Australia FINALLY finds its Mary Poppins!

[beautywickedlover]

Disney Theatrical has finally found an actress to play "Mary Poppins" in the Australian production. The role will be played by Australian Verity Hunt-Ballard. The article said that the reason why it took so long to find the right person for the role was because she did not apply in the first round of auditions last October, in which more than 650 performers took part. She was playing Frankie Valli's lover in the hit musical "Jersey Boys" at Melbourne's Princess Theatre.

She said, 'I wanted to audition but I felt I couldn't because the show had just opened.'

She has performed in "The Rocky Horror Show" and smaller productions of "South Pacific" and "Oklahoma!", but this will be her biggest role by far. She also won the ATG Curtain Call Award for her role in the acclaimed Australian musical Metro Street.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2010/03/09/1267896791695.html

[winston89]

I find it hard to believe that out of 600 plus people that auditioned for the role, they had to wait till they found this particular actress to cast it. As if they couldn't find anyone within that group of people who was more then adequate.

[wildcat]

I think the problem might have been that they were concentrating on a particular type of performer, the spunky soprano ingenue, and the girls they were seeing were perhaps a little bland. There are maybe two "name" women of this type in Australia who tend to get all these sorts of roles and even after all those auditions it seemed as though one of them, Lisa McCune, was still going to end up as Mary.
Verity Hunt-Ballard is surprising casting in that she's very quirky and funny with a belt voice. I had no idea she had the range to sing MARY POPPINS but I'm very excited that she's been given this opportunity because I think she's going to be wonderful.

[Khashoggi]

Couldn't agree more, wildcat!
She's a wonderfully gifted and unique performer, with great stage energy and charm. It is always nice to see someone being given the chance to stand up and shine in a big role like this. I can't wait to see her in July!

[BadIdeaBear]

I think Verity will do superb in the Mary role, i found some articles about her audition in The Hague where they are finishing the rehearsals for the upcomming Dutch version.
As it shows they will use both sides of the stage and it looks a lot bigger.
I hope they will take this to the Australian production as well cause it looks really spectacular

[BadIdeaBear]

http://www.showbiz.com.au/marypoppins/cast.html

What a great cast, i didn't know about Debra Byrne as the bird woman!