Mary Poppins gets a new Mr & Mr Banks

Karl Kenzler and Megan Osterhaus join the company of the Broadway production of Mary Poppins on 1 Mar 2010 as 'George Banks' and 'Winifred Banks,' respectively. They assume the roles from Jeff Binder and Rebecca Luker who played their final performance on 28 Feb 2010.

Karl Kenzler's recent Broadway credits include 'Twelve Angry Men,' 'The Caretaker' and 'inner at Eight.' Off-Broadway credits include 'The Tempest,' 'Hamlet,' 'Spinning Into Butter,' 'The Charity That Began at Home' and his one-man show, 'Fire In The Head.'

Megan Osterhaus rejoins the Broadway cast, having understudied the roles of 'Mary' and 'Winifred Banks' prior to joining the North American touring company. As a member of the Broadway ensemble cast, Osterhaus also performed the specialty roles of 'Katie Nanna' and 'Annie Corry'. She made her Broadway debut in the ensemble of 'Mamma Mia!' understudying the role of 'Sophie.'

Mary Poppins is based on the stories by P.L. Travers and the 1964 Walt Disney film.

The musical features many of the original songs from the film, with music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, who won two Oscar's for the film Mary Poppins. The new stage production features new songs and additional music and lyrics by Olivier Award-winners George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. The production has been created in collaboration with Cameron Mackintosh.

The cast now features Laura Michelle Kelly (Mary Poppins), Christian Borle (Bert), Karl Kenzler (Mr. Banks), Megan Osterhaus (Mrs. Banks), Ann Arvia (Bird Woman), Mark Price (Robertson Ay), Ruth Gottschall (Miss Andrew), Jeff Steitzer (Admiral Boom) and Jenny Galloway (Mrs. Brill), Juliette Allen Angelo. Juliette Allen Angelo, Kelsey Fowler and Cassady Leonard alternate in the role of 'Jane Banks.' Matthew Schechter, Jeremiah Kissane and Andrew Shipman alternate in the role of 'Michael Banks.'

The musical opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre on 16 Nov 2006 to mostly good reviews: "A roof-raising, toe-tapping, high-flying extravaganza" (New York Daily News); "Was fine as a Disney movie and is even better as this Broadway musical" (New York Post); "A real Broadway musical - the kind we haven't seen in a long time." (Journal News); "Most children .... will love the show." (newyorktheatreguide).

Director Richard Eyre leads the award-winning creative team assembled for Mary Poppins with co-direction and choreography by Olivier Award winner Matthew Bourne. Mary Poppins features a book by Oscar-winner Julian Fellowes, set and costume design is by Tony Award winner Bob Crowley, co-choreography by Olivier Award winner Stephen Mear, lighting design by Howard Harrison, sound design by Steve Canyon Kennedy, orchestrations by William David Brohn, and musical supervision by David Caddick.

Mary Poppins creator Pamela Lyndon (P.L.) Travers was born Helen Lyndon Goff in Australia on August 9, 1899. While touring as a theatre actress, Pamela began publishing poems, articles, and stories; which led to a career in journalism. It was in 1934, while living in England, that she wrote the first of six books featuring Mary Poppins. Pamela Travers passed away on April 23, 1996.