Mary Poppins (film)
Mary Poppins is a 1964 American musical fantasy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney, with songs written and composed by the Sherman Brothers. The screenplay is by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi, based on P. L. Travers's book series "Mary Poppins". The film, which combines live-action and animation, stars Julie Andrews in her feature film debut as Mary Poppins, who visits a dysfunctional family in London and employs her unique brand of lifestyle to improve the family's dynamic. Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson, and Glynis Johns are featured in supporting roles. The film was shot entirely at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California using painted London background scenes.
Stephen Schwartz (composer)
In 1971, he wrote music and lyrics for "Godspell", for which he won several awards, including two Grammys. For this musical's Toronto production in 1972, he asked Paul Shaffer to be the musical director, thus starting Shaffer's career. "Godspell" was followed by the English-language texts, in collaboration with Leonard Bernstein, for Bernstein's "Mass", which opened the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. In 1972, the long-running "Pippin" premiered on Broadway. Schwartz had begun writing songs for "Pippin" while in college, although none of the songs from the college version ended up in the Broadway production. Both "Pippin" and "Godspell" continue to be frequently produced.