Auditions · Production № 100
Mary Poppins
We're thrilled to announce auditions for Mary Poppins — the magical Disney and Cameron Mackintosh musical that has enchanted audiences the world over. An exciting opportunity for a cast of around 70 young performers aged 10 to 25 to fly into a spectacular, professional-quality production.
We ask everyone intending to audition to read the audition pack before booking. Auditions are booked online: choose your audition time slot, then complete the audition form you're forwarded to — it must be filled out before your audition day.
Bookings and audition forms are handled by Casting Suite, an online casting platform.
PDF · 14 pages · 2.3 MB.
Audition bookings open soon. Read the audition pack now, and join the mailing list to hear the moment bookings open.
Audition bookings have closed. Thank you to everyone who auditioned — the production team will be in touch with everyone by phone or email.
- Auditions
- Sat 5 & Sun 6 Dec 20269:00am – 6:30pm, time slots allocated when you book
- Callbacks
- Mon 7 Dec 2026Evening, time to be confirmed
- Audition & rehearsal venue
- West Pennant Hills Valley Scout Hall7 Castle Hill Road, Mt Wilberforce Park, West Pennant Hills NSW 2125
- Rehearsals begin
- Sat 12 Dec 2026Saturdays 1:00 – 5:00pm on 12 & 19 Dec, plus the read-through on Tue 15 Dec, 6:00 – 9:00pm. Then weekly from 6 Feb 2027
- Show season
- Sat 10 – Sun 18 July 2027Matinée and evening performances — see the timeline below
- Performance venue
- Glen Street Theatre, BelroseA professional theatre with fly tower, full lighting, sound and staging
- Ages
- 10 – 25 yearsBy opening night, Saturday 10 July 2027
- Cast fee
- $230For those cast. Due strictly by Saturday 19 December 2026
Roles & voices
The principal and supporting lead roles. Identify the role(s) that best suit your voice and experience when preparing.
| Role | Voice | Movement | About the role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Poppins | Female · Mezzo-sopranoG♭3 – C6 | Strong dancer / tap | The practically perfect nanny — extraordinary, vain, tender and a little frightening, but always exciting. A mezzo-soprano with strong, precise top notes and crystal diction. The heart of the show. |
| Bert | Male · High baritoneB2 – F♯4 | Strong dancer / tap | The narrator and Mary's loyal friend — an everyman chimney-sweep with charm, warmth and a Cockney lilt. A true song-and-dance leading man who anchors 'Step in Time'. |
| George Banks | Male · BaritoneB♭2 – E♭4 | Good mover | The strict, precise banker father who demands order — yet hides a sensitive soul beneath the armour. A true baritone; strong, layered acting essential. |
| Winifred Banks | Female · Mezzo / sopranoA3 – D5 | Good mover | George's wife and the children's mother. A former actress; loving, warm and anxious to live up to 'being Mrs. Banks'. Needs great warmth, simplicity and emotional honesty. |
| Jane Banks | Female · TrebleA3 – F♯5 | Strong mover / tap | The bright, precocious Banks daughter — wilful and a little snobbish, but quick to wonder. Aged 10–14. A confident young performer; strong singer and storyteller. |
| Michael Banks | Male · TrebleA3 – E5 | Strong mover / tap | The cheeky, excitable Banks son who adores his father. Aged 10–14. Naughty and lovable; a great little actor and singer who reads as younger than Jane. |
| Miss Andrew | Female · Soprano with beltG♭3 – F5 | Mover | George's terrifying childhood nanny — the 'Holy Terror'. A bully armed with brimstone & treacle. A powerful soprano with a heavy alto belt and big comic-villain presence. |
| Mrs. Brill | Female · Alto / mezzoF♯3 – D♯5 | Mover | The overworked Banks cook and housekeeper — gruff exterior, warm heart, sceptical of nannies. Strong comic character actor; need not be a powerhouse singer. |
| Robertson Ay | Male · TenorF3 – G♯4 | Good mover | The Banks's hapless houseboy — clumsy, sleepy and well-meaning. A gift for physical comedy; a charming featured comic role with cheeky stage presence. |
An understudy will also be cast for both Mary Poppins and Bert — each understudy is guaranteed at least one performance in the role, subject to preparation. Jane and Michael Banks will be double cast, with each performer playing 5 shows across the season.
