After the supercalifragilistic success of Mary Poppins on stage in London, it seemed only natural for the story of the practically perfect nanny to fly on to Broadway. On May 8, 2006, it was announced that Ashley Brown would play the title role and Gavin Lee would star as Bert. Lee had originated the role of Bert in London and at the time of the announcement had stated, “Playing Bert has been one of the greatest experiences of my life.” While Brown had yet to debut as Mary Poppins, she was certainly no stranger to Disney on Broadway, having played Belle in Beauty and the Beast before packing up for Cherry Tree Lane.
