The Disney musical made its first splash on the screen in 1964 with Oscar winner Julie Andrews in her signature part. Forty years later the Disney people turned the movie into a happy, colorful stage musical that is touring the world. Now, with six productions running on three continents, the show has been seen by more than 7 million happy theater-goers.
We recently caught up with singing star Steffanie Leigh, the current Mary Poppins, to talk about the show.
San Diego LGBT Weekly: Your Web site photo shows you as a shockingly gorgeous, beautiful blond! Your Mary Poppins character is brunette.
Steffanie Leigh: Yes, I know! It’s a dark wig on stage. It totally transforms me. It really helps to create this character. I love that I look so different when I’m Mary Poppins. It helps me get into that proper British mind-set.
You must be thrilled to be playing Mary Poppins. You graduated from Carnegie-Mellon University recently and have been in a few shows, but isn’t this your first big lead role?
Yes! It has been amazing. It’s a blessing. I went from small parts into a lead. It was a lot of hard work. I definitely went through a transition period, but there are plusses and minuses. I basically just focus on the work of it. I love to act, and I’m getting to do that. It’s so great, and not everybody gets this kind of an opportunity.
Do you think you are compared to Julie Andrews?
I really don’t, and I think that is surprising to a lot of people. I never really spent much time thinking about it. Of course, I watched Julie Andrews in movies when I was growing up. We tell a different story. It’s a different production from the movie. The production team has never put pressure on me to be Julie Andrews. They gave me license to create my own Mary Poppins. Of course, I’m going to be different from Julie Andrews. I’m not her!
Do you come from a theatrical family?
I don’t! I’m the black sheep of the family. My dad is a doctor. Theater is quite different from the medical field! You would think my parents would be horrified I went into show business, but they are absolutely not. They have been 100 percent supportive of me throughout. They came to every show and never discouraged me.
Creative people are a different breed, wouldn’t you agree?
Yes, I do. It’s a wonderful community to be immersed in, especially when I’m on the road with these people 24/7. We have a lot of fun. Creativity breeds creativity. We do a lot of cabarets on the road. We try to keep our creative juices flowing.
Obviously, the theater doesn’t take up all of your time because you have managed to get a boyfriend.
Yes, we met at Carnegie-Mellon. He’s an actor as well. He’s in New York right now. Of course, we’re doing the long-distance romance, which is soooo much fun! We try to see each other as much as possible.
Do you have any aspirations to do film or TV?
I would love to do a film or TV role. I’ve had a couple of little things, but not a lot of exposure in it. I think it’s a fascinating world. I want to have roles that help me to grow as an actress. I want to see what that whole experience is like.
