The countdown is on for the final staging of Mamma Mia!, which closes May 22, 2005. The Mirvish cashcow will have played 2004 performances by the time the production finally comes to a close.

David Mirvish says, “Mamma Mia! is a phenomenon. There has never been a show like it in the 98-year history of the Royal Alexandra Theatre and almost all the great shows of the 20^th century have played on its stage.”

The musical has taken in more than $200 million in ticket sales since making its North American premiere on May 23, 2000 and has performed before 2.8 million theatergoers. That figure translates to a venue occupancy of about 98%.

Prior to this announcement, the Mirvish entertainment empire announced it will unveil Lord of the Rings in February 2006, which is anticipated for a minimum run of eight months. With a cast of 50—most of which will made up of Canadian performers—the production is pegged at three hours long.

The Princes of Wales Theatre will host the $27 million musical based on the blockbuster movie. Originally slated to open in London, England this fall, the booking has been delayed due to venue problems on that side of the ocean.

Lord of the Rings will combine words, music, and physical theatre in its telling of the J.R.R. Tolkien’s mystical adventure.

The city of Toronto will also get in on the action by assisting in the $3 million dollar commitment to market the project.

The announcement may be just what local tourism officials have been waiting for since the SARS outbreak in 2003 and a bolstered Canadian dollar have diminished the number of visitors coming to Toronto.