Louise Pitre, Judy Kaye, And Karen Mason In Times Square, Manhattan In 2001 Editorial Image

Singers and actresses Louise Pitre, Karen Mason, and Judy Kaye are the 3 leads in the original cast of the long-running play with the `Abba` soundtrack, `Mamma Mia!` Pitre is the first lady of musical theater in her native Canada. The occasion is what was then an annual event, the free outdoors concert in Times Square, Manhattan, previewing the up-coming Broadway season, with an emphasis on the musicals. The date was September 9, 2001, just 2 days before the attack on the Twin Trade Towers about 2 miles south. The city needed badly a lift from the upbeat long-running musical which opened the following month. Pitre played the role of `Donna,` Kaye, winner of 2 Tonys, played `Rosie,` and Mason played `Tonya.` After over 14 years and over 5, 700 performances, the show closed on September 12, 2015.