Last night, "Mary Poppins" played its first performance at Playhouse Square's State Theatre and seemed to magically transfer audiences into the New Amsterdam Theatre on New York City's 42nd Street. It's not far-fetched to say that the touring production of "Poppins" is the closest thing Cleveland audiences will get to the real Great White Way for quite some time. The show's set has been newly redesigned by the legendary Bob Crowley and all of the major special effects of the Broadway version have been recreated for this production. In addition, several cast members who originated their roles on Broadway are on the tour as well, including Ashley Brown as Mary and Gavin Lee as Bert.
Another person from the original Broadway company is Cleveland native Dominic Roberts, who portrays Northbrook, several roles in the ensemble and is Lee's understudy. Roberts stopped by BroadwayWorld to discuss the very memorable way he was cast in the original Broadway production, working with theatrical legends and how it feels to be home.
Let's begin by talking about how you were originally cast in the Broadway production of "Mary Poppins."
I started auditioning for "Mary Poppins" at an open dance call in New York and was subsequently called back eight or nine times over seven months. My audition process was crazy. I went in for dance calls, singer calls and character calls. I kept getting called back and got all the way to the final casting day for the original Broadway company. I made it through all the cuts in front of the whole creative team and was not in the original Broadway cast when it was announced.
Then people dropped out or couldn't do it and I auditioned another four times and I did not get last until The Day Before rehearsals started in August. I had an audition on that Sunday afternoon and they were singing us and dancing twelve guys. They cut eight people and there were three of us left. They cut another guy and then there were two of us and we were around for another 45 minutes reading scenes, and at that time everyone was in the room. All the Disney Producers. Richard Sherman. Cameron Mackintosh. Julian Fellows. And I got cast in the room.
It was something I'll never ever forget and it's now a part of the story every time I tell it. Even Tom Schumacher loves telling the story. It's not often that they get to tell someone in the room that he got the job and starts tomorrow morning.
How was it meeting such theatrical legends?
I met most of them through the audition process. You see them around in auditions and they are always in and observing. But the creative process, for me, has more to do with the choreographer and director. They are legendary and just having Cameron Mackintosh in the room adds excitement to the whole process. On the tour Cameron was around and worked with the principles. They are very generous about that. He will take the time and work with us through the entire process.
Were you a big fan of the movie growing up?
I saw the movie when I was younger but I hadn't seen it in ten years when I started auditioning for the show.
I love Disney movies and went to Walt Disney World when I was a kid. I never thought I was going to be in this business, but now that I am when I look back, I can see how I lived for those movies and the animation and storytelling. I love the storytelling of it. Now with the Pixar movies, it's so incredible to see the subtlety the movies can get across and be for kids but still speak to adults.
I loved "Aladdin" growing up. We did it in show choir when I was in sixth grade. "The Lion King" was my time. I remember watching "Bambi" and "Snow White" when I was really young.
Have you seen any of the other Disney on Broadway shows?
I've seen "Lion King" and "Tarzan." It's amazing to see how the shows translate to stage. That's part of the magic of a Production Company like Disney. They have this iconic pieces of film that people love so much and they find artistic thinkers that can translate them to the stage while finding the essence of the story and discovering how it can best play eight times a week.