Beyond the leads, Mary Poppins features a robust cast of supporting and ensemble performers who bring the pace, magic, humour and spectacle of the show to life. We're casting a company of around 70, including a Junior Ensemble for our youngest performers.
| Role | Voice | Movement | About the role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bird Woman | Female · Alto / mezzoG♭3 – C5 | Mover | The shawled woman on the cathedral steps who sings the haunting 'Feed the Birds'. A gruff, folksy warmth and a moving, controlled vocal. |
| Neleus | Male · Character | Strong dancer | The park statue who comes to life, longing for his father Poseidon. A wonderful feature for a strong, lyrical dancer with sincerity and grace. |
| Valentine | Male · Character | Strong dancer | Jane's cherished toy who springs to life and turns the tables on the children in 'Playing the Game' — ringleader of the Toys. A sharp, stylised featured dance role with precision, poise and a touch of menace. |
| Admiral Boom | Male · Bass / baritoneC3 – D4 | Good mover | The booming retired Navy man of Cherry Tree Lane — large, loud and full of nautical jargon, firing his cannon on the hour. Big voice, bigger presence. |
| Bank Chairman | Male · Baritone | Good mover | The pompous, Edwardian head of the bank and George's employer. Precise, self-important and quietly intimidating; leads 'Precision and Order' with authority. |
| Mrs. Corry | Female · SopranoD4 – F♯5 | Strong mover | Owner of the magical talking gingerbread shop — a woman of great age and mysterious, 'exotic' charm. A vivid character role with featured movement in 'Supercalifragilistic'. |
| Park Keeper | Male · Character | Good mover | The officious, rule-bound custodian of the park — 'Observe the rules!' — who gets swept up in the magic of 'Jolly Holiday' and 'Let's Go Fly a Kite'. A strong comic cameo with real presence. |
| Featured cameos | Mixed · Character | Good movers | Named speaking cameos cast from within the Ensemble — Miss Lark (Admiral Boom's neighbour, with Willoughby the dog), the Policeman, Katie Nanna (the nanny who quits), Miss Smythe (the Chairman's secretary), and the bank's John Northbrook (Northern English accent) and Von Hussler (German accent). Quick, confident character work. |
| Ensemble | Mixed · Mixed | Good movers | The people of Edwardian London across the show's big ensemble numbers — park strollers and statues in 'Jolly Holiday', shop customers in 'Supercalifragilistic', bank clerks in 'Precision and Order', chimney sweeps in 'Step in Time', kite flyers in 'Let's Go Fly a Kite', and Londoners, nannies and passers-by throughout. Versatile, vocally strong performers who shift quickly between characters and styles. |
| Dance Ensemble | Mixed · Mixed | Strong dancer / theatre jazz / tap / ballet | The engine of the show's big production numbers — the chimney sweeps of 'Step in Time', the statues of 'Jolly Holiday', the Toys of 'Playing the Game', Mrs. Corry's customers in 'Supercalifragilistic', plus park strollers, kite flyers and featured dance moments. Excellent technique, rhythm and confidence with stylised, high-energy choreography. |
| Junior Ensemble | Mixed · Mixed | Good movers | For performers aged 10–13. Two Junior Ensemble teams will be cast, each performing 5 shows across the season — the children of Cherry Tree Lane, kite flyers, park strollers and young Londoners in the big ensemble numbers. Bright energy and confident singing. |
SYMT is committed to inclusive casting and a welcoming environment for performers. While some roles in Mary Poppins are written with specific gender, vocal or character requirements, casting is considered openly and respectfully in line with the needs of the script, score and production.
On the day
To be considered, every auditionee completes both a vocal audition and a dance/movement audition. Cold reads may be added on the day.
