Mary Poppins cast changes confirmed!

Mary Poppins cast changes confirmed!

It is now confirmed that there will be major cast changes in Mary Poppins from Mon 31 Oct 2005.

Scarlett Strallen will play 'Mary Poppins'. Gavin Lee will continue to play 'Bert', a role he created when the show opened last year. Aden Gillett steps in to his first musical to play 'George Banks', joining Eliza Lumley as 'Winifred Banks'. Sarah Flind joins the company to play 'Mrs Brill', with Ray C Davis as 'Park Keeper' and Andrew Pepper as 'Robertson Ay'. Rosemary Ashe continues to play 'Miss Andrew' and Julia Sutton 'Bird Woman'. There are five sets of children playing 'Michael and Jane Banks'.

Based on the stories by P.L. Travers and the 1964 Walt Disney film, the show is produced by Thomas Schumacher for Disney Theatrical Productions, and Cameron Mackintosh. It is directed by Richard Eyre, co-direction and choreography by Matthew Bourne, with additional choreography by Stephen Mear. Bob Crowley will design the sets and costumes. Lighting design by Howard Harrison, sound by Andrew Bruce, and orchestrations by William David Brohn.

Mary Poppins, include many of the original songs from the film with music and lyrics by Richard M Sherman and Robert B Sherman. Including "Chim Chim Cher-ee", A Spoonful of Sugar", "Feed The Birds" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious".

The new stage production has been created, in collaboration with Cameron Mackintosh, Julian Fellowes who has written the book, and George Stiles and Anthony Drewe who have written the new songs and additional music and lyrics.

The musical, which opened at the Prince Edward Theatre on 15 Dec 2004, following previews from 6 Dec, is currently taking bookngs to 28 Oct 2006