Stage Door News
Stage Door News
(Toronto, ON) Producers Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh are pleased to announce that Megan Osterhaus will assume the title role in the North American Tour of MARY POPPINS tomorrow evening, Tuesday, December 6 in Toronto. Osterhaus comes direct from the Broadway production where she played “Winifred Banks” for nearly two years. The critically acclaimed musical is currently playing in Toronto at the Princess of Wales Theatre through Sunday January 8, 2012.
Osterhaus began her journey with MARY POPPINS as an understudy for “Mary Poppins” and “Winifred Banks” on Broadway prior to joining the original North American touring company in March 2009, where she played the role of “Winifred Banks.” She returned to the Broadway company in March 2010, reprising the role of “Winifred Banks.” Osterhaus made her Broadway debut as the understudy for Sophie in Mamma Mia! Her regional work includes Thoroughly Modern Millie (Millie Dillmount), Children of Eden (Yonah), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Narrator) and Gypsy (Louise).
The MARY POPPINS North American Tour currently stars Nicolas Dromard as “Bert”, Laird Mackintosh as “George Banks”, Rebecca Thornhill as “Winifred Banks”, Valerie Boyle as “Mrs. Brill”, Dennis Moench as “Robertson Ay”, Jayne Lewis as “Miss Andrew”, Janet MacEwen as “The Bird Woman”, and Ed Dixon as “Admiral Boom.” Performances in the role of “Jane Banks” are alternated between Camden Angelis and Annie Baltic. Performances in the role of “Michael Banks” are alternated between Reese Sebastian Diaz and Dakota Ruiz.
With four productions currently running on three continents, MARY POPPINS is one of the biggest stage musical successes to emerge from London or New York in recent years. Worldwide to date, the show has grossed over $644 million and welcomed 9.3 million guests. The musical is the winner of 44 major theatre awards around the globe, including Tony®, Olivier, Helpmann and Evening Standard awards.
The entire original creative team has reunited to bring this magical story of the world’s most famous nanny to audiences around North America. The MARY POPPINS North American Tour began performances on March 25, 2009 and has played to two million delighted theatergoers in 34 cities to date.
MARY POPPINS, a co-production of Disney and Cameron Mackintosh, opened on Broadway on November 16, 2006. Based on P.L. Travers' cherished stories and the classic 1964 Walt Disney film, MARY POPPINS the stage play features the Academy Award®-winning music and lyrics of Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. The stage production has been created, in collaboration with Cameron Mackintosh, by Academy Award®-winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes, who has written the book, and the Olivier Award-winning team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, who have composed new songs and additional music and lyrics.
Olivier Award-winning director Richard Eyre leads the award-winning creative team, with co-direction and choreography by Tony® and Olivier Award winner Matthew Bourne. MARY POPPINS features set and costume design by TonyÒ Award winner Bob Crowley, co-choreography by Olivier Award winner Stephen Mear, lighting design by Howard Harrison, orchestrations by William David Brohn, and music supervision by David Caddick. The tour’s creative team includes Tour Director Anthony Lyn, Associate Choreographer Geoffrey Garrett, and Music Director Daniel Bowling.
ABOUT MARY POPPINS WORLDWIDE
MARY POPPINS received its worldwide premiere at the Prince Edward Theatre in the West End in December 2004. Following its successful three-year London run, the production launched an acclaimed U.K. tour.
The Broadway production of MARY POPPINS officially opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre on November 16, 2006, recouping its initial Broadway investment within 52 weeks of its premiere. MARY POPPINS is the only show from the 2006-2007 theatrical season still in performance.
The MARY POPPINS North American tour has garnered continuous critical praise and achieved box office success since its launch in Chicago in March 2009.
MARY POPPINS can also be seen Sydney, Australia (at the Capitol Theatre). Productions of MARY POPPINS have also been mounted in Finland, Denmark and the Czech Republic.
In Toronto, MARY POPPINS plays Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 7:30PM and Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00PM. There will be a 2:00PM matinee on Thursday, December 22. There will not be 7:30pm performances on Saturday, December 24 and Saturday, December 31. There will not be performances on Sunday, December 25 and Sunday, January 1. Ticket prices start as low as $35. Ticket Packages are available at select performances, and include premium seating and a complimentary souvenir program. Tickets are available at the Princess of Wales Box Office, online at mirvish.com. To charge tickets, call Mirvish at 416-872-1212 or 1-800-461-3333. Orders for groups of fifteen (15) or more may be placed by calling 416-593-4142 or 1-800-724-6420
For more information, please visit MaryPoppins.com
2011-12-05
Toronto: “Mary Poppins” welcomes Megan Osterhaus as the new Mary Poppins