to produce the stage musical in London. Since then, she has produced 50 productions of MAMMA MIA! The Musical in 16 languages around the world. In 2002, Judy was presented with a Woman of the Year Award in recognition of her international success with MAMMA MIA! The Musical. In the Queen’s birthday honours list of 2007, she was honoured with an MBE for her contribution to the music industry. In 2008, Judy produced MAMMA MIA! THE MOVIE, starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan. That same year, she was honoured with the Women in Film ITV Achievement of the Year Award. MAMMA MIA! THE MOVIE also garnered Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations, and Judy was personally nominated by BAFTA for the Carl Foreman Award for Special Achievement. In 2010, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation presented Judy with its Humanitarian Award for her commitment to raising breast cancer awareness and research funding around the globe with MAMMA MIA! The Musical and through the sale of the specially created Rock Chick Supremo T-shirts. Ten years after MAMMA MIA! THE MOVIE grossed more than $600 million around the world, Judy has produced an all-new movie musical based on the songs of ABBA for Universal Pictures. MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN, written and directed by Ol Parker, and featuring Cher, Andy Garcia and Lily James alongside the returning cast of the original movie, was released in July 2018. Judy has a passion for all things equestrian and is an Ambassador to British Showjumping. Judy also produced VIVA FOREVER!, an original musical based on the songs of the Spice Girls. Judy was awarded a CBE on the Queen’s Birthday honours list in 2020 for her services to theatre and charity. From September 2021 to January 2023 Judy served as Chairman of the Board and Independent Non-Executive Director of Universal Music Group. In 2022 she was honoured with the Variety Club Silver Heart Award for Outstanding Global Achievement in Cinema, Theatre and Music.
Martin runs a successful music production company and recording studio with colleague Nick Gilpin, which undertakes television, film and audio projects. Currently working on the film Consider Yourself for Mob Films and PTL, a musical written by Sir Elton John. Training: Royal College of Music (Scholar). Theatre credits include: in London as Musical Director – Chicago (Cambridge Theatre), The Pirates of Penzance (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), The Boy Friend (Albery), Blondel (Aldwych) and Follies (Shaftesbury). International (Musical Supervisor) – Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Oliver!, MAMMA MIA! The Musical and Billy Elliot the Musical. Orchestrations include: Just So, Moby Dick, Which Witch, Tutankhamen, MAMMA MIA! The Musical, Jerry Springer the Opera, Billy Elliot the Musical, Bad Girls, Kombat Opera, Shoes and VIVA FOREVER!. Additional credits include production for Shirley Bassey, Charles Aznavour, Jennifer Rush, Michael Ball, Sir Elton John, Anastasia, Denise Van Outen, Jamelia, John Barrowman, Emeli Sandé, Lesley Garrett, Vanessa Mae, Will Young, Beverley Knight, Birdy and John Newman. Recordings cover more than 30 albums including: Les Misérables (original cast and symphonic), Miss Saigon, Oliver!, Hey, Mr Producer!, MAMMA MIA! The Musical, Jerry Springer the Opera, Billy Elliot the Musical, Bad Girls, John Barrowman – The Album and Shoes. Film and television credits include: Sam, written and directed by Nick Brooks, the Olivier Awards from 1993-2001 (Composer, Arranger, Musical Supervisor), the Royal Variety Performance 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008 (Composer, Arranger and Musical Supervisor), BAFTAs 1995-2003 (Composer, Arranger and Musical Supervisor), Sports Personality of the Year 2006-2014 (Composer, Arranger and Musical Supervisor), Kombat Opera (five mini operas for BBC TV – orchestrator) and Music Live (Composer, Arranger and Musical Supervisor). Conducting includes: London Philharmonic, Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, Metropole Orchestra, SWF German Radio Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra. Other credits includes: Music Supervisor for Cameron Mackintosh Ltd 1988-1999, Eurovision Song Contest 1998 (composed the opening and closing titles, and as Music Supervisor), Commonwealth Games Handover in Delhi 2010 (Composer, Orchestrator and Music Supervisor), London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Ceremonies (Music Supervisor to all four ceremonies and Composer to the Paralympic Opening). Awards and nominations: Grammy® and Tony Award® nomination 2002 for MAMMA MIA! The Musical, Tony® and Drama Desk Award winner 2009 for Billy Elliot the Musical.
