Scarlett Strallen to be the New Mary Poppins in West End Hit, Oct. 31 2005/10/25

Scarlett Strallen to be the New Mary Poppins in West End Hit, Oct. 31

Tuesday, October 25, 2005; Posted: 05:10 PM - by BWW News Desk

Olivier Award-winner Laura Michelle Kelly will pass her Mary Poppins umbrella on to Scarlett Strallen, who will take over in the role of the sugar-friendly nanny on October 31st.

In addition, the show will see a number of other cast changes that day; Aden Gillett will begin performances George Banks, Eliza Lumley will take over as Winifred Banks and Sarah Flind will step into the role of Mrs. Brill. Those roles were previously occupied by David Haig, Linzi Hately and Jenny Galloway, respectively.

Currently playing the Prince Edward Theatre, the smash musical is based on the Disney movie classic that starred Julie Andrews. It features a score by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman with additional songs by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. Based on the novel by P.L. Travers, Mary Poppins, which is produced by Cameron Mackintosh and Disney, features a book by Julian Fellowes, Stiles and Drewe in collaboration with Mackintosh. The musical, which is Broadway-bound, features direction by Richard Eyre with co-direction and choreography by Matthew Bourne (who won an Olivier Award) and designs by Bob Crowley.

Strallen has appeared on the West End in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Peggy Sue Got Married, The Witches of Eastwick, Mamma Mia! and Aspects of Love, as well as in H.M.S Pinafore and Twelfth Night at the Regents Park Open Air Theatre.

Mary Poppins also stars Gavin Lee as Bert, Rosemary Ashe as Miss Andrew and Julia Sutton as the Bird Woman; all three will stay with the show.