Original London 'MARY' Laura Michelle Kelly To Join Broadway's 'POPPINS' Cast
By: Eddie Varley Sep. 11, 2009
The UK's Daily Mail reports that London Mary Poppins star Laura Michelle Kelly will recreate her acclaimed performance for the Broadway production. Kelly won an Olivier Award for originating the title role of the Mary Poppins stage musical.
BAZ BAMIGBOYE reveals that the award-winning actress has been rehearsing with director Richard Eyre in New York. She will resume the famous nanny role on October 12 for a limited run. There has been no official announcement of her joining the production at this time.
The actress has also appeared on the West End in Beauty and the Beast, Whistle Down the Wind, Les Miserables, Mamma Mia! , The Lord of the Rings and My Fair Lady, as well as on Broadway in Fiddler on the Roof.
MARY POPPINS currently stars Scarlett Strallen in the title role and Adam Fiorentino as Bert the chimney sweep. The Broadway cast also featuresDaniel Jenkins as Mr. Banks; Rebecca Luker as Mrs. Banks; Ann Arvia as Bird Woman; Mark Price as Robertson Ay; Ruth Gottschall as Miss Andrew; and Jeff Steitzer as Admiral Boom. Juliette Allen Angelo, Alexandra Berro and CASSADY LEONARD alternate as Jane Banks; JEREMIAH KISSANE, Matthew Schechter and ANDREW SHIPMAN alternate as Michael Banks.
Consistently among the top-grossing shows on Broadway, MARY POPPINS has played over 1000 performances - a milestone reached by only a rare few number of shows in Broadway history. The production has been seen by more than 1.8 million theatergoers and grossed over $ 152 million to date.
A co-production by Disney and Cameron Mackintosh, this stage production is based on P.L. Travers' cherished stories and the classic 1964 Walt Disney film. The show includes the Academy Award®-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; Olivier Award-winning director Richard Eyre; and the Olivier Award-winning team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, who have composed new songs and additional music and lyrics.
MARY POPPINS ticket prices range from $31.50 - $121.50, and are available at www.DisneyOnBroadway.com, the New Amsterdam Theatre Box Office (214 West 42nd Street), Ticketmaster outlets, or by calling Ticketmaster's Disney on Broadway hotline at 866-870-2717 (running time is approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes).
The fall performance schedule (SEPTEMBER 7 - NOVEMBER 22) follows:
Monday early evening at 7pm, Tuesday DARK, Wednesday early evening at 7pm, Thursday at 8pm, Friday at 8pm, Saturday matinee at 2pm, Saturday at 8pm, Sunday matinee at 1pm,
Sunday early evening at 6:30pm.
[Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's holiday performance schedules to be announced.]
For more information visit www.DisneyonBroadway.com
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