Cameron Mackintosh confirms new Mary Poppins tour

Disney and Cameron Mackintosh have announced that Mary Poppins will embark on a new tour of the UK and Ireland, opening at Leicester Curve on 13 October 2015.

"It's hard to believe that it is already 11 years since Mary Poppins first landed on the London stage," Mackintosh said today. "I'm delighted to be bringing her back to the UK and for the first time to Dublin, after spreading her magic around the world."

The stage production has a book by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and includes the classic songs "Jolly Holiday", "Step in Time", "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and "Feed the Birds".

New songs and additional music and lyrics were added by the Olivier award-winning British team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.

Directed by Richard Eyre with choreography by Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear, the stage production of Mary Poppins originally opened in 2004 and ran in the West End for three years and over 1,250 performances.

Mackintosh, whose revival of Miss Saigon recently won nine WhatsOnStage Awards, added: "Since we originally staged the production we have found even more magical ways to stage this timeless tale and I'm sure you will find our new Mary practically perfect in every way."

Further dates and casting will be announced soon.

Tour dates:

Leicester Curve (13-24 October 2015)
Bristol Hippodrome (29 October-28 November)
Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin (3 December-9 January 2016)
Palace Theatre, Manchester (20 January-5 March)
Birmingham Hippodrome (9 March-23 April)
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh (27 April-21 May)
Mayflower Theatre, Southampton (25 May-19 June)