Ashley Brown News

The Banks children from Mary Poppins ?popped in? on Wednesday, March 11 to make an appearance at the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau?s Annual Meeting of Membership Luncheon at McCormick Place Convention Center. Backstage, Chicagoan Abigail Droeger (Jane Banks) and Christopher Flaim (Michael Banks) met Mayor Richard M. Daley. MARY POPPINS began previews March 11 and will open on March 25, 2009 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre for a limited engagement through July 12, 2009.

The North American National Tour of Mary Poppins commences in Chicago on March 11, 2009 with preview performances. The show opens on March 25, 2009 with the two original Broadway stars, Ashley Brown as 'Mary Poppins' and Gavin Lee as 'Bert.'

Broadway In Chicago and producers Cameron Mackintosh and Thomas Schumacher are delighted to announce that MARY POPPINS will be extending its stay at the Cadillac Palace Theatre through July 12, 2009. Tickets for newly announced performances from May 20 to July 12, 2009 will go on sale March 13, 2009 at 10 a.m. Individual tickets for performances are available for as low as $23. In addition, MARY POPPINS will have special Sunday evening performances at 6:30 p.m. throughout the Chicago engagement.

Broadway Artists Alliance, the dynamic not-for-profit educational organization that is quickly gaining a reputation for ensuring the future of great Broadway talent by bringing together Broadway artists and promising young performers, presented their annual Winter Musical Theatre Workshop February 14th through 16th. Michael Cerveris, currently starring in Hedda Gabler, surprised the students with a visit. Seth Rudetsky moderated the Q&A.

Center Theatre Group's 2009-2010 season at the Ahmanson Theatre is a yearlong celebration of big, lush Broadway hits, including four Tony Award-winning musicals, the 2008 winner of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for Best Play, and a rare, limited engagement of two stage virtuosos.

Broadway Artists Alliance, the dynamic not-for-profit educational organization that is quickly gaining a reputation for ensuring the future of great Broadway talent by bringing together Broadway artists and promising young performers, will present their annual Winter Musical Theatre Workshop February 14th through 16th. Their roster of Broadway special guest instructors is impressive and diverse, ranging from Constantine Maroulis to returning guest Lauren Kennedy.

Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch will lead the New York Philharmonic in New York Moments, a concert featuring iconic musical moments from Broadway and film, with stars from the stage and screen (in alphabetical order): Ashley Brown, who originated the title role in Mary Poppins on Broadway; Maria Friedman, who played Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd and Marian in The Woman in White in London; Joel Grey, whose numerous starring roles have included the famous M.C. in Cabaret, on Broadway and in the film; Jennifer Holliday, one of the original Dreamgirls; Liza Minnelli, last seen on Broadway in Liza's at The Palace; Kelli O'Hara and Paulo Szot, stars of the current Lincoln Center Theater production of South Pacific; and 15-year-old up-and-coming singer, Nikki Yanofsky. The concert will take place Monday, April 20, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. All except Mr. Hamlisch and Ms. O'Hara are making their New York Philharmonic debuts.

The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization is thrilled to announce that the first complete recording of Rodgers & Hammerstein's ALLEGRO will be released by Sony Masterworks Broadway on February 3, 2009. The CD is produced by David Lai, Bruce Pomahac and Ted Chapin.

Broadway In Chicago and producers Cameron Mackintosh and Thomas Schumacher are pleased to announce full casting for the eagerly anticipated North American National Tour of MARY POPPINS. Performances begin Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph St.) in preparation for a Wednesday, March 25 opening night. In addition to this Chicago engagement, productions of MARY POPPINS are currently running in NY and on tour in the UK. As previously announced, the show's two original Broadway stars, Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee, will be reprising their roles as Mary Poppins and Bert respectively on the tour.

Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch will lead the New York Philharmonic in New York Moments, a concert featuring iconic musical moments from Broadway and film, with stars from the stage and screen (in alphabetical order): Ashley Brown, who originated the title role in Mary Poppins on Broadway; Maria Friedman, who played Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd and Marian in The Woman in White in London; Joel Grey, whose numerous starring roles have included the famous M.C. in Cabaret, on Broadway and in the film; Jennifer Holliday, one of the original Dreamgirls; Liza Minnelli, last seen on Broadway in Liza's at The Palace; Kelli O'Hara and Paulo Szot, stars of the current Lincoln Center Theater production of South Pacific; and 15-year-old up-and-coming singer, Nikki Yanofsky. The concert will take place Monday, April 20, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. All except Mr. Hamlisch and Ms. O'Hara are making their New York Philharmonic debuts.

Beloved screen legend Dick Van Dyke discussed Walt Disney's MARY POPPINS with CNN in celebration of the classic film's 45th Anniversary Edition DVD release. He reveals the true reason for his casting and the staying power of the Disney classic. The Walt Disney Studios celebrates the 45th Anniversary of the 1964 classic film, Mary Poppins, with a 2-disc special edition DVD featuring brand new bonus materials from the hit stage production based on the popular film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke and on the P.L. Travers books.

