Character Information
Admiral Boom:
A retired Royal Navy man and neighbor of the Banks family. A physically large man with a loud and booming voice, he speaks in Navy jargon and has a soft spot for his neighbour, Miss Lark.
Male, 50+.
Bank Chairman:
The head of the bank where Mr. Banks is employed, is an Edwardian stuffed- shirt.
Male, 50-60 yrs old
Range: He can speak/sing his lines if necessary. C3 - D4
Bert:
You need to be a strong dancer and we may consider some aspects of flying, or heights, so consider if you have any fears of height. The narrator of the story, is a good friend to Mary Poppins. An everyman, Bert has many occupations, including hurdy-gurdy player, sidewalk artist and chimney sweep. Bert watches over the children as well as the goings on in Cherry Tree Lane. He has charm, speaks with a Cockney accent and is a song-and-dance man.
Male, 25 - 40 yrs old
Range: B2 - F#4
What we are looking for: characterisation and a juxtaposition to Mary in speaking and posture. Bert is also a narrator throughout the musical who addresses the audience, so a strong actor-audience relationship will be required.
Bird Woman:
Covered in a patchwork of old shawls, and her pockets are stuffed with bags of crumbs for the birds. She tries to sell her crumbs to passersby, who ignore her as if she doesn't exist. Sings "Feed the Birds."
Female, 50+ yrs old
Range: Gb3 - C5. There can be a gruff, folksy quality to her voice that reflects the hardness of her life.
George Banks:
The father to Jane and Michael Banks, is a banker to the very fiber of his being. Demanding "precision and order" in his household, he is a pipe-and-slippers man who doesn't have much to do with his children and believes that he had the perfect upbringing by his nanny, the cruel Miss Andrew. His emotional armor, however, conceals a sensitive soul.
Male, 40 - 45 yrs old. Will appear older/taller than the children.
Range: A baritone, George may speak-sing as necessary. Bb2 - Eb4
What are we looking for: Someone who can be believable in a more mature role. Think about your posture and the tone of your voice. Think about how you would speak to the children (especially in the beginning) and research the characters arc.
Jane:
The high-spirited daughter of Mr. and Mr. Banks, is bright and precocious but can be willful and inclined to snobbishness. Physical appearance of age may matter for this audition as we do need to consider this contrast in how we portray the children.
Female, 11-15 yrs old
Range: A3 - F#5
What we are looking for: They are kids! Have fun, be playful!
John Northbrook:
An honest business man seeking a loan to build a factory for his community.
Male, 25 - 50 yrs old
Katie Nanna
Jane and Michael’s nanny at the beginning of the show. Overwhelmed and upset, she has absolutely had her fill of the Banks children.
Female, 25 - 40 yrs old.
Speaking Role
Policeman
A neighborhood fixture who is respected by and observant of households on his beat.
Male, 30+ yrs old
Mary Poppins
Singer and Dancer. We may fly you... whoop, so you wouldn't want to have a fear of heights. Jane and Michael Banks's new nanny. She is extraordinary and strange, neat and tidy, delightfully vain yet particular, and sometimes a little frightening but always exciting. She is practically perfect in every way and always means what she says. Actor should be able to move well.
Female, 20 - 35 yrs old.
Range: A mezzo soprano with strong top notes, She can have a more traditional soprano sound, but precision and diction is the key. Range: Gb3 - C6 .
What we are looking for: POSTURE, character, who is your Mary?
Michael
The cute and cheeky son of Mr. and Mrs. Banks. Excitable and naughty, he adores his father and tries to be like him. Both he and Jane misbehave in order to get the attention of their parents. Physical appearance of age may matter for this audition as we do need to consider this contrast in how we portray the children.
Male, 9-13 yrs old
Range: A3 - E5
What we are looking for: They are kids! Have fun, be playful!
Miss Andrew
George's overbearing and scary nanny. With her bottle of nasty-tasting brimstone and treacle to keep naughty children in line, she is a bully who only knows one way of doing things - her way.
Female, 40+ yrs old
Range: Gb3 - F5A soprano with an alto belt, there can be some heaviness to her voice along with range
Miss Lark
The haughty next-door neighbour of the Banks family who treats her dog, Willoughby, as if her were child.
Female, 25 - 40 yrs old
Miss Smythe
The Bank Chairman's humourless secretary.
Female, 40 - 50 yrs old
Mrs. Brill
The housekeeper and cook for the Banks family. Overworked and harassed, she's always complaining that the house is understaffed. Her intimidating exterior is a cover for the warmth underneath. Mrs. Brill doesn't have a high opinion of nannies in general and Mary Poppins in particular.
Female, 50+ yrs old
Range: F#3 - D#5
Mrs. Corry
Owns a magical gingerbread shop. She is a mysterious woman of great age who speaks with an accent that makes her seem exotic.
Female, 40+ yrs old
Neleus
The statue of a young boy posed with a dolphin in the park. Neleus was separated from his father, Poseidon, and misses him very much. A small and lonely being, he is very happy to befriend Jane and Michael. This role is a wonderful opportunity to feature one of the strong dancers in our ensemble.
Male, 16 - 20 yrs old
Park Keeper
Uniformed and officious, he makes sure no one breaks park regulations. His life is defined by rules, but he secretly hankers after his childhood.
Male, 40+ yrs old
Queen Victoria
A statue in the park.
Female, 40+ yrs old
Robertson Ay
The houseboy to the Banks family. Lazy, sleepy and grumbling, he never gets things right and believes himself to be useless. He doesn't do a lot of singing, but his "Spoonful" solo can be a fun surprise.
Gender: Male
Age: 20 to 20
Vocal range top: G#4
Vocal range bottom: F3
Von Hussler
A businessman seeking a loan from the bank for a shady business deal. He speaks with a German accent.
Male, 30+ yrs old
Winifred Banks
George's wife and Jane and Michael's mother. A former actress, she is a loving and distracted homemaker who is busy trying to live up to her husband's desire to only associate with "the best people" as well as be the model wife and mother. She suffers from the conflicting feelings that she's not up to the job of "being Mrs. Banks," yet, she is, and more. She has great warmth and simplicity to her tone. Would appear older/taller than the children.
Female, 30 - 45 yrs old
Range: A3 - D5
What we are looking for: More believable in a mature role. Think about posture. Think about what it means to be Mrs. Banks. Think about her failed acting career and what it means to a woman for a title to be “wife” (when she clearly wants more than that).
FEATURED ENSEMBLE (Male and Female, strong singers and/or dancers)
Annie
Fannie
Valentine
Teddy Bear
Mr. Punch
Doll
We are still finalising our plan for the size and focus of each ensemble, but ensemble roles will include:
CHIMNEY SWEEPS, NANNIES, BANK EMPLOYEES and CUSTOMERS, DANCING STATUES, KITE FLYERS, PARK STROLLERS, GINGERBREAD SHOP CUSTOMERS, TOYS and more!
Additional dance features, lines, and small solos will be cast from the ensemble