Judy Craymer's life is a testament to her unwavering passion for the arts. Born in London in 1957, she began her journey in the world of entertainment at the Guildhall School of Music, graduating in 1977.
Craymer's early career was marked by her work as a stage manager for various theatre productions, including the Haymarket Theatre in Leicester, the Old Vic Theatre in London, and the original production of Cats for Cameron Mackintosh and the Really Useful Theatre Company. Her association with Tim Rice on the musical Chess in 1982 led to a meeting with Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, which would later prove to be a pivotal moment in her career.
In 1987, Craymer transitioned into film and television production, with credits including White Mischief, starring Sarah Miles, Joss Ackland, and Greta Scacchi, and Neville's Island, starring Martin Clunes and Timothy Spall.
However, it was her fascination with the music of ABBA that ultimately led her back to her roots in theatre. After years of persuasion, Craymer finally convinced Björn and Benny to allow her to create a musical featuring their iconic songs. The result was Mamma Mia!, which premiered at the Prince Edward Theatre in London's West End on April 6th, 1999.
Mamma Mia! went on to become a global phenomenon, seen by over 60 million people in more than 440 cities across 40 countries on six continents, and setting the record for the fastest premiere of any musical in history. The show's immense success naturally attracted the attention of Hollywood, and Mamma Mia! The Movie, starring Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, and Amanda Seyfried, opened in 2008, becoming the fifth highest-grossing film of the year.
In 2013, Mamma Mia! The Movie was announced as Amazon UK's best-selling DVD of all time. Ten years later, Craymer is producing an all-new original musical based on the songs of ABBA, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, which opened on July 20th, 2018. The film features the original cast, along with new additions, and is written and directed by Ol Parker, with Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus once again providing music and lyrics, as well as serving as executive producers.