Gary wrote and directed the new Australian musical Sideshow Alley, winning the National search for new work by Australian writers and composers, winning the inaugural Pratt Prize for Music Theatre. Gary and composer Paul Keelan also won the prestigious 2007 Helpmann Award for Best Original Score. He directed the new Australian version of MAMMA MIA! The Musical, nominated for four Helpmann Awards and ten Green Room Awards, the new musical Georgy Girl, the Kelly Story Musical Ned, and the Jubilee Anniversary production of The Mousetrap. Shows directed include Cry Me a River, City of Angels, 42nd Street, Fully Committed, Guys and Dolls, Menopause, Crusade, Tea with Oscar, The Pirates of Penzance, Oh! What a Lovely War, Songs from the Pavement, A Little Night Music, The Merry Widow, The Student Prince, Love Letters and Into the Woods. For The Production Company in Melbourne at the State Theatre he has directed Singin’ in the Rain, Carousel, Funny Girl, Call Me Madam, Mame, The Boy Friend and at The Playhouse, Hello, Dolly! starring Marina Prior. He also directed the 2013 Helpmann Awards at the Sydney Opera House and the 2019 Awards at Melbourne’s State Theatre. He was Associate and Resident Director for Miss Saigon and Les Misérables and for the original Australian production and the 2010 Anniversary production of MAMMA MIA! The Musical. Other shows include The Rocky Horror Show, Aspects of Love, Tales of Hoffmann and Scrooge starring Keith Michell. His original written work includes Tilly, Jekyll and The Man Inside. Current works with composer Paul Keelan include Ship of Fools, A Woman’s Eyes, Black Widow, the Helpmann-nominated Wombat Stew, and Tea with Oscar, nominated for the Green Room Award for Best Original Music and Lyrics, Artemisia, Bim Bom and their latest work, Monster, a Gothic comedy. Gary is the author and illustrator of the More Than Two Books. He is also Patron of the Arts for the School Broadcasting Network to support emerging creative talent. Theatre awards include the Arts Council Award for Direction, Helpmann Award and nominations, Green Room Award nominations, the MO Award, the Aussie Theatre Award for Best Direction of a Musical for Sideshow Alley and he won the 2018 Green Room Award for his Direction of Hello, Dolly! at the Playhouse Theatre. In 2022 Gary was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for service to the theatre.
Tom has had an extensive international career as a performer, choreographer and movement director. Tom began his performing career in the UK, with the musical Cats. He then performed with ballet and contemporary dance companies across Europe including: Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, Conny Janssen Danst, Dansity Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Lucerne Ballet (Switzerland), Ballet Braunschweig (State Theatre Braunschweig, Germany) and Kiel Ballet (Germany). During this time he worked with numerous choreographers including: Ed Wubbe, Richard Wherlock, Oscar Ariaz, Itzik Galili, Conny Janssen, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Georg Reischl, Cathy Marston, Antonio Gomes, Pierre Wyss, Mark McClain, Lucy Guerin and Ederson Xavier. Tom was a member of Lloyd Newson’s renowned DV8 Physical Theatre, performing in both the international tour of Living Costs and the multi award-winning film The Cost of Living. In Australia, Tom’s performing credits include: Kate Champion’s Force Majeure, Sue Healey Company and Opera Australia. As a movement director, Tom was the resident for Once (Australia) and the Associate Movement Director for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Productions with the Sydney Theatre Company include Wonnangatta and Rules for Living. Tom is an international associate choreographer for Billy Elliot the Musical (Broadway, U.K., Australia, Japan and Korea). He is also an international associate for Matilda the Musical, recently opening the second Korean production of the show in Seoul. Tom’s choreographic credits include: MAMMA MIA! The Musical (Australian Tour – Helpmann and Green Room Award nominations), Far Away (fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne), Skin Tight (fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne), Low Level Panic (The Old Fitz, Sydney), 42nd Street, When Midnight Strikes and Sweet Charity (Federation University). Tom is a winner of the Hanover International Choreographic Competition for the piece “Two to Never”, danced and co-choreographed with Henrik Kaalund. Last year, Tom choreographed the largest disco dance ever to smash the Guinness World Record at Camp Bestival in the UK, which also raised money for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust.
