Born in Hamburg, Hauke Wendt has worked as a conductor for productions such as *Cats*, Disney’s *Aida*, *Disney in Concert*, and *Elisabeth*, where the live CD of the *Elisabeth* anniversary tour was also recorded under his direction. As musical director, the father of two sons has overseen shows such as Disney’s *Camp Rock*, *Hairspray Jr.*, *42nd Street*, *Chicago*, *Rumpelstilzchen*, *Paw Patrol – Das große Rennen*, and *King Kong*.

Having already toured through Europe as conductor with *ABBAMANIA THE SHOW* on previous tours, Hauke is delighted to now celebrate this outstanding production together with the audience in his role as Musical Director.

Eric Engler (born in 1996 in Flörsheim am Main) began piano lessons at the age of four and gained his first stage experience in school musicals. From 2016 to 2023, he studied school music at the Rostock University of Music and Theatre, first majoring in piano and later in jazz/pop vocals, as well as German studies at the University of Rostock. He is a founding member of the bands WhoToBe! and Dear Robin and, in addition to singing and playing keyboards, also performs on mandolin and banjo. In 2021, he appeared in the musical production *Disco Fieber* at the Volkstheater Rostock. In his musical work, he strives not to be limited by any one genre.

Andy Geyer is a multi-instrumentalist who began his career as a classical clarinetist before expanding stylistically from jazz to metal. After studying jazz saxophone, he became a reed player at the Stage Apollo Theater Stuttgart, where he switches between clarinet, flute, and saxophone. He has been heard in more than 20 musical productions, including *Tarzan*, *Dance of the Vampires*, *Mary Poppins*, and *Aladdin*.

Born in 1966 in Konstanz, bassist Jens Wrede studied in Bremen, Groningen, and Hamburg and has been a fixture of Hamburg’s music scene for more than 20 years. As a studio and live musician, he has worked with artists including AnNa R. (Gleis 8/Rosenstolz), Stefan Gwildis, Ina Müller, Heinz Rudolf Kunze, Max Mutzke, and Helene Fischer. He has also been involved in numerous musical and theatre productions, including *Cabaret*, *Mamma Mia!*, and *Jesus Christ Superstar*. Since 2014, he has also worked as a musical director at the Altonaer Theater, including for *Backbeat*. In addition to his stage work, he composes and produces film music for broadcasters such as Arte and ProSieben.

Julian Hubert studied at the Berlin University of Popular Arts and began his career in 2014/15 with *Mamma Mia!* at Theater des Westens. Further productions followed, allowing him to engage intensively with the music of ABBA. Since 2019, he has been a permanent part of Hamburg’s musical theatre scene and has appeared in productions including *Hamilton*, *MJ – The Michael Jackson Musical*, and *Dance of the Vampires*. He is also active as a guitarist in *Let the Sky Fall – The Bond Concert Show*.

Mareike Eidemüller began taking piano and percussion lessons at an early age and started her studies in Leipzig in 1995 before continuing at the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre. In 1999, she became Principal Percussionist at the Musical Theater Bremen and subsequently completed an internship with the Hamburg State Philharmonic Orchestra, including concert tours to venues such as the Royal Albert Hall. Since 2003, she has been Principal Percussionist in numerous Stage Entertainment productions, including *Mamma Mia!*, *The Lion King*, and *MJ – The Michael Jackson Musical*. Since spring 2024, she has also been touring with *ABBAMANIA THE SHOW* throughout Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.

Phillip Steven Albright has been Principal Drummer at the Stage Theater Neue Flora in Hamburg since 2008. There, he has performed in musicals such as Disney’s *Tarzan*, *Aladdin*, *Wicked*, and Cirque du Soleil’s *Paramour*. He has also appeared in other musical theatres across Germany in productions including *The Lion King*, *Rocky*, and many more. Alongside his theatre work, he tours regularly throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland with his bands *Der Wahnsinn* and *Das Pack*. Other engagements have already taken him as far as Wacken and China.

Before his training at the Hamburg School of Music and his participation in the Popkurs in 2006, he had already begun regular drum lessons at the age of six with renowned instructors such as Benny Greb, Jost Nickel, Danny Gottlieb, Curt Cress, Christoph Buhse, and many others.

Our saxophonist studied at the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart and worked for Stage Entertainment in productions such as *Hinterm Horizont*, *The Hunchback of Notre Dame*, and *Wicked*. Since 2011, he has been a permanent member of Udo Lindenberg’s Panikorchester and artistic director of the project *Hinterm Horizont macht Schule*. Since 2016, he has also performed in the band of the Swiss duo Yello, develops shows for international companies, and appears with his solo program *Wonderful World*.

Jochen Bens is a guitarist, music educator, and producer. Since 2003, he has been a permanent member of Stage Entertainment and has been involved in numerous musical productions such as *Mamma Mia!*, *Dance of the Vampires*, *TINA – The Tina Turner Musical*, *Rocky* (world premiere), and currently *Tarzan* (Theater Neue Flora, Hamburg).

Since 2013, he has served as a lecturer for guitar at the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media. As a live and studio musician, he has worked internationally for many years and is the winner of the German Blues Challenge 2011 as well as second prize winner of the International Blues Challenge 2013 in Memphis, USA. Jochen Bens studied jazz and classical guitar at universities in the Netherlands and has contributed to numerous CD, software, and music productions.

Uli Kringler has toured with numerous artists, including Ulla Meinecke, Pe Werner, and Julian Dawson. As a studio guitarist, he can be heard on more than 200 CDs, including recordings by Sarah Connor, Roger Cicero, and Modern Talking, as well as on soundtracks for films and television series such as *Tatort*, *Traumfischer*, and *Kebab Connection*. In his hometown of Hamburg, he has worked as a guitarist in musical productions, most recently in *Tina* and *Wicked*.