Paper Mill Playhouse to open season with "Mary Poppins"

Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 11/03/2026

(MILLBURN, NJ) -- Paper Mill Playhouse presents Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins to open the company's 88th season. Performances begin Wednesday, November 18 ahead of a Sunday, November 22 opening night for a run that continues through Sunday, January 3, 2027. This is a spectacular musical filled with wonder, wit, and unforgettable songs.

When the mysterious nanny arrives at the Banks household, she brings adventure, imagination, and a little discipline to two mischievous children. Featuring beloved classics like “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” and “Step in Time,” the show is a dazzling blend of heart, humor, and breathtaking stage magic. Mary Poppins is a joyful theatrical experience that reminds us anything can happen if you let it.

Mary Poppins is based on the stories of P. L. Travers and the Walt Disney Film and features original music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, book by Julian Fellowes, and new songs and additional music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe; co-created by Cameron Mackintonsh.

Paper Mill Playhouse offers three- and four-show subscription packages, available now starting at just $120 per person. Each subscription package includes a different level of special benefits – see www.PaperMill.org for details. Accessibly priced youth subscriptions are available for those 18 years old and under with the purchase of an adult subscription. Access Services pricing is available exclusively for those patrons using wheelchair seating, audio description, open captioning, or ASL-interpreting services.

Subscriptions and individual show tickets are available for purchase online, by calling (973) 376-4343, or in person at the Millburn box office (open Monday-Saturday, 12:00pm-6:00pm). Paper Mill Playhouse is located at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, New Jersey.

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The complete cast features Kara Lindsay (Newsies, Wicked) as Mary Poppins, Will Burton (Beetlejuice, South Pacific at Paper Mill) as Bert, Will Blum (Beetlejuice, 1776 at Paper Mill) as George Banks, Ashley Blanchet (Waitress, The Sound of Music at Paper Mill) as Winifred Banks, Natalie Charlé Ellis (Death Becomes Her, The Great Gatsby at Paper Mill) as Bird Woman/Miss Andrew, Dierdre Friel (Leap of Faith, Dogfight) as Mrs. Brill, Alvin Crawford (The Lion King, Candide) as Admiral Boom/Bank Chairman, and Sam Faulkner (Gyspy) as Robertson Ay. Beatrice Goddard Beggs and Emery Layne Large will alternate in the role of Jane Banks, while Max Ryan Burach and Rocco Van Auken will alternate as Michael Banks.

The ensemble includes Sissy Bell, Taven Blanke, Mathew Blasio, Audrey Curdo, Michael Di Leo, Nigel Jamal Hall, Jade Jones, Justin Michael López, Connor McRory, Sydni Moon, Joseph Morales, Corinne Munsch, Aaron Patterson, Becca Perron, Daryn Polzin, Zac Pritts, Charlie Ray, Rachel Revellese, Allysa Shorte, Caleb Sporrer, Bethany Ann Tesarck, and Cayel Tregeagle.

Mary Poppins is directed by Paper Mill Producing Artistic Director Mark S. Hoebee and choreographed by Denis Jones. The creative team also includes Ben McNaboe (music direction), Timothy Mackabee (scenic design), Kelly James Tighe (scenic coordination and additional design), Leon Dobkowski (costume design), Charlie Morrison (lighting design), Don Hanna (sound design), and J. Jared Janas (wig, hair, and makeup design). Casting is by The TRC Company. Jason Brouillard is the production stage manager.

This production of Mary Poppins is licensed by Music Theatre International.

The National Endowment for the Arts is the Signature Sponsor for this production.

Paper Mill Playhouse, recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award, is a nationally renowned not-for-profit theater under the direction of Mark S. Hoebee (Producing Artistic Director) and Michael Stotts (Executive Director). A beloved New Jersey arts institution since 1938, Paper Mill creates and produces groundbreaking new musicals and reimagined classics. Several productions have gone on to Broadway and launched national tours, including The Great Gatsby, Disney’s Newsies, Bandstand, Honeymoon in Vegas, A Bronx Tale, and Les Misérables (25th Anniversary production). The theater is also the home to an award-winning center for musical theater education and artist training, with outreach programs that impact thousands of students each year. As one of the nation’s premier musical theaters, Paper Mill fosters a creative environment to advance the art form, educate students, develop future theater lovers, nurture inclusion, and provide access for all. Paper Mill Playhouse programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.

Following Mary Poppins, Paper Mill’s upcoming 2026-2027 season will feature Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me A Tenor, Million Dollar Quartet, and Dear Evan Hansen.