Born in New Zealand, Stephen moved to Australia to study at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, graduating with a Bachelor of Music, majoring in Piano and Composition. He worked as a repetiteur and keyboard player on the original Australian production of The Phantom of the Opera, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Sondheim’s Follies for the Melbourne Festival. He has been Assistant Music Director for Into the Woods, South Pacific, Cats, The Secret Garden, My Fair Lady, Sunset Boulevard, Sweeney Todd, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber with Sarah Brightman and Anthony Warlow and The Sound of Music. As Music Director Stephen’s credits include Grease, West Side Story, the 10th anniversary production of Les Misérables, the original Australian production of MAMMA MIA! The Musical, Kiss Me, Kate, Fiddler on the Roof with Topol, War Horse and Billy Elliot the Musical for which he won a Helpmann Award. Stephen wrote the arrangements and orchestrations for the world premieres of the Cat Stevens’ musical Moonshadow, for Georgy Girl and for the Air Supply musical All Out of Love. Stephen has been Music Supervisor for MAMMA MIA! The Musical (Australia), Billy Elliot the Musical (Australia, Korea and Japan), and Matilda the Musical (Australia and Korea) for which he won his second Helpmann Award. Most recently, he was the Associate Music Supervisor for SIX the Musical in Australia and Moulin Rouge! The Musical in Australia, Korea and Japan.
Under her maiden name of Collis, Linda established her own theatre company in South Australia, Nimbus Productions in 1973. After a long-acting career Linda turned to writing, direction and set design, directing over 20 productions and designing for productions including, Two Plus Company, Don’t Start Without Me, I Do! I Do!, Guys and Dolls, The Pajama Game, Cabaret, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Brigadoon, Godspell, Camelot, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Grease. Linda moved into administration and relocated to Sydney to work with Showbiz Bookings, before becoming a founding director of Louise Withers and Associates who have produced and managed many productions over the 20 years including MAMMA MIA! The Musical, We Will Rock You, Billy Elliot the Musical, Spamalot, Miss Saigon, The Mousetrap, Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced, Matilda the Musical, Fawlty Towers and SIX the Musical. Besides designing this production of MAMMA MIA! The Musical, Linda recently designed sets for Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap and Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced.
In a production career spanning over 35 years, Suzy Strout was Australian Design Associate and Supervisor for costumes, wigs, shoes and make-up for dozens of major musicals in Australia and overseas. She has designed costume for stage and dance productions in Adelaide and designed costumes for the successful 60th Anniversary production of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap (Australia, 2012), Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced (Australia, 2013) and the original 2017-2018 production of MAMMA MIA! The Musical. Suzy continues her involvement with theatre as a consultant whilst maintaining her full-time art practice.
Gavan graduated from Australia’s National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1994. His musical lighting designs include MAMMA MIA! The Musical, Heathers, Mack and Mabel, The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, Hot Shoe Shuffle, Little Shop of Horrors, Sweet Charity, Fiddler on the Roof, Jolson, Buddy, Oh! What a Night, Footloose, Hair, Xanadu, Chess and Saturday Night Fever both in Australia and on London’s West End. Gavan was the lighting designer for Moby Dick at the San Francisco Opera, Washington National Opera, LA Opera and Dallas Opera. He has designed the lighting for The Production Company’s Anything Goes, Sugar (Some Like It Hot), The Music Man, Hair, Mack and Mabel, The Pirates of Penzance, Thoroughly Modern Millie and their inaugural production of Mame. For the State Theatre Company of South Australia his designs include Three Sisters (co-set designer), King Lear and Hamlet. For Bell Shakespeare; The Winter’s Tale, Pericles and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Gavan has also designed lighting for productions at the Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, the Ensemble Theatre, and Opera Australia. Gavan was the Associate Lighting Designer for the Australian productions of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Book of Mormon, Aladdin, Cabaret, The Full Monty, Chicago, High School Musical, A Chorus Line, South Pacific, Wicked, Frozen, An American in Paris and The Lion King as well as the London production of A Chorus Line, the Japanese production of Beauty and the Beast, plus the Mexican production of Wicked.
