After beginning her career in Cleveland in Disney's jukebox musical "On the Record," Ashley Brown has triumphantly returned armed with an umbrella, British accent and the ability to fly. That's right, from now until August 9, Brown performs the practically perfect title role in Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Broadway musical adaptation of "Mary Poppins."
Brown has had quite a journey over the past few years, from headlining "Beauty and the Beast" on Broadway to originating the role of Mary on Broadway. One might even call it "Supercali..." if one knew how to spell it. And now she has continued her journey by going on tour as Mary Poppins. She stopped by BroadwayWorld to talk about the tour, rug burn on her forehead and getting stuck in midair.
Right now you are on the road with "Mary Poppins" after originating the role on Broadway. Before that you starred in both "Beauty and the Beast" and "Disney's On The Record." What is it about Disney that keeps you coming back for more?
I just went to the auditions like everyone else and kept getting cast! I can't believe how lucky I've been. It's such a family, one I've gotten to know very well. I booked my first show with them in 2004 after I graduated college and since then it's been such a ride. I know everybody and it's become a comfortable environment.
So what's your favorite Disney film?
As ironic as this is, I loved "Mary Poppins" when I was little. I also really loved "Beauty and the Beast." I had all the movies when I was little, just like everyone. It's so hard to choose since I watched every cartoon until I had it memorized.
Let's talk a little bit about the audition process for "Mary Poppins."
I auditioned nine times over a period of four months. I basically did everything but fly without wires (laughs).
Did the British accent come naturally?
After I got the role I did a lot of dialect sessions, but I gave it my best stab for the auditions. I'm sure Cameron Mackintosh was cringing but I went for it anyways. I walked into the room and hoped for the best.
Had you seen the show in London before you started auditioning?
I saw it after I was cast.
I had never been to London before and they thought it would be a good idea if I went. (laughs) It was so special. I went with Thomas Schumacher and Bob Crowley, who designed our set, and I met Gavin for the first time at the show. It was wonderful and I remember that, during the end of the show when they played "Anything Can Happen," I was getting tears because I couldn't believe it was my life now.
I only saw it once because I wanted to do my own thing and not get the other Mary too in my head.
Do you ever get star struck talking with people like Thomas Schumacher and Cameron Mackintosh?
At first I definitely was very intimidated, but now it has just become my everyday life. I've spent so much time with Richard Sherman, who wrote the music for the original film, that it's crazy. You spend so much time with these people that they just become people to you. We are all collaborating on the same piece of work and all just want it to be the best thing it can be.
What was it like to walk into the legendary New Amsterdam Theatre on Broadway, knowing you would be performing there every night for two years?
It was unreal.
The big picture of what was happening was so huge that I had to picture that I was in a random theatre in Florida and not on Broadway because if I thought about everything it would have been too much and I wouldn't have been able to handle it. (laughs)
After I settled in I was able to take more of it in, but when I just started I was just like "Oh my Gosh, don't freak out." I had to carry a show and do everything with so much responsibility.
When did you read P.L. Travers' books?
I started reading the books before I auditioned and while I was auditioning. They are so detailed and there are characters there that are in the Broadway version and not the movie. It was nice to have that much more detail into the character.