Disney Theatrical Productions (DTP) today announced that The Walt Disney Studios will celebrate the 45th Anniversary of the 1964 classic film, MARY POPPINS, with a 2-disc special edition DVD featuring brand new bonus materials from the hit stage production based on the popular film starring Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke and on the P.L. Travers books. To be released on January 27, 2009, the DVD set will feature a new 45-minute documentary, 'Mary Poppins: From Page to Stage' that takes audiences behind the scenes for a close look at the creation of the stage musical produced by DTP and Cameron Mackintosh. Filmed in the UK, France and the United States, the documentary is a series of intimate conversations with many of the stage versions' creators including producers Cameron Macintosh and Thomas Schumacher, composers George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, Richard Sherman, who co-wrote music and lyrics for the original film and set and costume designer Bob Crowley. The documentary also features a roundtable discussion at the world-famous Sardi's restaurant in New York City between Schumacher and actors Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee, who originated the roles of Mary Poppins and Bert in the Broadway production. Another extra from the stage version is the musical number 'Step In Time' shot in its entirety onstage at the New Amsterdam Theatre, the show's Broadway home since 2006. The number showcases showstopping technical effects, as Bert and his chimneysweeps dance with Mary and the Banks children over the rooftops of London. The performance features Brown, Lee and the full Broadway company performing the never-before-filmed popular number from the show, also downloadable as an MP3 audio file.

Disney Theatrical Productions (DTP) today announced that The Walt Disney Studios will celebrate the 45th Anniversary of the 1964 classic film, MARY POPPINS, with a 2-disc special edition DVD featuring brand new bonus materials from the hit stage production based on the popular film starring Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke and on the P.L. Travers books. To be released on January 27, 2009, the DVD set will feature a new 45-minute documentary, 'Mary Poppins: From Page to Stage' that takes audiences behind the scenes for a close look at the creation of the stage musical produced by DTP and Cameron Mackintosh. Filmed in the UK, France and the United States, the documentary is a series of intimate conversations with many of the stage versions' creators including producers Cameron Macintosh and Thomas Schumacher, composers George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, Richard Sherman, who co-wrote music and lyrics for the original film and set and costume designer Bob Crowley. The documentary also features a roundtable discussion at the world-famous Sardi's restaurant in New York City between Schumacher and actors Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee, who originated the roles of Mary Poppins and Bert in the Broadway production. Another extra from the stage version is the musical number 'Step In Time' shot in its entirety onstage at the New Amsterdam Theatre, the show's Broadway home since 2006. The number showcases showstopping technical effects, as Bert and his chimneysweeps dance with Mary and the Banks children over the rooftops of London. The performance features Brown, Lee and the full Broadway company performing the never-before-filmed popular number from the show, also downloadable as an MP3 audio file.

Sing along to Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in the annual Walt Disney World Christmas Parade. MARY POPPINS National Tour stars Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee will perform the classic tongue-twister on Main Street, U.S.A. along with hundreds of dancers. The Parade will also feature performances by Miley Cyrus ('Hannah Montana'), the Jonas Brothers and Corbin Bleu ('High School Musical'). Gather the family, and tune in to ABC on Thursday, December 25 at 10am EST/9am CST (check local listings).

Sing along to Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in the annual Walt Disney World Christmas Parade. MARY POPPINS National Tour stars Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee will perform the classic tongue-twister on Main Street, U.S.A. along with hundreds of dancers. The Parade will also feature performances by Miley Cyrus ('Hannah Montana'), the Jonas Brothers and Corbin Bleu ('High School Musical'). Gather the family, and tune in to ABC on Thursday, December 25 at 10am EST/9am CST (check local listings).

Tales from the Laughing Place Magazine - a magazine that covers the creativity of The Walt Disney Company will offer exclusive photo coverage of the rehearsals for The Music of Disney Concert that was held in London on December 8 and recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 2 on December 26th.

The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization is thrilled to announce that the first complete recording of Rodgers & Hammerstein's ALLEGRO will be released by Sony Masterworks Broadway on February 3, 2009. The CD is produced by David Lai, Bruce Pomahac and Ted Chapin.

Sensational international artist JOSH GROBAN will serve as host for the concert BBC RADIO 2 CELEBRATES THE MUSIC OF DISNEY.

Scott Siegel turned off the microphones for the fifth time this week to celebrate the raw power of the human voice at the annual Broadway by the Year concert.

DISNEY THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS, producer of Broadway?s Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid and The Lion King, proudly celebrates the 2008 holiday season with four nationally televised performances from two of its three smash hit Broadway shows. Beginning this Saturday, November 22, viewers *nationwide can tune-in to see Mary Poppins and The Little Mermaid on the following holiday specials: