BWW Interviews: Ashley Brown On The 'MARY POPPINS' Tour

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.

Mary is such an enigma of a character in the show, so have you created your own backstory for her?

Definitely.

The thing with Mary Poppins, and why she is so intriguing to everyone, is that no one can put their finger on her. Nobody knows what she is and who she is. The thing is that they admire her because she never apologizes for who she is and never wavers from that. That is what I admire about her and that is why people love her so much. You never know what she is going to do next, but you know it has a purpose and you'll know more after the fact.

But yes, I have my own secrets about how I portray her and why she does what she does. 

Furthermore, how has the character evolved for you since you started playing her on Broadway?

I definitely think that I'm more comfortable with her. I've been her for so long and am more at ease. I played her for two years, took three months off, and came back with a new cast giving me new things and new choices.

Why did you ultimately decide to do the tour?

I wasn't ready to leave the role yet. Roles like this are very few in people's lifetimes, and a long time ago actors always traveled with their shows. I really wanted to do that and bring Broadway to everyone else. The people who can't afford to spend a weekend in New York City. And the show is so important to me and it's such a great story. 

Talk a little bit about audience reaction to the show.

It's been unbelievable. You don't just see kids and moms. You see families. You see grandparents. You see people on dates. It's really nice to see such a mixed crowd, and they all seem to love it. There hasn't been one show where we haven't gotten a standing ovation.

Critics, who are normally very dismissing of Disney fare, really enjoyed "Mary Poppins" as well. You were nominated for a few awards and the show was nominated for a Tony for Best Musical. How has that ride been?

It was a crazy, crazy time. It was the first show I had ever opened on Broadway and it was so new to me. I wasn't expecting any acclaim at all, and then I got the Drama Desk nomination and that was exciting. Before I knew it I was performing on the Tonys live. I'll never forget that first year and we were all just along for the ride.

Let's talk a little about your partner-in-crime, Gavin Lee.

We've become such good friends, which is nice because we spend so much time together. We joke around and say, "What if we didn't get along and had to see each other so much?" (laughs) We really enjoy working together and have similar methods of working, and neither of us has been out of the show much. We share the love of what we do and the work ethic. Knowing he was going on tour was definitely an incentive for me to go because we have so much fun together.

Let's talk about funny mishaps you've had onstage.

I've fallen up the stairs and got rugburn on my forehead, how about that? (laughs) Sometimes my flight is messed up and I'm left hanging in the audience. Stuff happens, but considering how much we do the show not much has gone wrong.

That's what live theatre is about. People love when things go wrong though, and talk about it after. It was their show, not a show that went perfectly.

What changes have been made on the set and special effects for the tour?

I was so excited because they didn't just shrink down the set and remove some of the extras. I still fly. Gavin still does his proscenium walk. They didn't just downsize the set, they redesigned it to make it more interesting. The house spins and opens and is very storybook looking. I'm not saying this because I'm in the show, but you don't miss anything from New York. We do everything.

What's the bigger workout, the two-hours-and-forty-five minute show or running from the top of the theatre to the stage for curtain call?

It's a toss-up. Everyone always asks how I get down so fast. They must think some magical lift comes and picks me up and brings me to the stage. No. I run really fast. There is no magic whatsoever besides not being very ladylike.

Favorite song from the show?

When you do it a million trillion times, it changes. (laughs) When I'm really excited and feel 100%, I love "Practically Perfect" because it's a new song and when I'm pulling everything from my bag. I also love "Step in Time," the big tap number, but I love simple things like "Chim Chiminy" where it is just me and Bert on the roof enjoying the view.

How was it meeting Dick Van Dyke?

It was so great. We sang "Supercal..." at a function. When you hear him laugh, it's just like him laughing from the movie. He was so gracious and so nice. He still moves like he did in the movie.

I also sang "Feed the Birds" when Julie Andrews was in the audience and I have never been so nervous in my life. She was so gracious and said it was lovely. I could listen to her speak all day and it was a memory I'll never forget.

What are you looking forward to doing in Cleveland?

I'm looking forward to seeing how far I have to run in Cleveland (laughs). I'm excited to be back at the theatre where "On the Record" was and do the show for everyone.

What's your favorite musical of all time?

I'm an old school girl. I love "The Music Man" and "West Side Story." I wish I was in New York to see it.

How long as you staying with the show?

I finish in LA in February.

What is next after that?

I just recorded my first album, which will be out in September. It's jazz standards. For the first time I don't know what is next. I've been doing a lot of concerts and performed at the Lincoln Center in April and the Boston Pops last month. I like being Ashley. I might stay in LA for awhile, but I'll probably just get back in line and start auditioning again and hopefully book something else.

At a time like this, it's so great to escape reality for two-and-a-half hours. At the same time, it's a great musical where you see a family and can relate to it. You can walk away thinking everything is doable and everything will happen the way it is supposed to. You walk out thinking you can take on the world.

Purchase tickets for "Mary Poppins" online at www.playhousesquare.com.