Fans of glitter, platform shoes, and timeless pop anthems are in for a treat when MANIA: The ABBA Tribute Tour brings its high-energy, nostalgia-soaked production to The Monument on Thursday, February 26 at 7:00 p.m.
At the heart of the show is Michael John Wagner, who steps into the role of Björn Ulvaeus—one of ABBA’s principal songwriters and onstage leaders. Wagner describes the role as both a responsibility and an honor.
“At first, it felt like a lot of responsibility,” Wagner said. “Björn was such a huge part of writing those songs, so I felt obligated to really know them forward and backward. But then I realized—it’s a stage show. You have to have fun with it too. As a songwriter myself, he’s kind of the exemplar. He figured out a formula and applied it, and it’s an honor to step into those shoes for a little while.”
That balance of respect and fun defines MANIA, a two-hour recreation of ABBA’s most memorable concert era. Complete with flamboyant costumes, immersive lighting, and wall-to-wall hits, the show invites audiences to sing, dance, and fully embrace the spirit of the 1970s.
“If you’re an ABBA fan, you’re already going to love it,” Wagner said. “But we bring our own flair too. We encourage people to get up, dance with us, wear their sequins. One fan’s mom came to the show wearing a jumper from 1978 and said she hadn’t worn it since then. That’s the kind of experience it is.”
For Wagner, capturing Björn’s role as bandleader was key to his performance.
“He was leading the band—these were his songs,” he explained. “That was really important for me to showcase. I’m inspired by bandleaders like Prince and James Brown, and Björn had that same presence.”
Musically, Wagner admits his personal favorites lean toward ABBA’s emotional side. “I’m a sucker for the ballads,” he said, naming ‘Fernando’ and ‘The Winner Takes It All’ as current standouts. Still, he says nothing compares to the moment ‘Dancing Queen’ closes the night, when “everyone just loses their mind.”
While Dancing Queen is the obvious crowd-pleaser, Wagner notes that ‘Super Trouper’ consistently surprises him with how strongly it lands—adding a fun piece of trivia that the song is named after a massive, cannon-like spotlight used in concert productions.
After the show, Wagner often meets fans who tell him they felt transported back in time. “Especially with older generations,” he said. “They feel like they stepped back into another era. Hearing that lets us know we’re doing these songs justice.”
With MANIA recently completing its 10th U.S. tour—selling more than 50,000 tickets across 18 states—the production continues to attract both lifelong ABBA fans and younger audiences discovering the music for the first time. Wagner credits that staying power to the songs themselves and the shared experience of seeing them performed live.
When asked for the one word he hopes fans use to describe their night, Wagner paused before settling on: “Memorable.”
And for anyone heading to the Rapid City show, he has one final piece of advice: “Dress your best—and get ready to lose your minds.”
MANIA: The ABBA Tribute Tour begins at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 26 at The Monument in Rapid City.
