Mary Poppins
On 14 September 2015, Disney announced a new "Mary Poppins" film was to be made, with a new plot and new songs, although in P. L. Travers' final will, another movie version was not to be made according to her wishes. The film is directed by Rob Marshall and written by David Magee. Songs are composed by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, who both received support from Richard Sherman, who, along with his late brother-collaborator Robert Sherman wrote the iconic song score of the original "Mary Poppins" film. The film is not a reboot or remake of the original 1964 film; in this film Mary Poppins revisits the now-adult Banks children from the first film and takes charge of the three children of Michael Banks. It is loosely based on the other seven "Mary Poppins" books by Travers, and expands beyond them. Emily Blunt stars as Mary Poppins, alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda in the role of Jack, a similar character to Dick Van Dyke's "Bert" from the first film. It was announced on 31 May 2016 that the film would be titled "Mary Poppins Returns" and would take place in Depression-era London, 25 years after the events of the original film. Emily Mortimer and Ben Whishaw play grown-up Jane and Michael Banks. The release date was 21 December 2018 in the US and the UK.
Stephen Mear
Stephen Mear (born 1964) is an English Dancer, Choreographer and Director best known for his award-winning work in musical theatre. In 2005, Mear and co-choreographer Sir Matthew Bourne won the Laurence Olivier Award for "Best Choreography", for their work on the new West End musical "Mary Poppins". This production later transferred to Broadway in 2006, being nominated for the Tony Award for "Best Choreography" in 2007. Mear choreographed the Broadway musical of Disney's "The Little Mermaid" (2007–08). Mear also Choreographed Sunset Boulevard in the West End (2016) and on Broadway (2017), starring Glenn Close. In recognition of his achievements, in 2006 and 2015 Mear was the recipient of a Carl Alan Award, an award voted for by leading dance organisations in the United Kingdom. In 2010, Stephen Mear won a Laurence Olivier Award for best Theatre Choreographer for his work on Hello Dolly at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, he was also a choreographer for "So You Think You Can Dance (UK)", in the category broadway.