Mary Poppins Flies Over Rooftops to The Paramount, May 12-29.

Nicolas Dromard as ‘Bert’ performs “Step In Time” with the National Tour Company of MARY POPPINS. ©Disney/CML. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Seattle Theater Group and Broadway at the Paramount present Mary Poppins at the historic Paramount Theatre on Thursday, May 12 and running through May 29, 2011. The rooftops and chimneys in Downtown Seattle will get the most attention they’ve seen in decades with this touring theatrical production of the hit Broadway musical based on the classic Disney film that won Julie Andrews an Oscar.

Ms Andrews won’t be on hand to sing such favorites as “Spoonful of Sugar” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” but the beloved songs from the film, (by the Sherman Brothers) will be featured as well as new songs written specifically for the stage production by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe and with a book by Oscar winner Julian Fellows based on the original screenplay and the novels by P.L. Travers. And Disney purists should take note that the stage musical features elements NOT seen in the original film (but part of the original novels) and eliminates a couple of difficult to stage scenes, (ie. the animated penguins) but you’re not going to miss them.

The adventures of the “practically perfect” nanny and the Banks family arrive in Seattle next Thursday, May 12 for the first of 23 performances at the Paramount Theatre.  Tickets are available by phone, at the Paramount website, or in person at the Paramount. And, a special note for students and educators: one hour before show time, you can get up to two rush tickets for $25 except for Saturday and Sunday matinees, cash only and in person at the Paramount box office.

Who doesn’t love Mary Poppins? She wasn’t the usual sappy heroine; Mary was tough and kind of mean and didn’t suffer fools gladly. Also, the whole, “she has magic powers” thing. We think it’s worth checking out.