The vocal audition
Please prepare a roughly 45-second to 1-minute cut (typically 16–32 bars) of a musical theatre song that suits your voice and the world of the show. Mary Poppins lives in melody, storytelling and charm — think classic, melodic musical theatre and Golden Age / Disney-era standards. We're looking for characterful tone appropriate to the show, and a sense of acting through your ability to tell a story with your chosen song.
There will be an audition pianist who will play for you. Please bring your sheet music in a clear plastic sleeve folder, clearly marked for any cuts, repeats, key changes or tempo notes, and ensure it is a complete piano/vocal score — the audition pianist reserves the right to refuse to play from incomplete or inappropriate copies. We recommend sourcing music from Musicnotes or Sheet Music Direct; we do not recommend Musescore, as those copies are often riddled with errors or unplayable.
You'll have a moment to talk it through with the pianist before singing. It's best performed from memory so we can see you connect with the song. We do not accept backing tracks or a cappella auditions.
Auditioning for a principal role? Auditionees for Mary, Bert, George, Winifred, Jane, Michael, Miss Andrew or the Bird Woman may be asked to sing a short excerpt from the show on the day — sheet music will be provided. Familiarise yourself with the role's signature number where possible.
The acting audition
There are no audition sides to memorise before the audition, however cold reads may be allocated on the day. If you're asked to read an excerpt from the script, we'll give you time to get familiar with it before reading it a few different ways with a member of the production team.
If you're auditioning for a lead role, it's well worth familiarising yourself with the original Mary Poppins film, as all characters will be based primarily on the film and the original Broadway production.
Please come prepared with strong accent work. The show lives in Edwardian London, and we're looking for the characters as they are in Mary Poppins — not your own take on them. That means a convincing 'proper' English accent for the Banks family and their world (think the refined, well-spoken English of the film), a Cockney accent for Bert and the chimney sweeps, and a touch of Northern English for Northbrook and German for Von Hussler. Study the film and the original Broadway production closely — the closer you can get to those characters and voices, the better.
The dance & movement audition
Mary Poppins is a genuine dance show — from the kaleidoscopic 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' and the joyful 'Jolly Holiday' to the spectacular tap-driven 'Step in Time'. There are two dance auditions on the day: a General Theatre Jazz audition and a Tap audition. Which ones you do depends on the role(s) you're going for.
1st · Everyone
General theatre jazz
Everyone does this one. A short theatre-jazz combination to see how you hold yourself, pick up choreography and perform within a group.
The only dance audition for
- George Banks
- Winifred Banks
- Miss Andrew
- Mrs. Brill
- Robertson Ay
- Bird Woman
- Neleus
- Valentine
- Park Keeper
- Admiral Boom
- Bank Chairman
- Mrs. Corry
- Ensemble
- Junior Ensemble
2nd · Tap roles
Tap
Required in addition to the General audition for any role listed with tap. A short tap combination to assess rhythm, clarity and technique — tap shoes essential.
Do both auditions
- Mary Poppins
- Bert
- Jane Banks
- Michael Banks
- Dance Ensemble
What to wear
Wear comfortable clothes you can move in freely, with jazz shoes, character shoes or clean sneakers for the General audition. No bare feet, socks, Crocs or thongs are to be worn in the dance audition.
Tap shoes are required for the tap audition. If you are auditioning for Mary Poppins, Bert, Jane, Michael or the Dance Ensemble, you must bring your tap shoes on the day — we are unable to assess tap without them.
What we're looking for
We aren't looking for perfection in an audition. What we're looking for is a can-do attitude, an aptitude for taking direction from the production team and adjusting in the moment, and lots of positive energy. Give everything a go, stay engaged and listen carefully — we'd rather see a committed, generous performer who's having fun than a flawless one who's holding back.
- Bring energy and commitment to every part of the day — vocal, acting and dance.
- Be open to direction and willing to try things a few different ways.
- Please arrive on time, warmed up, stretched and ready to begin.
The fine print
- Performers must be aged between 10 and 25 years by opening night, Saturday 10 July 2027.
- No video auditions will be accepted. All auditionees must be in the room and perform alongside an accompanist to be considered.
