Variety reports that Alex Jennings and Janie Dee have been offered the roles of Mr. and Mrs. Banks in the musical based on the classic 1964 film. Additionally, a spokesperson for the upcoming musical said that Laura-Michelle Kelly is only one of several actresses being considered for the title role.

Mary Poppins will feature direction by Sir Richard Eyre, choreography by Matthew Bourne, design by Bob Crowley, a book by Academy Award winner Julian Fellowes (“Gosford Park”) and additional tunes (supplementing the original film score by Robert and Richard Sherman) by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. Stiles and Drewe are the British songwriting team who composed the score for the Olivier Award winning musical Honk!.

Mary Poppins will open in London in December 2004. Other upcoming Disney projects include Tarzan, which is aiming at a 2005 debut, and The Little Mermaid, now scheduled for a 2007 arrival.

*

The beloved 1964 Disney film "Mary Poppins" starred Julie Andrews in the title role opposite the Bert of Dick Van Dyke. Directed by Robert Stevenson, the movie boasted a score by the Sherman brothers (Richard and Robert) and featured such tunes as "A Spoonful of Sugar," "Jolly Holiday," "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," "Feed the Birds," "Chim Chim Cher-ee" and "Let's Go Fly a Kite." Nominated for an Academy Award as Best Picture, the film garnered Oscars for Julie Andrews as well as those for Best Special Visual Effects; Best Film Editing; Best Score; and Best Song ("Chim Chim Cher-ee").