SHARON WATTIS joins the MARY POPPINS UK and Ireland tour * Fairy Powered Productions

SHARON WATTIS

JOINS THE CAST OF

FOR THE

2024/2025 UK AND IRELAND TOUR

Cameron Mackintosh and Disney Theatrical Group announce today that Sharon Wattis will join the 2024/2025 UK and Ireland tour of the multi award-winning musical MARY POPPINS, as Mrs Corry and Miss Smythe. Due to personal reasons Sonia Swaby will no longer be appearing in the production.

MARY POPPINS will open at Bristol Hippodrome from 4 November 2024, returning to where the magic originally began and marking the 20^th anniversary since the musical’s world premiere. www.marypoppins.co.uk

Sharon Wattis’ theatre credits include Mrs Brown/ Kimbay in the Original London cast of The Book of Mormon at the Prince of Wales Theatre, as well as the UK and European tour, Poopsie in The Pajama Game at the Shaftesbury Theatre, Heaven on Earth and Love Me Tender both on UK tours, and The Stepmother at Chichester Festival Theatre.

Sharon joins the previously announced Stefanie Jones as Mary Poppins and Jack Chambers as Bert, who played the roles in Australia to critical and audience acclaim, Michael D. Xavier (Olivier nominee for Into the Woods and Love Story, Sunset Boulevard on Broadway) as George Banks, Lucie-Mae Sumner (West End production of Mary Poppins and Barnum at Menier Chocolate Factory) as Winifred Banks, Rosemary Ashe (original casts of the West End productions of The Phantom of the Opera, Mary Poppins and Olivier nominee for The Witches of Eastwick) as Mrs Brill, Patti Boulaye (West End and recording star, Carmen Jones at the Old Vic) as Bird Woman, Wendy Ferguson (West End productions of Mary Poppins, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera 25^th Anniversary at the Royal Albert Hall) as Miss Andrew, Ruairidh McDonald (Matilda, West End) as Roberston Ay and David Burrows (West End productions of Half a Sixpence, My Fair Lady and Oliver!) as Admiral Boom and Bank Chairman.

Olivia Ainsworth, Olaya Martinez Cambon, Matilda O’Sullivan, Katie Ryden and Florence Amelia Swann will alternate the role of Jane Banks with Charlie Donald, Jude Martin-Thomas, Oscar McCulloch, Joshua Miles and William Stafford alternating the role of Michael Banks.

The company is completed by Jay Luca Allan, Marianne Bardgett, Rhys Batten, Lydia Boulton, Ben Culleton, Jasmine Davis, Matthew Dawkins, Lily De-La-Haye, Nathan Elwick, Darcy Finden, Lyndsey Gardiner, Ryan Gover, Emma Harrold, Billy Mahoney, Sarah-Marie Maxwell, Yujin Park, Roan Pronk, Henry Rhodes, Jacob Ritzema, Scarlet Roche, Callum Rose, Charlie Waddell, Rachael Ward, Jemima-Jane Willcox, James Wolstenholme and Ellie Young.

Since its premiere at the Bristol Hippodrome in 2004, the stage adaptation of Mary Poppins has gone on to record-breaking productions around the world, gaining over 50 major international awards, including two Olivier Awards and one Tony Award. Over 15 millionpeople have witnessed the magic worldwide with the production having been translated into 13 languages.

Mary Poppins flies back into Bristol Hippodrome on 4 November 2024 where it will run until 30 November 2024 ahead of playing Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin (11 December 2024 – 11 January 2025), Festival Theatre, Edinburgh (22 January 2025 – 15 February 2025), Theatre Royal Plymouth (26 February 2025 – 29 March 2025), Palace Theatre Manchester (9 April 2025 – 17 May 2025), Alhambra Theatre, Bradford (21 May – 29 June 2025), Birmingham Hippodrome (16 July – 23 August 2025), Mayflower Theatre, Southampton (27 August – 20 September 2025), Sunderland Empire (1 – 25 October 2025) and Milton Keynes Theatre (29 October – 22 November 2025). Additional venues still to be announced, alongside further casting.

Based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney film, the story of the World’s favourite nanny arriving on Cherry Tree Lane is more magical than ever before featuring dazzling choreography, incredible effects and unforgettable songs. The timeless score includes the classic Sherman Brothers songs; Jolly Holiday, Step in Time, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and Feed the Birds with new songs and additional music and lyrics by the Olivier award-winning British team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.

MARY POPPINS has original music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman with new songs and additional music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. The book is by Julian Fellowes and this production is co-created by Cameron Mackintosh. It has orchestrations by William David Brohn and dance and vocal arrangements by George Stiles. It has sound design by Paul Gatehouse, lighting design by Hugh Vanstone, projections by Luke Hall andillusions by Paul Kieve & Jim Steinmeyer. The set and costume designs are by Bob Crowley. Co-Choreography is by Stephen Mear. Co-direction and choreography is by Matthew Bourne and direction is by Richard Eyre. The UK & Ireland Tour is directed by James Powell with choreography recreated by Richard Jones and musical supervision by Stephen Brooker.