Producers
Cameron Mackintosh and
Thomas Schumacher are pleased to announce that after a search spanning many months,
Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee will play the roles of
Mary Poppins and Bert on Broadway when the hit production of MARY POPPINS arrives at the New Amsterdam Theatre this fall.
MARY POPPINS, produced by Disney and Cameron Mackintosh, begins performances on Saturday, October 14, 2006 at the New Amsterdam Theatre (Broadway at West 42nd Street) in preparation for a Thursday, November 16 opening night. MARY POPPINS continues its record-breaking run at the Prince Edward Theatre in London's West End.
"After the phenomenal success of MARY POPPINS in London, we were excited to cast the roles of Mary and Bert for Broadway" Mackintosh and Schumacher said in a joint statement. "The moment Ashley Brown auditioned for us and members of our creative team, we knew we had found our Mary Poppins. Gavin Lee, who continues to amaze audiences at the Prince Edward Theatre in London, has embodied Bert with such irrepressible charm and warmth that we knew he must perform the role on Broadway. We are delighted that Ashley and Gavin will bring these two legendary characters to life at the New Amsterdam Theatre."
23 year-old Ashley Brown was first discovered by Disney Theatrical Productions in 2004, shortly after her graduation from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Just a few months out of college, she landed the leading role of Kristen in a workshop of the touring production of Disney's On the Record. She then was offered the role when the world premiere production launched later that year. Shortly after ending her run with On The Record, Brown was offered the chance to star in Beauty and the Beast and made her Broadway debut as Belle in September 2005.
Gavin Lee will be making his Broadway debut with MARY POPPINS after originating the role of Bert in the world premiere production in London's West End. Lee received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Bert and an Oliver Award nomination for Best Actor. His London theatre credits include Peggy Sue Got Married, Contact, Oklahoma!, Sondheim's Saturday Night, Crazy For You, and Me and My Girl. In addition, he has appeared in the recent film adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera and Beyond The Sea.
Ashley Brown said, "Playing Mary Poppins on Broadway is a dream come true. As a little girl in Florida, I always imagined creating a role in a Broadway show. Now to have Cameron and Tom entrust me with this role is such an honor. I can hardly wait to start."
Gavin Lee said, "I am thrilled to be making my Broadway debut in a role that has given me such pleasure every night in London. Playing Bert has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I know that American audiences will embrace this magical show just as British audiences have."
Based on P.L. Travers's cherished stories and the classic 1964 Walt Disney film, MARY POPPINS features the Academy Awardâ-winning music and lyrics of Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. The stage production has been created, in collaboration with Cameron Mackintosh, by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes, who has written the book, and the Olivier Award-winning team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, who have composed new songs and additional music and lyrics.
Three time Olivier Award-winning director Richard Eyre leads the award-winning creative team assembled for MARY POPPINS with co-direction and choreography by Olivierâ Award winner Matthew Bourne. MARY POPPINS features set and costume design by Tony Awardâ winner Bob Crowley, co-choreography by Olivierâ Award winner Stephen Mear, lighting design by Howard Harrison, sound design by Steve Kennedy, orchestrations by William David Brohn, and musical supervision by David Caddick.
