Rachel Wallace, Nicolas Dromard to Lead Toronto's MARY POPPINS

Producers Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh today announced full casting for the Toronto engagement of MARY POPPINS. Toronto's most eagerly anticipated stage production will begin performances at The Princess of Wales Theatre on Thursday November 10, for a limited engagement of nine weeks, through Sunday January 8, 2012. The opening night is Saturday November 12, at 7:30pm.

With four productions currently running on three continents, MARY POPPINS is one of the biggest stage musical successes to emerge from London or New York in recent years. Worldwide to date, the six productions of the show have grossed over $605 million, welcomed 8.5 million guests and cumulatively run 12 years. The musical is the winner of 44 major theatre awards around the globe, including Tony®, Olivier, Evening Standard and Helpmann awards, Australia's highest performing arts honor.

The entire original creative team has reunited to bring this magical story of the world's most famous nanny to audiences around North America. The MARY POPPINS North American Tour began performances on March 25, 2009 and has played to two million delighted theatergoers in 30 cities to date.

The Toronto engagement will feature 12 Canadian performers including: Nicolas Dromard, Laird Mackintosh, Blythe Wilson, Janet MacEwen, Valerie Boyle, Mark Harapiak, Michelle E. White, Cory O'Brien, Camden Angelis, Eric Coles, Josh Assor and Sam Strasfeld.

Rachel Wallace, who previously understudied the title role in the touring production, will star as "Mary Poppins" while original Broadway company member Nicolas Dromard will assume the role of "Bert."

Wallace was recently seen on stage in Itamar Moses and Michael Friedman's Fortress of Solitude, Threepenny Opera, Beautiful Girls, SONDHEIM: A Birthday Celebration with Lonny Price and Paul Gemignani at Lincoln Center and A Christmas Carol.

Wallace will appear alongside original Broadway company member, Nicolas Dromard, who plays the affable chimney sweep, "Bert." Dromard was a member of the original Broadway company of MARY POPPINS and recently played the role of "Fiyero" in the San Francisco production of Wicked. Originally from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Dromard has also appeared in the Broadway productions of The Boy From Oz and Oklahoma! and originated roles in the Canadian productions of Mamma Mia! and Hairspray. Dromard also appeared in stage productions at Stratford Festival of Canada and the Arkansas Repertory Theatre.

Joining Wallace and Dromard will be Laird Mackintosh as "George Banks." Mr. Mackintosh has performed several leading roles in Canada including The Drowsy Chaperone, White Christmas, Arcadia and Phantom of the Opera. "Winifred Banks" will be played by Blythe Wilson who joins the production after appearing on stage in The Sound of Music, Mamma Mia!, Oklahoma, and Three Penny Opera.

Valerie Boyle will portray "Mrs. Brill." Ms. Boyle comes direct from the Broadway company of MARY POPPINS and has been seen in a wide variety of leading roles in Canada and Europe including Sophie Tucker, Shirley Valentine and Nunsense. Dennis Moench, who will play "Robertson Ay," was recently seen in the Broadway production of MARY POPPINS and has also appeared in the All Shook Up National Tour and Off-Broadway in Altar Boyz and Fame.

Q. Smith will play "Miss Andrew." Ms. Smith stage credits include Fame on 42nd Street, Smokey Joe's Café, Aida, Joseph…Dreamcoat and the Broadway production of Les Miserables. "The Bird Woman" will be played by Janet MacEwen, who has appeared in the Broadway and touring productions of Beauty and the Beast, as well as in productions of Anne of Green Gables, Cats, Les Miserables, Suds!, Pump Boys and Dinettes, Evita, Mamma Mia!, Jacques Brel. "Admiral Boom" will be portrayed by Mike O'Carroll, a stage veteran whose past credits include White Christmas, Fiddler on the Roof, Showboat, Will Rogers Follies, Henry IV, Inherit the Wind, and Ragtime.

Performances in the role of "Jane Banks" will be alternated between Camden Angelis and Annie Baltic. Ms. Angelis' previous theatre credits include Sound of Music and Tom Sawyer. Ms. Baltic was recently seen in the national tour of The Music Man and stage productions of Pucelandia, 1812: The Musical, A Little Princess and Alice in Wonderland. Performances in the role of "Michael Banks" will be alternated between Reese Sebastian Diaz and Dakota Ruiz. Mr. Diaz has previously appeared in the national tour of Disney's Beauty and the Beast as well as in regional productions of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Oliver! Mr. Ruiz's stage credits include the national tour of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, and regional productions of The Secret Garden, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Oliver! and The King & I.

Rounding out the cast are Josh Assor, Jacob ben Widmar, Elizabeth Broadhurst, Arielle Campbell, Debra Cardona, Hannah Chin, Eric Coles, Anthony Christian Daniel, Kiara Danielle, Elizabeth Earley, Tyler Foy, Molly Garner, Eric Giancola, Mark Harapiak, Eric Hatch, Benjamin Howes, Lisa Kassay, Matthew Warner Kiernan, Koh Mochizuki, Michael Dean Morgan, Chuck Rea, Sam Strasfeld, Nic Thompson, Madeline Trumble, Michelle E. White and Neka Zang.

MARY POPPINS, a co-production of Disney and Cameron Mackintosh, opened on Broadway on November 16, 2006. Based on P.L. Travers' cherished stories and the classic 1964 Walt Disney film, MARY POPPINS the stage play features 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, and the Olivier Award-winning team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, who have composed new songs and additional music and lyrics.

Olivier Award-winning director Richard Eyre leads the award-winning creative team, with co-direction and choreography by Tony® and Olivier Award winner Matthew Bourne. MARY POPPINS features set and costume design by TonyÒ Award winner Bob Crowley, co-choreography by Olivier Award winner Stephen Mear, lighting design by Howard Harrison, orchestrations by William David Brohn, and music supervision by David Caddick. The tour's creative team includes Tour Director Anthony Lyn, Associate Choreographer Geoffrey Garrett, and Music Director Daniel Bowling.

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