Michael Dean Morgan News

For this classic musical, Barrington Stage went big - and it pays off in a rollicking, ribald KISS ME, KATE with top notch singing, dancing, and saging. Cole Porter's musical gets a great cast that does his music proud, while not mining the genius of Bella and Samuel Spewack's book for every possible laugh.

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Tristan Wilson, presents the company's 20th Anniversary Season opener - Kiss Me, Kate, which opened last night, June 16, and runs through July 12 on the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage (30 Union Street). Below, BroadwayWorld brings you a look back at the opening night celebrations!

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Tristan Wilson, presents the company's 20th Anniversary Season opener - Kiss Me, Kate, to be presented today, June 11 through July 12 on the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage (30 Union Street).

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Tristan Wilson, has announced casting for the company's 20th Anniversary Season opener - Kiss Me, Kate, to be presented June 11 through July 12 on the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage (30 Union Street).

Music, Lyrics, and Book duo Michael Roberts and Charlie Schulman reunite once again after their recent production of The Fartiste, which had a successful run Off-Broadway in 2011-12 and West End Concert following its 2006 FringeNYC Outstanding Musical Award. Their newest venture, The Goldstein Variations, after concert presentations at the JCC in Manhattan, American University, and Abingdon Theater, will be seen by supporters at The Playroom Theater in a limited, developmental presentation from May 12th through 15th, open to the general public. The Goldstein Variations will be directed by Daniel Kutner.

Robin Amos Kahn & Gary Richards' Scrambled Eggs, directed by Matthew Penn will get its NY Premiere at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre beginning April 23 and opening on April 27 through May 11. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased by visiting Telecharge.com. Scrambled Eggs is produced by John Howard Swain, Summer Crockett Moore, and Abigail Hastings.

The Jacksonville premiere of MARY POPPINS opens tonight, Tuesday, January 22 at 7:30PM at the Times-Union Center for a limited engagement of 8 performances through Sunday, January 27. 'We are delighted that sales have exceeded expectations, but there are still great seats available for this wonderful musical,' said Milt Russos, Executive Director of the Artist Series.

Producers Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh are pleased to announce full casting for the Jacksonville premiere engagement of MARY POPPINS. Jacksonville's most eagerly anticipated stage production will begin performances at the Times-Union Center's Moran Theater on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 for 8 performances only through Sunday, January 27. Opening night is also the 11th Annual Family Night on Broadway, with pre-show activities beginning in the lobby at 6:30PM for the 7:30PM show. Buy one Adult ticket for Family Night, get the Child's ticket free with passcode: CHILD. Restrictions apply; please inquire at (904) 442-BWAY (2929) or purchase online at www.artistseriesjax.org.

Producers Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh announce full casting for the Miami engagement of MARY POPPINS. Miami's most eagerly anticipated stage production will begin performances at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County on Tuesday, January 1st for a limited engagement of one week through Sunday, January 6th. Opening night is Tuesday, January 1st at 8 p.m. MARY POPPINS is part of the Broadway in Miami 2012-2013 subscription season presented by Bank of America.

My distant cousin Walter Elias 'Walt' Disney had a knack for turning everything into perfection, or at least practically perfect in every way. He took the mean, cranky nanny from P.L. Travers' book "Mary Poppins" and turned her into a saint. He excised two of the four Banks children, allowing the cutest ones to remain in the story. Travers' nanny couldn't dance on rooftops, didn't have adventures with Bert, didn't win at the horse races and couldn't sing. Travers was Australian; they take pride in being able to endure aggressive crocodiles, harsh deserts and appalling alloparenting. For those of us in the northern hemisphere who prefer our protagonists to be a bit on the spoonful of sugar side, Disney's Mary Poppins is just the ticket.

Producers Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh have announced full casting for Pittsburgh's return engagement of MARY POPPINS.

In this touring rendition of the P.L. Travers story (on which the 1964 Disney musical starring Julie Andrew and Dick Van Dyke was based), some of the telling in Julian Fellowes book is more "British" - darker -- than we might expect.

Watch the video below for the inside story of how Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman dreamed up the lyrics for 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' in Disney's classic film, Mary Poppins. For the theatre, George Stiles and Anthony Drewe expanded the song to make it 'a stage excursion for the whole cast.' Check out the interview, featuring lots of great footage from the touring production, below!

The award-winning musical "Mary Poppins", which opened Friday, August 10th at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles has once again been declared a spectacular hit with Los Angeles audiences. BWW TV's Los Angeles correspondent Michael Sterling and JLE Media Producer Jerry Evans spent the day and evening with the stars of the North American National touring company... Rachel Wallace (Mary Poppins) and Nicholas Dromard (Bert), an original Broadway company member. Check out the interview below!

Mary Poppins, which opened at the Ahmanson on August 10 and runs through September 2, proves to be the perfect film to turn into a show. Flashy, whimsical, and packed with songs like "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," "Feed the Birds, "A Spoonful of Sugar" and "Let's Go Fly A Kite" that had America humming in 1965, the film provided Julie Andrews with her movie debut and an Oscar to boot. In its present incarnation, it is a splashy riot of color, comedy and song that had the audience I saw it with fairly rapturous after every big number.

Center Theatre Group, Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh present the award-winning musical "Mary Poppins" at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. "Mary Poppins" opened on Friday, August 10. Check out photos from the opening night arrivals, curtain call and after-party below!

Center Theatre Group and producers Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh are pleased to announce full casting for the award-winning musical "Mary Poppins" at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. "Mary Poppins" begins performances August 9 and continues through September 2, 2012, as a bonus option to the 2011-2012 Ahmanson season. Press Opening Night is set for Friday, August 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious - coo, what a sight! 'Mary Poppins' flew into San Jose bringing magic and mayhem in the most delightful way. Hodges and Hodges were there for the magical high jinx and fun as well as the somewhat darker elements of 'Mary Poppins,' playing now through June 10th at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts.

The touring production of MARY POPPINS that's currently gracing the stage of the Peabody Opera House is "practically perfect", featuring eye-popping special effects, a glorious set, and terrific performances that manage to capture the spirit of the 1964 Disney film, as well as the P.L. Travers books that inspired it. While some of the more beloved elements from the movie are noticeably absent, they've been replaced with sequences that are every bit as magical and engaging. Though the staging is a bit cramped, this is a spectacular show that appeals to both children and adults. And, I should know because I brought along my six-year old son, and he loved it.

Who knew that Mary Poppins, that brightly colored stage spectacle of a musical comedy confection, would be the theatrical offering that most eloquently addresses the questionable shenanigans of unscrupulous bankers, financiers and other assorted nefarious London financial district/Wall Street types and which champions the importance of family and the common folk?