Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins, the hit stage musical adaptation based on P.L. Travers' stories and the classic 1964 Walt Disney film, is now available for school-aged performers as part of the Broadway Junior collection.
Music Theatre International licenses the 70-minute adaptation of the Broadway and West End musical, which is tailored for middle school-aged performers. Each title in the Broadway Junior catalog—including Mary Poppins JR.—includes resources (director's guides, choreography DVDs, accompaniment tracks, study guides, and more) to successfully guide teachers and students through the production process.
Mary Poppins includes many of the original songs from the film with music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. The stage production was created, in collaboration with Cameron Mackintosh, by Oscar-winning Downtown Abbey screenwriter Julian Fellowes, who wrote the book, and the Olivier Award-winning British team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, who wrote new songs and additional music and lyrics for the show.
“I’m thrilled to have Mary Poppins JR. join the wonderful collection of Disney titles at MTI,” said Thomas Schumacher, President and Producer of Disney Theatrical Productions, in a statement. “It seems like yesterday we first introduced the stage version of P.L. Travers’ beloved characters to audiences around the world. This surprisingly contemporary story invites the next generation of theater-makers to perform the delightful Sherman brothers music and new songs by Stiles & Drewe to create their own versions of this cherished show.”
“The continued worldwide success of Mary Poppins on stage has brought Pamela Travers’ iconic nanny to huge new audiences across the globe,” Mackintosh added. “When Pamela entrusted me with her stories, she told me that she wrote them for all ages everywhere and thanks to Tom Schumacher, we have achieved her dream. Now I’m delighted that we have been able to distill the magic of this supercalifragilistic musical into a shortened version suitable for younger performers. The classic old songs and brilliant new ones that propel this timeless story ensure a magical experience for both performers and audiences alike. So step in time and fly your kites!”
The London world premiere of Mary Poppins opened at the Prince Edward Theatre December 15, 2004, where it ran through January 2008. A Broadway counterpart opened at the New Amsterdamn Theatre November 16, 2006, where it played 2,619 performances before closing in March 2013.
For licensing information, visit MTIShows.com.
