A troupe of touring musicians who have backed acts like Britney Spears and The Weeknd is bringing sequins, harmonies, and a full set of ABBA classics to downtown San Antonio. Mamma Mania, billed as the American Tribute to ABBA, is set to perform at the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre, delivering hits including “Dancing Queen” and “Mamma Mia” alongside dazzling costumes and captivating stage presence.
According to CultureMap San Antonio, the tribute act is known for flawless harmonies built to recreate the Swedish supergroup's biggest songs live. The performers aren't newcomers to major stages, either. Per Broadway World, Mamma Mania draws on New York-based musicians who have toured with the official North American production of “Mamma Mia!,” Marc Martel's Queen Extravaganza, INXS, Rob Thomas, Britney Spears, and The Weeknd.
A Landmark Stage With Its Own Dramatic History
The show lands inside one of downtown San Antonio's most storied buildings. The Charline McCombs Empire Theatre has 857 seats and sits at 226 N. St. Mary's Street, sharing a back wall with the larger Majestic Theatre, according to ATG Entertainment. Built between 1913 and 1914 on the former site of Rische's Opera House, the venue was designed in a European palazzo style by the St. Louis firm Mauran, Russell & Crowell and originally operated as a vaudeville house before converting to motion pictures, per the San Antonio Report.
The theater's history took a dark turn in 1921, when a nine-foot flood tore through the building and caused severe interior damage, according to previous Hoodline reporting on the venue. Damaged walls were reportedly covered with thick coats of white paint for decades following the deluge, as the theater slid into decline, eventually screening B-movies and adult films before closing its doors entirely in 1978.
From Shuttered Cinema To National Landmark
The building's fortunes turned around in the late 1990s. A $5.5 million restoration led by the Las Casas Foundation, now known as the Majestic Empire Foundation, brought the theater back to life, and it reopened in April 1998 under a new name honoring philanthropist Charline McCombs, whose $1 million gift helped fund the project, the San Antonio Report reports. The restoration effort was coordinated alongside similar work on the neighboring Majestic Theatre.
Less than a year after its grand reopening, the theater earned a permanent place in the historical record. The Majestic Empire Foundation notes that the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in March 1999. Today, ATG Entertainment operates the venue, having taken over original operator ACE Theatrical Group in 2015, according to DKC/O&M.
ABBA's Enduring Pull On Live Audiences
The band being celebrated on stage needs little introduction. ABBA was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010, per the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The group has sold an estimated 380 million records worldwide, and its 1976 hit “Dancing Queen” later earned induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015, according to Rhino.
That enduring popularity has been reflected in Texas tribute shows. Just last month, Hoodline reported on another ABBA tribute show atop a Houston rooftop.
As with any live performance, organizers note the event is subject to change due to weather or other concerns, and attendees should check with the venue or organization directly to confirm the show is taking place as scheduled.