- All participants under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian sign their consent form before auditions. If a parent manages your schedule, we strongly encourage you to run the full rehearsal and show dates past them before auditioning, so you can be confident every date can be adhered to.
- Participants must be available for the majority of the rehearsal schedule, and available for all show full runs, tech and dress rehearsals, and performances — with no exceptions. If you cannot make those dates, you cannot be considered for a role in the production.
- Everyone 18 years and older involved in the production will be required to provide a valid Working With Children Check number.
- Each successful auditionee who is cast pays a cast fee of $230.00, which helps SYMT cover insurance, a cast T-shirt, and a full fleet of professional production photos. Cast fees are due strictly by Saturday 19 December 2026.
Production timeline
Please read every rehearsal, tech and show date before auditioning. While not everyone is called for every single rehearsal, when you are called, SYMT is strict on attendance.
01 Auditions & callbacks
- Sat 5 Dec 2026Auditions — booked time slot
- Sun 6 Dec 2026Auditions — booked time slot
- Mon 7 Dec 2026Callbacks — evening, time to be confirmed
02 Rehearsals
37 calls, December 2026 – July 2027, all at the West Pennant Hills Valley Scout Hall. Saturdays 1:00–5:00pm (12:00–6:00pm from June), and Tuesday evenings 6:00–9:00pm on 15 December (the read-through) and from April. HOL = continues through the school holidays.
All 37 rehearsal calls
- 1Sat 12 Dec1:00–5:00pm
- 2Tue 15 Dec6:00–9:00pmRead-through
- 3Sat 19 Dec1:00–5:00pm
- 4Sat 6 Feb1:00–5:00pm
- 5Sat 13 Feb1:00–5:00pm
- 6Sat 20 Feb1:00–5:00pm
- 7Sat 27 Feb1:00–5:00pm
- 8Sat 6 Mar1:00–5:00pm
- 9Sat 13 Mar1:00–5:00pm
- 10Sat 20 Mar1:00–5:00pm
- —Sat 27 MarNo rehearsalEaster
- 11Sat 3 Apr1:00–5:00pm
- 12Tue 6 Apr6:00–9:00pm
- 13Sat 10 Apr1:00–5:00pmHOL
- 14Tue 13 Apr6:00–9:00pmHOL
- 15Sat 17 Apr1:00–5:00pmHOL
- 16Tue 20 Apr6:00–9:00pmHOL
- 17Sat 24 Apr1:00–5:00pm
- 18Tue 27 Apr6:00–9:00pm
- 19Sat 1 May1:00–5:00pm
- 20Tue 4 May6:00–9:00pm
- 21Sat 8 May1:00–5:00pm
- 22Tue 11 May6:00–9:00pm
- 23Sat 15 May1:00–5:00pm
- 24Tue 18 May6:00–9:00pm
- 25Sat 22 May1:00–5:00pm
- 26Tue 25 May6:00–9:00pm
- 27Sat 29 May1:00–5:00pm
- 28Tue 1 Jun6:00–9:00pm
- 29Sat 5 Jun12:00–6:00pm
- 30Tue 8 Jun6:00–9:00pm
- 31Sat 12 Jun12:00–6:00pm
- 32Tue 15 Jun6:00–9:00pm
- 33Sat 19 Jun12:00–6:00pm
- 34Tue 22 Jun6:00–9:00pm
- 35Sat 26 Jun12:00–6:00pm
- 36Tue 29 Jun6:00–9:00pm
- 37Sat 3 Jul12:00–6:00pmHOL
03 Production week School holidays
- Sun 4 JulBump-in — all company, all day
- Mon 5 JulTech run — evening
- Tue 6 JulTech run — evening
- Wed 7 JulFull show run — evening
- Thu 8 JulFull show run — evening
- Fri 9 JulDark — company rest
04 Performances School holidays
10 performances plus 1 to be confirmed, at Glen Street Theatre during the July school holidays.
