Banks children triple cast

[LooLu]

Posted: 10/17/06 at 11:38pm

I saw Mary Poppins over the weekend (It was wonderful, by the way!) and I noticed that the roles of Jane and Michael Banks are now triple cast. I know originally there were only two sets of children and now there are three. But the two new kids aren't listed anywhere other than the playbill.

Does anyone know why they decided to hire a new set of children so late? Three sets seems like a lot.

Just curious. I saw Henry Hodges and Katherine Doherty and they were outstanding!
Updated On: 10/17/06 at 11:38 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 10/17/06 at 11:43pm

I really hope Henry's acting has improved some. I know he's just a kid, but people are constantly going on about how talented he is, and for someone -- even a child -- with so much supposed talent and as much professional experience as he has, I'm not impressed. I can't for the life of me figure out why he's so sought-after.

Updated On: 10/17/06 at 11:43 PM

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/17/06 at 11:50pm

I thought I saw all of them listed on the website.

[Sondheim Geek]

Posted: 10/17/06 at 11:58pm

They probably realized they were breaking some union rule five minutes before they opened, and just hired more kids. It makes sense for kids to have that amount of backups.

[misto625]

Posted: 10/17/06 at 11:59pm

I think it is split something like 4, 4, understudy, or possibly even 6,2, understudy if they do things like Fiddler on the Roof revival. I saw Henry in Chitty and thought he did an adequate job. Katherine Doherty is outstanding though!

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 12:01am

This is old news that they Banks children are triple cast. This has always been this case (since they announced it for B'way)

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 12:02am

Henry Hodges is sought after because he is reliable and competent. He didn't miss a single performance in Chitty.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 12:04am

And that's totally valid, especially with a kid, but that doesn't explain why people insist that he's so wildly talented. I dunno, I missed the boat on that one. Oh well.

Updated On: 10/18/06 at 12:04 AM

[gavrochegirl]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 12:20am

Who were the new kids, anyhow?

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 12:25am

Speaking of Henry Hodges, why are the Banks children triple cast, Young Tarzan double cast, and yet they only had the one set in Chitty?

[gavrochegirl]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 12:28am

The Banks kids are really big roles to handle for a 11 or 12 year old child.

Young Tarzan is not a big role at all.

As for Chitty...I really haven't a clue.

[jess20882]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 1:44am

the new kids are kathryn faughnan and matthew gumley (who, like both alexander and henry) recently played the role of chip on broadway in beauty and the beast!

[misto625]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 2:14am

If you think about Chitty, they had a 10 kid ensemble, so yes only one "set," but 3 understudies for each role. Two is standard for shows like Beauty/Tarzan/Lion King/ etc. I think Les Mis has 2 for Gavorche and 3 for Young Cosette/Epinone. I don't find it excessive, just a great opportunity. The recent Gypsy revival had just the one "set" and then 1 or 2 understudy kids

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 2:31am

Broadway had three Cosettes/Eponines and two Gavroches. The girls only covered Gavroche if they were tall enough (there's a child labor law regarding climbing the barricade). The OBC had Brandy Brown triple cover all three kids' roles, and RD Robb was the Gavroche standby -- but after that it evened out so the kids generally went on an equal amount of times.

Not sure how the revival will do it, but they again have three girls and two boys.

[lite2shine]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 2:42am

At least on London MP web page, there are like five sets of Jane/Michael listed. So I'm not surprised to see three sets of Jane/Michael on Broadway.

[Claire2141]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 3:55am

It's normal to have that many isn't it? There's three Billy's for Billy Elliot and about 100 Michael and Janes.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 5:22pm

I can see three Billy Elliots. That's a much more difficult role than Michael or Jane Banks, or Jemima and Jeremy Potts.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 5:26pm

Does Mary Poppins have a children's ensemble, though? The covers for Jeremy and Jemima in Chitty were just pulled out of the ensemble, and it worked out that there were two covers for each kid at any given time (if not more... I don't really remember). If not, then "triple casting" just compensates for that.

[jess20882]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 5:27pm

does anybody know which set of kids is going on as jane and michael banks tonight (saturday oct 21, 8pm)?

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 5:32pm

These aren't understudies in Poppins though. They're rotating sets of kids who are all getting a chance to regularly go on.

I'm wondering if, as they get closer to opening, we'll only be seeing two regularly performing sets.

[broadway_show_fan]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 5:35pm

I am biased towards Henry because I think he's great... but as for his strong suits:

-He can sing pretty well
-He can move well
-He is old and mature for "boy actor" (he's 13 for christ sake!) but can look like an 8 year old little boy given his (lack of height)
-He has a pretty nice resume at this point, just looking at tours and Broadway alone, with the tour of Beauty and the Beast, the Broadway Beauty and the Beast production, and Chitty - especially Chitty since it was a fairly large role - on stage for something like 2 hours of a 2 hour 40 minute show and didn't alternate.
-He is very, very reliable; as someone said before, and has he proudly proclaims, he has never missed a performance.

I think it's such a shame that they have to triple-cast for his role. He is clearly able to handle 8 shows a week and I can't wait to see him in Poppins!

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 5:59pm

On Thurs night I saw Delaney and Matthew, both were very professional, but I felt the boy's singing was a bit poor. But still, very good acting.

[Iambold2]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 6:48pm

so, this is what I believe to be true... The producers of the show use their own judgement in New York City shows as to whether they will single cast , double cast , or triple cast a Childs role. In this case , I suppose they feel they need to triple cast. When other shows opened with children they have done what they felt best for their show, In caroline, or change, Harrison Chad had a demanding role and was single cast, I believe he never missed a show, when Mitchel Federan did Boy from oz, he did most shows , I believe his understudy went on one time every two weeks, Will Ulrich in Nine did 6 out of 8, the chips always alternate except for the original cast, same for Lion King and Les Miserables. The rules in the west end are quite different. They have very strick child labor laws, this is why it is always triple cast. Regarding Henry Hodges, I saw him in Chitty ,Chitty Bang, Bang,, he was respectable. He is 13 playing a 6 year old in Poppins. Maybe they are worried he will have a growth spurt or his voice will change.

[jess20882]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 12:29am

I just got home from seeing Mary Poppins tonight, and had the privilege of seeing Matthew and Delaney perform. They were FANTASTIC Matthew Gumley stole the scene at times...their singing was pure and beautiful, and they were a very believably brother and sister.

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 2:31am

Katherine Doherty's singing impressed me immensely.
Henry told me today that they were literally being told an hour before show who was going on for the last couple of shows. They just got a schedule a few days ago. I am impressed he has never missed a show!