MARY POPPINS' Laura Michelle Kelly to Star in THE SECOND MRS. TANQUERAY at Rose Theatre, Beg. Sep 27

According to the Daily Mail, Olivier-winner Laura Michelle Kelly-the original Mary Poppins-will star as Paula in a revival of Arthur Wing Pinero's The Second Mrs. Tanqueray at the Rose Theatre in Surrey for a month-long engagement, beginning Sep. 27. Stephen Unwin will direct. James Wilby will star alongside Kelly.

"It's almost the reverse of My Fair Lady, in that when she enters the high life, she hasn't learned not to say outlandish things and she innocently insults people," Kelly told the Daily Mail.

Read the original report here.

The play, set in the 19th century, is about a woman (Paula) who spends years leading the life of a courtesan and then abruptly finds herself married to a rich man, moving about in high society.

During rehearsals for the upcoming production this summer, Kelly will continue to work with Sting on the musical The Last Ship and will appear as Anna in The King and I at the Muny in St. Louis.

Aside from playing Mary Poppins on Broadway, Kelly has also appeared in Broadway's Fiddler on the Roof, as well as the West End productions of Lord of the Rings, Beauty and the Beast, Whistle Down The Wind and Into the Woods. She participated in a concert production of Carousel at London Fringe, appeared in Les Mis at The Palace Theatre, Mamma Mia! at the Prince Edward Theatre, My Fair Lady at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and more. Her film credits include Sweeney Todd and the recent movie Goddess.

Photo Credit: Monica Simoes