Brownwood’s Lyric Theatre will kick off its eight-show run of Mamma Mia at 7:30 pm. Friday, July 16.

The smash hit musical Mamma Mia, based on the songs of ABBA, is a Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus production that tells the hilarious story of a young woman’s search for her birth father. This sunny and funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the cast and Nancy Jo (Humfeld) and all she’s doing,” Lyric Theatre Executive Director Eric Evans said in a Friday morning interview on KOXE. “The crew that she’s assembled to put this show together, we certainly looking forward to it. You think you slip back into the 70s when you go to this show and then there’s a big party at the end. I think people are going to thoroughly enjoy the music, there’s great harmonies, lots of singing in this show, I think it’s going to be a real winner.”

The cast features 31 members, along with 10 people on the crew.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. tonight, 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 17, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, July 18, 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 23, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 25, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, July 25. The 2:30 p.m. Friday, July 23 show features social distance seating.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 students and can be purchased through the Lyric website, www.brownwoodlyrictheatre.com.

Upcoming events at the Lyric include Beauty and the Beast Junior July 30-Aug. 1; The Jungle Book Kids Aug. 6-8; You Can’t Take It With You Sept. 24-Oct. 3; a performance by The Sons of the Pioneers in late October; and Elf The Musical Dec. 3-12.