- #1Sat 10 Jul2:00pmOpening · matinée
- #2Sat 10 Jul7:30pmEvening
- #3Sun 11 Jul12:00pmMatinée
- #4Sun 11 Jul6:00pmEvening
- #5Tue 13 Jul7:30pmEvening
- #6Wed 14 Jul7:30pmTo be confirmed — must be available
- #7Thu 15 Jul7:30pmEvening
- #8Fri 16 Jul7:30pmEvening
- #9Sat 17 Jul2:00pmMatinée
- #10Sat 17 Jul7:30pmEvening
- #11Sun 18 Jul2:00pmClosing · matinée
If you're cast
Come prepared
If you're successful in attaining a position in the cast, please always bring appropriate rehearsal clothing and footwear, plus plenty of water and food/snacks. Rehearsals can be tiring — we want you at your very best.
Coming prepared also means doing the homework. When the production team sets clear expectations about what material to have rehearsed — lines, lyrics, harmonies or choreography — it's expected that you show up knowing it and ready to work. Rehearsal time is for building the show, not learning the basics, and the whole cast moves faster when everyone arrives prepared.
Drop-off, pick-up & safety
Parents are not permitted to sit in and watch during the production period. Anyone under 18 should be dropped at the top of the driveway to walk down, and picked up there at the end of rehearsals. All committee and production team members are Working With Children Check certified and act as chaperones for anyone under 18 in our care.
Attendance & availability
- If you're cast, you'll be expected to attend all rehearsals you are called for.
- After casting, should unavailability arise, your position in the cast may be reconsidered.
- Please list all availability clashes on your audition form for the production team to consider.
- Any unavailability in tech and show weeks will mean you cannot be cast in this production.
Questions
When will I know?
To be considered, all auditionees must complete the required components — the vocal audition and the dance/movement audition. The production team will inform successful auditionees of the outcome following the audition process. All successful auditionees will be contacted by phone or email; unsuccessful auditionees will also be notified. As there may be a large number of auditionees, SYMT may not be able to provide individual feedback.
Will there be callbacks?
If callbacks are required, they'll be held on the evening of Monday 7 December 2026 (time to be confirmed) and a production team member will contact you with details. If you don't receive a callback, please don't stress — the team may have decided not to hold callbacks for a particular role, or may already have enough from your initial audition. Not receiving a callback does not automatically mean you are not being considered.
What is Mary Poppins about?
Mary Poppins is one of the most beloved musicals of all time — based on the cherished stories of P.L. Travers and the classic Walt Disney film. With a book by Academy Award winner Julian Fellowes, the timeless Sherman Brothers songs, and new music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, it premiered in London's West End in 2004 and on Broadway in 2006, winning both the Olivier and Tony Awards along the way.
Set in Edwardian London at No. 17 Cherry Tree Lane, the show follows the Banks family — buttoned-up banker George, his warm but anxious wife Winifred, and their mischievous children Jane and Michael — whose lives are turned upside down by the arrival of a mysterious, magical nanny who is "practically perfect in every way". With the help of her cheeky chimney-sweep friend Bert, Mary Poppins shows the family that the most extraordinary things can happen … if you only let them.
Act one
- Prologue (Chim Chim Cher-ee)
- Cherry Tree Lane (Part 1)
- The Perfect Nanny
- Cherry Tree Lane (Part 2)
- Practically Perfect
- Jolly Holiday
- Let's Hope She Will Stay
- A Spoonful of Sugar
- Precision and Order
- Feed the Birds
- Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
- Playing the Game
- Chim Chim Cher-ee
Act two
- Cherry Tree Lane (Reprise)
- Brimstone and Treacle (Part 1)
- Let's Go Fly a Kite
- Good for Nothing / Being Mrs. Banks
- Brimstone and Treacle (Part 2)
- Practically Perfect (Reprise)
- Step in Time
- A Man Has Dreams
- Anything Can Happen
- A Spoonful of Sugar (Finale)
We can't wait to see what you bring to the stage.
For all enquiries about auditions, eligibility or this production, contact us through our social media channels or by email. enquiries@symt.com.au · @sydneyyouthmusicaltheatre
SYMT's Mary Poppins is proudly sponsored by
