Is Mrs. Banks a Leading Role in Mary Poppins?

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 6:16pm

Is the role of Mrs. Banks, played on Broadway by Rebecca Luker, a leading role with regard to the Tonys?

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 6:18pm

seemed supporting from the first act and part of act two i was able to see. lol.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 6:18pm

most definitely not. probably...

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 6:21pm

Definately featured.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 6:22pm

Featured. But Luker handles it brilliantly and makes so much more of it. I hope she gets a nod.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 6:22pm

Featured. I'm thinking it will be a race between Luker and Mary Louise Wilson, both of whom (aside from being extremely talented) are due for Tony Awards.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 6:25pm

Supporting. Luker won't win but I think a nomination is plausible, though every catagory is going to be incredibly tight this year at the Tonys.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:14pm

Poppins is walking away with Musical Scenic Design.. hands down

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:17pm

don't be so sure. The season is early yet and MARY POPPINS isn't going to get LION KING like reviews.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:17pm

Okay, except this is about Rebecca Luker

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:24pm

It's only October and these people are talking about Tony Award nominations!

Heaven forfend!

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:27pm

Forfend, huh?

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:36pm

Mrs. Banks seems like a very big role, though, she's onstage a lot. It is possible to have two female leads in a musical, right? What or who ultimately will decide?

Has Disney taken a position? I didn't see anyone's name above the title.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:38pm

Disney wouldn't pit Luker opposite Ashley Brown - it doesn't make sense.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:42pm

The show isn't called "Mrs. Banks." The show is called "Mary Poppins." Mrs. Banks is a featured role, very clear if you actually see the show. She may be on stage a lot, but the show doesn't focus on her.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:46pm

I think of it more as honoring performers rather than "pitting" them against each other.

Then again, there was--dare I name it--Wicked...

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:50pm

Of course it's Featured. Kelli O'Hara was onstage more than Victoria Clark in PIAZZA and Vicki was Leading, and Kelli Featured. Due to the fact that no cast member in MARY POPPINS is billed above the title, they will all be considered Featured unless Disney petitions to have any of them considered Leading. They will do so for Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee. Rebecca Luker and Daniel Jenkins will be considered Featured.

Updated On: 10/26/06 at 07:50 PM

[jv92]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:54pm

It's featured.

Michael Bennet-
Remember the rather negative review Brantley gave to The Lion King? He praised its opening and its design, but panned the book and score. I think his review for London's Poppins was far more possitive than his for Lion King.
I think it will perhaps get better reviews than Lion King. Clive Barnes might love it since it harkens back to the very British novels. Again, he could surprise us and hate it.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:54pm

Actually, I thought Kelli had at least as leading a role as the role of Clara's onstage mother, portrayed by Vicki Clark.

Really, these decisions are not always so clear.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 8:02pm

Poppins is walking away with Musical Scenic Design.. hands down

Haven't people been raving about High Fidelity's set?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 8:11pm

Poppins is walking away with Musical Scenic Design.. hands down

Many people said the same thing about CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG (flying car, anyone?).

But in the end, the award went to the better piece of art, THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:13pm

Rebecca acts so sweet and motherly when her onstage kids are being little monsters...

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:17pm

i felt that the design for Poppins is not only massive and elaborate, but suptuous, and very creative, and VERY aristic.. many of the drops resemble etchings or illustrations from the Poppins novels... it is elabortae and SOO complex, yes.. but stylistically it is Spot on and from the 3/4 I saw, only had one moment that gave me pause in a not-positive way... every movement of the set had me enthralled.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:01pm

"Suptuous," "aristic," and "elabortae".

Hand it the Tony now!

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:03pm

Temper, temper.