March 5, 2018
Marc Shaiman to write score, songs (w/Scott Wittman), for MARY POPPINS sequel
The teaser trailer was released this weekend for Disney’s Christmas surprise, MARY POPPINS RETURNS – a sequel to the studio’s charming fantasy-musical of 1964, which starred Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.
Film, TV, and Broadway composer & songwriter Marc Shaiman (HAIRSPRAY, the Broadway musical; Stephen King’s MISERY, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, LBJ) is composing the score while he and partner Scott Wittman wrote all new songs; both certainly possess the talents and musical chops to follow the legacy of the original’s Irwin Kostal (score) and Richard M. & Robert B. Sherman (songs)
“The theme used for this trailer IS one of the songs Scott & I wrote (you’ll have to wait till Xmas to hear our lyrics),” Shaiman said in a post in his Facebook page [reposted here with his permssion]. “It’s upbeat when sung (practically perfectly by the glorious Miss Blunt) but when it was time to send in the demo (with me barking it out!), Scott smartly said ‘also play it as a ballad to show it can be used thematically.’ And although what is used in this trailer is an edited down version of the full orchestral recording that we eventually made, the actual notes of it are exactly what I played that morning and which the ever so brilliant orchestrator Jeff Atmajian took – just my piano part – and orchestrated it just like what I heard in my head as I played.”
In the new film, Emily Blunt stars as the “practically-perfect nanny” with unique magical skills who can turn any task into an unforgettable, fantastic adventure. Cast also includes Lin-Manuel Miranda as her friend Jack, an optimistic street lamplighter who helps bring light—and life—to the streets of London; Ben Whishaw as Michael Banks; Emily Mortimer as Jane Banks; and Julie Walters as the Banks’ housekeeper Ellen; with Colin Firth as Fidelity Fiduciary Bank’s William Weatherall Wilkins; and Meryl Streep as Mary’s eccentric cousin, Topsy.
The film also introduces three new Banks’ children played by Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh, and newcomer Joel Dawson. Angela Lansbury appears as the Balloon Lady, a treasured character from the PL Travers books and Dick Van Dyke is Mr. Dawes Jr., the retired chairman of the bank now run by Firth’s character. The film is directed by Rob Marshall from a screenplay by David Magee and screen story by Magee & Marshall & John DeLuca, based upon The Mary Poppins Stories by PL Travers.
Watch the film’s teaser trailer:
