Two-time Tony Award nominee Carolee Carmello will once again play the lead role of Donna Sheridan in the Broadway company of Mamma Mia!, beginning September 27. She will take over from current star Leah Hocking. Carmello played the role from November 2004 until September 2005, when she left to begin rehearsals for Lestat, for which she received a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
In addition, Broadway veteran Michael Mastro and national tour star Pearce Bunting will join the cast on October 25 as Harry Bright and Bill Austin, two of Donna’s ex-flames.
The principal cast of that date will also include Olga Merediz (Rosie), Judy McLane (Tanya), David McDonald (Sam), Carey Anderson (Sophie), and Andy Kelso (Sky).
As announced last week, Decca Broadway will release the Mamma Mia! 5th Anniversary Special Edition CD/DVD on Tuesday, October 17, in conjunction with the show’s fifth anniversary of opening on Broadway. The event will also be marked by a special performance of the show and celebration at the Cadillac Winter Garden Theatre the following evening, October 18, the show’s actual anniversary.
The special CD/DVD will include music from the best-selling original cast album — recorded in England — as well as three finale bonus audio tracks which are being released in the U.S. for the first time including “Mamma Mia,” “Dancing Queen,” and “Waterloo.” There will also be a deluxe booklet featuring cast photos, a behind-the scenes-documentary hosted by original Broadway cast members Joe Machota (Sky) and Tina Maddigan (Sophie), opening night footage, interviews with producer Judy Craymer, director Phyllida Lloyd, librettist Catherine Johnson and original ABBA band members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, plus ABBA concert clips and performance footage of different productions of the show from around the world.