Las Cruces Sun-News - No. 1 musical Mamma Mia! mdash; based on ABBA tunes mdash; comes to El Paso

"Mamma Mia!," featuring the music of ABBA, opens Tuesday at El Paso's Plaza Theatre, and the tour brings to the Southwest one of the most popular musicals of the past decade. While "Mamma Mia!

" relies on such familiar disco classics as "Dancing Queen" and "Take a Chance on Me," it's not simply a revue of ABBA tunes, but a story about a young woman, Sophie, about to be married, who learns she has three possible fathers. She invites each to her wedding in Greece, hoping to discover which is really her father. Lisa Mandel, who plays Tanya, one of Sophie's mother's best friends, said that, while the music is the star of the show, it's really about relationships.

"People enjoy seeing a version of their own life played out on stage," Mandel said Tuesday as she prepared for a sound check before an Albuquerque performance. "I think it's universal." Mandel said the show appeals to people of all ages, whether they were drawn to it by the ABBA songs or not.

"Some people think they're not ABBA fans, but then they hear a song that they remember and realize

they really are fans," she said. "What makes it happen every night is the audience and its participation." Mandel described looking out on the audience and seeing them on their feet, dancing and singing along with the music.

Other songs featured in the 2-hour, 40-minute show are "The Winner Takes it All," "SOS," "Knowing Me, Knowing You," "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do," "The Name of the Game," "Money, Money, Money," "Super Trouper," "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!

" and, of course, "Mamma Mia." Mandel, a native of Nevada who attended college in Arizona, said it's great to get a chance to get out and see the country, but she enjoys passing through the region where she grew up. "The Southwest is my home," she said.

"Mamma Mia!" is billed as the No. 1 musical in the world, since it has 11 productions running worldwide, including nine permanent productions and two tours.

It opened on Broadway in 2001. Performances in El Paso will be at 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Feb. 1; 8 p.m.

Feb. 2; 2 and 8 p.m.

Feb. 3 and 2 and 7 p.m.

Feb. 4. Tickets are $38 to $68 and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.

com, at all Ticketmaster locations, at The Plaza Theatre box office, or by calling (915) 544-8444. For information on the musical, visit www.mamma-mia.

com. Amanda L. Husson can be reached at Where: The Plaza Theatre, 125 Pioneer Plaza in El Paso When: 7:30 p.

m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; 8 p.m.

Friday; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 and 7 p.

m.