Original sound designs include: Hairspray, Cinderella, Fangirls, 9 to 5 (co-design with Julian Spink), The Woman in Black, The Time Machine, Muriel’s Wedding, My Fair Lady, Drummer Queens, Shrek, Barnum, Doctor Zhivago, Grease, The King and I, Anything Goes, The Tap Pack, Bran Nue Dae, Dream Lover, MAMMA MIA! The Musical, Singin’ in the Rain, Fiddler on the Roof, Chess, Ladies in Black, Hot Shoe Shuffle, Atomic (Sydney and Off-Broadway), Annie, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Saturday Night Fever, Dusty – The Original Pop Diva, Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage and The Full Monty. Operas include: The Rabbits, Dead Man Walking, Orpheus in the Underworld, and Plácido Domingo and Katherine Jenkins in Concert. Australian sound associate credits include: Hamilton, Jagged Little Pill, Aladdin, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Frozen, The Lion King and We Will Rock You. As sound designer and mix engineer: Jekyll and Hyde (with Anthony Warlow), Hugh Jackman’s Broadway to Oz, The Boy From Oz, Anthony Warlow with Faith Prince, Placido Domingo, The Magic of the Music with Anthony Warlow and Lesley Garrett. Michael’s awards include the Helpmann Award for Best Sound Design for Muriel’s Wedding, The King and I, The Woman in Black and Dusty –The Original Pop Diva; Green Room Award for Best Sound Design for My Fair Lady and Dirty Dancing and Italy’s DAPA Award for Best Sound Design for Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Prior to a life in darkened theatres Michael toured the world with artists such as Phil Collins, Keith Richards and the X-Pensive Winos, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Mick Jagger and Paul McCartney.
Lynne has been working as a Casting Director in Theatre, Film and Television on a great range of national and international productions in Australia for 40 years. Theatre credits include – SIX the Musical, Come From Away, Muriel’s Wedding, Billy Elliot the Musical (10th anniversary), Jersey Boys, MAMMA MIA! The Musical, Peter Pan Goes Wrong, In the Heights, The Play that Goes Wrong, Fawlty Towers, Singin’ in the Rain, Hugh Jackman’s Broadway to Oz, Georgy Girl, Matilda the Musical (children’s casting), Strictly Ballroom, King Kong, Rolling Thunder Vietnam, The Addams Family, A Murder is Announced, The Mousetrap (60th Anniversary Tour), Legally Blonde, Moonshadow, How to Train Your Dragon, Rock of Ages, Love Never Dies, Hairspray, Jersey Boys, Billy Elliot the Musical, West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, We Will Rock You, MAMMA MIA! The Musical (original and 10th anniversary production), Miss Saigon, Spamalot, Dirty Dancing (original production), The Boy From Oz (arena production), The Rocky Horror Show, The Woman in Black, Shout!. Film credits include: The Wheel, Blood Vessel, A Heartbeat Away, Under the Radar, Blurred, Robinson Crusoe and Darkness Falls. Television credits include: Stories from Oz, Drop Dead Weird, Dance Academy, Answered by Fire, Monster House, Roar, Pacific Drive, Blonde and Noah’s Ark.
Dioni has been working as a Casting Associate, Company Manager and Children’s Manager on commercial musicals for the last 18 years. Casting credits include: Cinderella, The Phantom of the Opera, Matilda the Musical, Here Lies Love, Strictly Ballroom, Legally Blonde, Love Never Dies, King Kong, The Addams Family, How to Train Your Dragon, MAMMA MIA! The Musical, Mary Poppins, West Side Story, Jersey Boys, Hairspray and Dusty – The Original Pop Diva. Company Management credits include: Cinderella, West Side Story, School of Rock, Barry Humphries: The Man Behind The Mask, American Idiot Live, Legally Blonde and Dusty – The Original Pop Diva. Children’s Management credits include: Billy Elliot the Musical and Matilda the Musical.Production Associate credits include SIX the Musical.
Philippa is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and has worked in various management positions for the following productions and companies: Fox Studios Australia, Marian Street Theatre, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, Oliver! in Sydney, Melbourne and Singapore for International Management Group (IMG) and the Disney Theatrical Productions of The Lion King in Sydney, Melbourne and Shanghai. Since joining Louise Withers and Associates (LWAA) in 2007 productions have included: Billy Elliot the Musical in Australia (2007-2009 tour), 10th anniversary Australian tour of MAMMA MIA! The Musical, Billy Elliot the Musical in Seoul Korea, the 60th anniversary Australasian tour of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, Australian tour of Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced, the Australian tour of the world premiere production of Fawlty Towers, the Australasian tour of Matilda the Musical, the 2017-2018 Australian tour of MAMMA MIA! The Musical. Philippa was the Executive Producer on the 2019-2020 Australian tour of Billy Elliot the Musical and most recently the Executive Producer for SIX the Musical. Philippa is currently the General Manager for Louise Withers and Associates and the Executive Producer for the 2023 production of MAMMA MIA! The Musical.
