Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Harmondo21
Understudy Joined: 3/27/06
#0Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 4:07pm
Anyone here think Ashley Brown (current Broadway Belle in B&B and former star of Disney's "On the Record") will/should be Mary Poppins in the Broadway mounting of the show??
Girls got some awesome pipes!
If not her, who do you think will/should??
Ruthie Henshall? Laura Michelle Kelly who originated in London?
Updated On: 3/29/06 at 04:07 PM
#1re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 4:08pmNope.
#2re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 4:16pm
Nah, I want Ruthie Henshall!
But she won't because of her kids and all.
To Kill A Mockingbird
#3re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 4:54pmThe director said that he wants to keep as much of the original London cast as possible, so I'm assuming that Laura Michelle Kelly will be reprising the role.
#4re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 6:29pm
I lvoe Ashley Brown, but I don't think she should be Mary.
If not Laura Michelle Kelly, I'd love to see either Susan Egan or Victoria Clark in the role.
The choice may have been mistaken, The choosing was not... "Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
#5re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 6:36pmVictoria Clark? Really? I love her so much, but really?
#6re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 6:40pmDefinitely don't see Victoria Clark in the role. Love her, too...but I'd rather her not. Leave it to Laura Michelle Kelly.
broadwaybaby77
Leading Actor Joined: 10/17/04
#7re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 6:42pm
Last I heard Laura Michelle Kelly was having some disputes with the producers or something. I was under the assumption that she wasn't doing it.
I saw her in London, and she was phenominal. The role of Mary Poppins, at least in this production, is supposed to come off as very young...if it were a different production, I think Victoria Clark could do it, but she looks a bit old for the role.
#8re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 6:43pmDefinitely don't see Victoria Clark in the role. Love her, too...but I'd rather her not. Leave it to Laura Michelle Kelly.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#9re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 7:50pm
I think Ashley would be a GREAT choice.
bwayondabrain
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/05
#10re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 7:54pm
yeah, she probably would be good!
i also would like Laura to come and do it, but I also heard she probably won't do it
i'd love to see sutton foster do it, but that would never happen... :)
#11re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 8:03pmDISNEY does not want Laura Michelle Kelly to do the show on Broadway. Laura's contract guarantees her doing the role on Broadway- Disney is paying her a lot of money to buy out her contract. I saw her in London and thought she was excellent. Disney, however, wants a completely different portrayal for the American production- a much warmer and sunnier portrayal than the one in the London production.
#12re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 8:19pm
I personally think Susan would be wonderful if it was similiar to Julie Andrew's take on the role, but they're definitely looking for an ingenue and Ms. Egan's a little long in the tooth for that. That said, Vicki is WAY too long in the tooth. A friend of mine who is around Vicki's age (and looks much younger) was asked to come in for Mrs. Banks. Actually, I could see Vicki in THAT role.
I'm over "Ashley Brown does Disney". She needs to break away from that.
Updated On: 3/29/06 at 08:19 PM
Doogie
Broadway Star Joined: 8/4/03
#13re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 8:30pm
someone who can sing it, please.
Updated On: 4/4/06 at 08:30 PM
EganFan2
Broadway Star Joined: 9/8/04
#14re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 8:42pmOf course they're wanting a warmer Mary. They want to make it close to the movie to guarantee ticket sales. Anything "new" (like going back to the way Mary was in the books) would probably cause lack of interest.
millie_dillmount
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/04
#15re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 8:47pmWhether or not they cast Laura Michelle Kelly as Mary Poppins, I would like to see Erin Dilly or Susan Egan in the title role sometime.
#16re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 8:59pmErin Dilly could be good.
The choice may have been mistaken, The choosing was not... "Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
Doogie
Broadway Star Joined: 8/4/03
#17re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 9:25pmdoing this role, and all the press that is sure to come with it, with what will be a 6 month old child at home? She'd have to be brave.
GretchaSketh
Broadway Star Joined: 6/9/04
#18re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 9:49pm
She is brave and she's up for it! She could do it and I think she'd be brilliant!
As for Ashley, my opinion is a NOOOO!
#19re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 9:58pm
"Disney, however, wants a completely different portrayal for the American production- a much warmer and sunnier portrayal than the one in the London production."
Uh...isn't Mary a much darker character in the book? And plus, I wouldn't exactly call Julie Andrews' Mary warm and sunny...she was stern and smart and that's what was so great about her. If Disney wants Mary to be a pushover, it would ruin the dynamic of the story, IMO.
#20re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 10:07pmNo.
timote316
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/04
#21re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 10:22pmJennifer Laura Thompson or Erin Dilly
JKM2159
Understudy Joined: 11/24/03
CurtainPullDowner
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/4/04
#23re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 10:54pm
Does Mary have an age in the "books"?
Though Disney owns the Music Cameron owns the book and is the Lead Producer on this Project.
I'm thinkin' it will someone English or at least dual citizenship.
Disney needs to give Ashley her own re-cording.
I don't see her as Mary.
#24re: Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins
Posted: 3/29/06 at 10:59pmI thought I read that Kelly had a fallout with Mackintosh or something like that, but just a rumor; I don't really know what happened.
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