MARY POPPINS UK and Ireland Tour Announces Extension

Disney and Cameron Mackintosh are delighted to announce additional dates for the UK and Ireland tour of their multi award-winning musical MARY POPPINS, starring Zizi Strallen as 'Mary Poppins' and Matt Lee as 'Bert'. In addition to the previously announced dates, MARY POPPINS will also play the Alhambra Theatre Bradford from 2 November - 10 December 2016 and Wales Millennium Centre Cardiff from 14 December 2016 - 14 January 2017. Full tour schedule below.

MARY POPPINS opened at Leicester Curve earlier this month to sell out business and standing ovations. The show has just opened at the Bristol Hippodrome to rave reviews.

Zizi Strallen most recently starred as 'Lana' in Matthew Bourne's "The Car Man". Her previous West End credits include: "Cats"; the multi award-winning "Merrily We Roll Along"; "Rock of Ages"; "Dirty Dancing"; "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" and Matthew Bourne's "Cinderella" at Sadler's Wells. She has also appeared in "The Music Man" at Chichester Festival Theatre and as 'Penny Pingleton' in "Hairspray" at Leicester Curve.

Matt Lee, one of Australia's premier "song and dance men", played the role of 'Bert' in "Mary Poppins" in the hugely successful Australian production of the show, his portrayal winning him the prestigious Helpmann Award for Best Actor in a Musical. His other theatre credits in Australia include "Miss Saigon", "The Witches of Eastwick", "Rent", "Grease" and "The Boy from Oz". Matt was also a permanent member of the judging panel for Australia's "So You Think You Can Dance".

The magical story of the world's favourite Nanny arriving on Cherry Tree Lane has been triumphantly and spectacularly brought to the stage with dazzling choreography, incredible effects and unforgettable songs. The stage version of MARY POPPINS is brilliantly adapted from the wonderful stories by PL Travers and the beloved Walt Disney film.

The stage production of MARY POPPINS is co-created by Cameron Mackintosh and has a book by Oscar-winning screenwriter and "Downton Abbey" creator, Julian Fellowes. It has a timeless score by Richard M Sherman and Robert B Sherman including the songs Jolly Holiday, Step in Time, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and Feed the Birds with new songs and additional music and lyrics by the Olivier award-winning British team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. The producer for Disney Theatrical Productions is Thomas Schumacher.

The internationally renowned and multi award-winning creative team assembled for MARY POPPINS is led by stage and film director Richard Eyre. Co-direction and Choreography is by Matthew Bourne, with Co-choreography by Stephen Mear. Set and Costume Design is by Bob Crowley with Lighting Design by Natasha Katz, Sound Design by Paul Groothuis and Orchestrations by William David Brohn. The International Tour of MARY POPPINS is Directed by James Powell with Original Choreography adapted by Geoffrey Garratt. Musical Supervision is by Stephen Brooker.

The Olivier and Tony Award winning stage production of MARY POPPINS originally opened in the West End in 2004 and ran for three years and over 1,250 performances. The Broadway production opened in 2006 and ran for over six years. The show has subsequently enjoyed great success in Holland, Mexico and Vienna where it is in its second record breaking year. MARY POPPINS has toured Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. and the UK and has been seen by over 11 million people worldwide.

For further press information please contact

Simon Raw, simon@rawpr.co.uk, 07818 444115 or

Amy Barder, amy@rawpr.co.uk, 07956 337 231

MARY POPPINS - 2015/16 UK AND IRELAND TOUR - www.marypoppins.co.uk

THURSDAY 29 OCTOBER - SATURDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2015

BRISTOL HIPPODROME - www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome

ON SALE NOW

THURSDAY 3 DECEMBER 2015 - SATURDAY 9 JANUARY 2016

BORD GAIS ENERGY THEATRE, DUBLIN - www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

ON SALE NOW

WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY - SATURDAY 5 MARCH 2016

PALACE THEATRE, MANCHESTER - www.atgtickets.com/venues/palace-theatre-manchester

ON SALE NOW

WEDNESDAY 9 MARCH - SATURDAY 23 APRIL 2016

BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME - www.birminghamhippodrome.com

ON SALE NOW

WEDNESDAY 27 APRIL - SATURDAY 21 MAY 2016

FESTIVAL THEATRE, EDINBURGH - www.edtheatres.com

ON SALE NOW

WEDNESDAY 25 MAY - SUNDAY 19 JUNE 2016

MAYFLOWER THEATRE, SOUTHAMPTON - www.mayflower.org.uk

ON SALE NOW

WEDNESDAY 29 JUNE - SATURDAY 30 JULY 2016

THEATRE ROYAL, NORWICH - www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

WEDNESDAY 3 AUGUST - SATURDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 2016

THEATRE ROYAL, PLYMOUTH - www.theatreroyal.com

ON SALE NOW

THURSDAY 8 SEPTEMBER - SATURDAY 29 OCTOBER 2016

THEATRE ROYAL, NEWCASTLE - www.theatreroyal.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

WEDNESDAY 2 NOVEMBER - SATURDAY 10 DECEMBER 2016

ALHAMBRA THEATRE, BRADFORD - www.bradford-theatres.co.uk

ON SALE 3 NOVEMBER 2015

WEDNESDAY 14 DECEMBER 2016 - SATURDAY 14 JANUARY 2017

WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE, CARDIFF - www.wmc.org.uk

ON SALE 30 NOVEMBER 2015