Cass has a professional theatre career spanning many decades. His period in the UK included seven years at the Royal National Theatre, many West End productions and freelance projects in Russia, Japan, Europe and the USA. In 1994 Cass joined the Sydney office of Cameron Mackintosh and was responsible for the Australian productions of Miss Saigon and Rent in addition to the Australasian, Asian and South African tours of The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables. Since 1999 Cass has been responsible for the original Australian productions of MAMMA MIA! The Musical, We Will Rock You, Miss Saigon (2008 tour), Billy Elliot the Musical and Moonshadow. International work has included supervising productions throughout Asia, South Africa and South America, along with the Korean language productions of Phantom, MAMMA MIA! The Musical, Miss Saigon, Billy Elliot the Musical, Ghost and Matilda the Musical. Recent projects undertaken include the Australian tours of War Horse, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap and A Murder is Announced, Dirty Dancing, Matilda the Musical, Fawlty Towers and SIX the Musical. Cass is proud to be part of the current tour of MAMMA MIA! The Musical.
Ed originally trained as an actor at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). He has performed with most of Australia’s leading theatre companies, including Sydney Theatre Co, Melbourne Theatre Co, Queensland Theatre Co, Griffin Theatre Co, Belvoir and Bell Shakespeare, as well as appearing in both leading and supporting roles in film and television. Ed began his directing career with independent productions of The Zoo Story, Sweet Phoebe and Sexual Perversity in Chicago. His Australian premiere production of Lawrence and Holloman received a Best Independent Theatre mention in Sydney’s Sun Herald, and his production of The Book of Everything received a Canberra Critics Circle award. Other directing credits include, The Pass for the Seymour Centre, Are You Listening Now? for the Old 505, The Comedy of Errors for WAAPA, two original music theatre productions for Grayboy Entertainment (which he also co-wrote), The Memory of Water, Twelfth Night, Arms and the Man and Rope for Canberra Repertory Society, and Summer and Smoke, A View From the Bridge and All My Sons for NIDA. Ed was Assistant Director on the world premiere production of Fawlty Towers Live, written by John Cleese, and Assistant Resident Director on the Australian revival of Billy Elliot the Musical. Most recently, he was Resident Director for the Sydney season of Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Ed also works as a private acting coach, and in 2021 became Head of Acting at the performing arts institution, ED5 International. He has also enjoyed working for several years as a freelance casting director, running casting sessions for several leading Sydney-based casting directors.
Dion has been involved in stage and screen since the age of four and began working professionally in music theatre from the age of 11. As a young actor he appeared as Gavroche in the 10th anniversary edition of Les Misérables, Sammy in Jolson and Captain in Oliver!. Dion began his journey with this new production of MAMMA MIA! The Musical as the dance captain/swing for its first tour in 2018. Other recent credits include dance captain and staging assistant for the 10th anniversary production of Billy Elliot the Musical and as well as appearing in the role of Luis for the Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour’s production of West Side Story. Further theatre credits include Disney’s Aladdin understudying and performing the roles of Iago and Omar, the role of Rory West in the Melbourne and Brisbane seasons of Strictly Ballroom, Frankie Valli in the Australian and New Zealand production of Jersey Boys in 2012 and the role of Thalia in Xanadu at the Hayes Theatre. Dion has appeared in the Australian tour of Wicked, was an original cast member of the Australian production of Mary Poppins, appeared in the role of Mark in Altar Boys and has performed with The Tap Pack. Dion has featured in numerous television commercials and series including his role as Bud in the AFI Award-winning film Soft Fruit.
