Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee Exit Broadway's 'Mary Poppins' 10/5; National Tour Next

Gavin Lee, who originated the role of Bert in the hit Broadway and London productions of Mary Poppins, and Ashley Brown, who originated the title role on Broadway, both play their final performances today, Sunday October 5th. They will then ready to essay the leading roles on the show's National Tour.    

The Mary Poppins North American Tour begins performances in Chicago at The Cadillac Palace Theatre on March 11, 2009.  After Chicago, the tour is scheduled to play The State Theatre in Cleveland, The Fox Theatre in St. Louis, and The Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, with additional cities, venues and dates to be announced. 

Brown and Lee will be succeeded on Broadway by Scarlett Strallen and Adam Fiorentino, who both will be making their Broadway debuts when they begin performances on October 9th. Mary Poppins understudies will assume the leading roles on 107 and 10/8.

Strallen and Fiorentino join a cast that features Daniel Jenkins (Mr. Banks), Rebecca Luker (Mrs. Banks), Jane Carr (Mrs. Brill), Ann Arvia (Bird Woman), Mark Price (Robertson Ay), Ruth Gottschall (Miss Andrew) and Jeff Steitzer (Admiral Boom).

 For her portrayal of Mary Poppins, Ashley Brown received Drama League, Drama Desk and Outer Critic Circle nominations for Best Actress.  Brown was first discovered by Disney Theatrical Productions in 2004, shortly after her graduation from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Just a few months out of college, she landed the leading role of Kristen in a workshop of the touring production of Disney’s On the Record. She then was offered the role when the world premiere production launched later that year. Shortly after ending her run with On The Record, Brown was offered the chance to star in Beauty and the Beast and made her Broadway debut as Belle in September 2005. 
 
Gavin Lee made his Broadway debut with Mary Poppins after originating the role of Bert in the world premiere production in London’s West End. Lee received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Bert, both in NY and London, and was the recipient of the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor.  Lee also received Tonyâ, Outer Critic Circle and Olivier Award nominations for Best Actor. His London theatre credits include Peggy Sue Got Married, Contact, Oklahoma!, Sondheim’s Saturday Night, Crazy For You, and Me and My Girl. In addition, he has appeared in the recent film adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera and Beyond The Sea.
 
Mary Poppins, a co-production by Disney and Cameron Mackintosh, opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre on November 16, 2006, and quickly proved to be a hit with audience members and critics alike.
 
Based on P.L. Travers’s cherished stories and the classic 1964 Walt Disney film, Mary Poppins features the Academy Awardâ-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 assembled for Mary Poppins with co-direction and choreography by Tonyâ and Olivier Award winner Matthew Bourne. Mary Poppins features set and costume design by Tony Awardâ winner Bob Crowley, co-choreography by Olivier Award winner Stephen Mear, lighting design by Howard Harrison, sound design by Steve Canyon Kennedy, orchestrations by William David Brohn, music supervision by David Caddick, and music direction by Brad Haak.

Photo Credit Walter McBride/ Retna Ltd.