MARY POPPINS CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
Mary Poppins: (20s) is Jane and Michael Banks’s new nanny. She is extraordinary and strange, neat and tidy, delightfully vain yet very particular, and sometimes a little frightening, but always exciting. She is practically perfect in every way and always means what she says. A mezzo soprano with strong top notes, she should be able to move well. She can have a more traditional soprano sound, but precision and diction is key. Bert: (30s), 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 songand-dance-man. Baritone. Mr. George Banks: (early 40s), 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-andslippers 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. A baritone, George may speak-sing as necessary. Mrs. Winnifred Banks: (30s) is 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 a 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 a great warmth and simplicity to her tone. Mezzo Soprano. Jane Banks: (11), the high-spirited daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Banks, is bright and precocious but can be willful and inclined to snobbishness. Child soprano. Michael Banks: (9) is 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. Male child voice, unbroken. Katie Nanna: (30s) is Jane and Michael’s nanny at the beginning of the show. Overwhelmed and upset, she has absolutely had her fill of the Banks children. Policeman: is a neighborhood fixture who is respected by and observant of the households on his beat. Miss Lark: (30s) is the haughty next-door neighbor of the Banks family who treats her dog, Willoughby, as if he were her child. Mezzo soprano. Mrs. Brill: (50s) is 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. She does not have to be a strong singer. Alto Robertson Ay: (20-30) is 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. Tenor. Mrs. Corry: (40s) owns a magical gingerbread shop. She is a mysterious woman of great age who speaks with a Caribbean accent (or any accent that would make her seem exotic). Soprano. Mrs. Andrews: (40s-50s) is 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. A soprano with an alto belt, there can be some heaviness to her voice along with the range. Admiral Boom: (50s) is 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 neighbor, Miss Lark. Can be any vocal range needed. MIght doubles as the Bank Chairman, he can be a baritone . Neleus: (16-20) is 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 your ensemble. Bank Chairman: (50s), the head of the bank where Mr. Banks is employed, is an Edwardian stuffed-shirt. He can speak/sing his lyrics if necessary. Baritone Bird Woman: (50s) is 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.” There can be a gruff, folksy quality to her voice that reflects the hardness of her life. Alto. Dancing Ensemble: comprises good tap, jazz, and ballet dancers and strong singing voices (all vocal ranges) that can understudy the principal roles if necessary. The ensemble can be divided vocally as needed for your production in order to play chimney sweeps, toys, park goers, vonHussler, Bankers, other acting roles, etc. |