Hayden was most recently the Associate Musical Director for the Australian tour of Hamilton (MCG). Prior to this, he was the Associate Musical Director for the Sydney production of Pippin (GFO), which was the first Australian commercial musical to open after the pandemic. He was the Assistant Musical Director for the 10th-anniversary tour of Billy Elliot the Musical (LWAA) in 2019-2020, and the Australian tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (MCG) in 2017-2018. He worked alongside Dame Julie Andrews for the 60th-anniversary production of My Fair Lady (Opera Australia/GFO) during its Australian tour in 2016-2017. His other recent theatre credits include West Side Story for Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour (Opera Australia), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (GFO), The Book of Mormon (Important Musicals/GFO), Evita (Opera Australia/GFO) and Dream Lover (GFO). Hayden has worked in concert and cabaret with artists such as Simon Burke, Helen Dallimore and Lady Sings it Better, for which he has received multiple Green Room award nominations. He was also in the cast for Squabbalogic’s acclaimed production of Man of La Mancha starring Tony Sheldon in 2015. He has been Musical Director for several independent productions in Sydney, including Grey Gardens and Sondheim on Sondheim (Squabbalogic) and The Fantasticks (Hayes Theatre/Wooden Horse). He also spent many years playing for and touring with the Australian Girls Choir. Hayden is a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Michael Coppel has been one of the most prominent and active concert promoters in Australia and New Zealand for more than 35 years. Each year his companies have presented several hundred performances throughout both countries, in indoor and outdoor venues, headlining a variety of artists from all genres of contemporary music. Amongst the major concert events presented are Adele, U2, P!nk, Fleetwood Mac, Metallica, Beyonce, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish and Roger Waters. Michael is the Chairman of Live Nation Australasia, the largest Australian concert promoter. He was a Producer of the Australian touring productions of We Will Rock You, Miss Saigon, Spamalot, Waiting for Godot, The Graduate, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced and Fawlty Towers, and of the London West End and New York seasons of Ghost and the Broadway season of The Country Girl. Michael was a Producer of the Broadway production of Groundhog Day and is currently a producer on MAMMA MIA! The Musical. Michael has had a major involvement in the hugely successful Australian and New Zealand production of Matilda the Musical, and the recent Australian production of SIX the Musical.
Prior to establishing Louise Withers and Associates, Louise worked on many productions including Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon and Les Misérables and has held the positions of Director (Adelaide Festival Centre Trust Programming, Sponsorship and Marketing), General Manager (DCE Theatrical Division), and Director (Koan Advertising/Marketing Agency). Since the establishment of Louise Withers and Associates (LWAA) in 2002, Louise has been a Producer/Executive Producer on Australian productions including Matilda the Musical, MAMMA MIA! The Musical, Miss Saigon, Billy Elliot the Musical, We Will Rock You, Spamalot, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced and Fawlty Towers. Touring includes Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan. Louise was an Associate Producer of Ghost the Musical (West End and Broadway), and has provided Producing Consultancy services to Disney’s The Lion King (Singapore 2011), We Will Rock You (Japan), Ghost the Musial (Korea), Moulin Rouge! The Musical (Australia). and was Executive Producer for New Zealand’s Spark Arena for the International Touring production of Disney’s The Lion King in 2021. Louise is currently Executive Producer Billy Elliot the Musical (Japan/Korea) on behalf of Working Titles Films, and Matilda the Musical (Korea) on behalf of the Royal Shakespeare Company, in addition to being a Producer of the recent Australian touring production of SIX the Musical. Louise serves on the Executive Council of Live Performance Australia.
Linda has acted, directed, designed and produced over 60 shows and written eight revues. She owned two theatre companies in South Australia and was the Administrator of the New Cottage Theatre. Linda joined Showbiz Bookings in Sydney in 1994 as Corporate Development Manager for the original Australian production of Miss Saigon. Linda became the General Manager of Showbiz developing corporate marketing strategies for The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Crazy for You, Rent and The Boy From Oz. Since 2002 Linda has been a founding Director of Louise Withers and Associates and Co-Producer of Miss Saigon, MAMMA MIA! The Musical (10th Anniversary Tour), The Mousetrap, Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced, the 2017-2018 Australian production of MAMMA MIA! 2019-2020 production of Billy Elliot the Musical and the recent Australian Production of SIX the Musical. Linda was Associate Producer for Ghost the Musical for the West End and Broadway productions. Linda is a Director of Louise Withers Presents, and a Producer of the current Australian touring production of MAMMA MIA! The Musical.
© MAMMA MIA! AUSTRALIA 2022 MAMMA MIA! IS PROUDLY PRODUCED BY MICHAEL COPPEL, LOUISE WITHERS & LINDA BEWICK. All performance material supplied by Hal Leonard Australia. Licensed Exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia).
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