Bob Crowley News

Legendary designers WILLIAM IVEY LONG and BOB CROWLEY are among the four recipients of the 2009 TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards. Five-time Tony Award winning costume designer William Ivey Long will receive the 2009 TDF/Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award for theatrical costume design, and, for his achievements as both a costume and scenic designer, Bob Crowley (also a five-time Tony Award winner) will receive the TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards' special Robert L. B. Tobin Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatrical Design at a ceremony on Friday, March 27, at the Hudson Theatre in New York City.

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.

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.

In conjunction with the second edition of his hit book How Does the Show Go On?, Broadway producer Thomas Schumacher gave the keynote address at the Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta. The national festival dedicated to groups working with elementary and middle school aged young people, ran from January 16 -18, 2009. Schumacher's presentation (on Sunday, January 18), much like his book, enlightened more than 1,500 theater lovers about what goes into putting on a Broadway show. Child actor Henry Hodges, who starred as ?Michael Banks' in the original Broadway cast of Disney & Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins joined Schumacher. Schumacher's much heralded book, How Does the Show Go On?, was originally released in 2007 and went on to sell over 50,000 copies. A second edition was released in late 2008 and has been updated to include Broadway's The Little Mermaid and the stage production of the mega-hit High School Musical. A library edition of How Does the Show Go On? is also available. The book, written with Jeff Kurtti, gives readers the opportunity to meet the cast of characters who work onstage and behind the scenes to deliver unforgettable performances, and explore the inner workings of the theater building itself.

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.

In conjunction with the second edition of his hit book How Does the Show Go On?, Broadway producer Thomas Schumacher will give the keynote address at the Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta. The national festival dedicated togroups working with elementary and middle school aged young people, runs January 16 -18, 2009.Schumacher's presentation (on Sunday, January 18) will, much like his book, enlightenmore than 1,500 theater lovers about what goes into putting on a Broadway show.

In conjunction with the second edition of his hit book How Does the Show Go On?, Broadway producer Thomas Schumacher will give the keynote address at the Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta. The national festival dedicated togroups working with elementary and middle school aged young people, runs January 16 -18, 2009.Schumacher's presentation (on Sunday, January 18) will, much like his book, enlightenmore than 1,500 theater lovers about what goes into putting on a Broadway show.

The Times of London has reported some new details regarding PHANTOM: LOVE NEVER DIES, Andrew Lloyd Webber's upcoming sequel to the mega hit musical The Phantom of the Opera. Most interesting so far is that Lloyd Webber hopes is to have a simultaneous premiere of the musical sequel on three continents, a first in the history of the theatre.

Disney Editions has released an updated edition of How Does the Show Go On?, Broadway producer Thomas Schumacher's introduction to the theater for young people.

The award-winning Broadway musical MARY POPPINS celebrates its two-year anniversary at the New Amsterdam Theatre (214 West 42nd Street) on Sunday, November 16. Produced by Cameron Mackintosh and Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions, the Broadway production has grossed over $100 million to date and will have played 837 performances by Sunday.

A new play by David Hare, GETHSEMANE, opens at the Cottesloe on 11 November, directed by Howard Davies. The cast includes Anthony Calf, Tamsin Greig, Jessica Raine, Daniel Ryan, Stanley Townsend and Nicola Walker

Broadway In Chicago and producers Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh announced today that tickets for the long-awaited production of MARY POPPINS will go on sale to the public Friday, November 14, 2008 with a special public pre-sale at 8 a.m. at the Cadillac Palace Theatre box office. Telephone ticketing lines, internet (ticketmaster.com), and other box office outlets will have tickets available to the public beginning at 10 a.m. The eagerly anticipated North American National Tour will begin performances at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre March 11, 2009. Original Broadway stars Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee, along with the entire original creative team, will reunite to bring this magical story of the world's most famous nanny to audiences around North America.

People opening up the playbills of the Broadway production of MARY POPPINS will find inside a flyer soliciting them for their possible participation in SUPERNANNY, a reality TV show starring Jo Frost that helps parents deal with their tough-to-handle children.

On October 9th, 2008 Olivier-nominee Scarlett Strallen and ADAM FIORENTINO (in their Broadway debuts as Mary Poppins and Bert, respectively), were welcomed to the company of the award-winning musical Mary Poppins at the New Amsterdam Theatre (214 West 42nd Street). After their debuts the two celebrated at Sardi's Restaurant in New York City.

Disney Theatrical Productions premiered the musical TARZAN® last night in Hamburg, Germany at the Theater Neue Flora. The performance was sold-out and was well received by the German press.

Disney Editions announced today that they will release an updated edition of How Does the Show Go On?, Broadway producer Thomas Schumacher's introduction to the theater for young people.

Producers Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh are pleased to welcome Olivier-nominee Scarlett Strallen and Adam Fiorentino (in their Broadway debuts as Mary Poppins and Bert, respectively), to the company of the award-winning musical MARY POPPINS, beginning tonignt Thursday, October 9 at the New Amsterdam Theatre (214 West 42nd Street).

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.

Individual tickets are now available to all Visa and Visa Signature cardholders through October 19 for MARY POPPINS in Chicago as part of a special pre-sale. Individual tickets which range in price from $23 - $90 will go on-sale to the general public on Friday, November 14 at 10 a.m. The North American Tour of MARY POPPINS will premiere at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph St.) starting March 11, 2009.