A MOUSE CLUBHOUSE EXCLUSIVE 2007 INTERVIEW
DANIEL JENKINS
talks about performing in "Mary Poppins" on Broadway

by Scott Wolf

Daniel Jenkins is a Tony^® Award nominated actor who is currently appearing as George Banks, the father in the Broadway version of the smash hit "Mary Poppins" at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City.

Although I have never met nor spoken with Dan before, I enjoyed the interview so much.
He's a really warm, down to Earth person and I'm just delighted to share this interview with you!

Scott Wolf: How did you get your role in “Mary Poppins?”

Dan Jenkins: I auditioned, and I auditioned, and I auditioned. It was the longest audition process I think I’ve ever been a part of. Mostly because the creative team are from London, so getting them all together is a logistical nightmare for the casting and producers and all that.

I had an initial audition and a follow-up and then a callback and another callback. I don’t know how many months all tolled, but it was a wide expanse of time.

SW: So you just heard about it and went for the audition?

DJ: Well, yeah. The way it works is you have an agent and they submit you for things with casting directors that they think are appropriate, or if you hear of things sometimes you say, “Don’t forget to submit me for that.” Or the casting director will call up and say, “Hey, I think Danny’s right for this, why don’t you bring him in?”

You know, I’ve been here long enough that I know most of those folks anyway, certainly in the theatre world. In the film and television world there’s more of a turnover.

But yeah, I went in and read and sang everything they’d throw at me.

SW: Were you familiar with the film version of “Mary Poppins?”

DJ: I was familiar with it. I had seen it many, many years ago and I took another look at it. I didn’t really study it so much because I knew they were doing something different and I wanted to kind of look at the material with a fresh eye as opposed to trying to recreate anything I’ve seen on film.

SW: That makes sense. I think if you tried to just recreate the film it wouldn’t be as popular as it is. There are quite a few differences, aren’t there?

DJ: Yeah, there are. I think there are a lot of similarities as well. You’ll hear a lot of tunes that you’ll remember, and I think people are enchanted with that. They’ll hear this tune like, “Jolly Holiday” or “Supercalifragilistic…” and they’ll go, “Oh my God, I remember that…” and there’s some new music that they’ve written and the guys who wrote, it was seamless. You’d swear that that tune was in the movie.

I think there was even an interview in England where the interviewer said, “You know my favorite tune is that one…” and he mentioned the one that is newly written thinking it was from the movie. They’re that appropriate and delightful. It’s wonderful work that the composers did.

SW: Did you read the original “Mary Poppins” books?

DJ: Yeah, we got to do a lot of research about the history and the period, and of course we had these incredible sources, the “Mary Poppins” books. It was fascinating. They kind of follow a similar pattern. One of them, I think “Mary Poppins Opens the Door” kind of talks about the family dynamics which is what I was dealing with.

It’s just a very moving book about rediscovery about priorities and why we’re here and what it means to be a father. I have two kids of my own so it’s not a big reach for me to realize what George is struggling with.

SW: Do you ever get any feedback from any fathers who see the show?

DJ: I do. It’s one of the most rewarding things about the gig is that I will hear from “men.” From guys who are very moved and it’s pretty hard to make big ol’ guys cry unless they’re softies to begin with. That’s obviously really rewarding. That’s a difficult segment of the audience to reach and we’re definitely getting them. It’s very cool.

SW: As a kid I always thought the film version was just Mary Poppins and the kids and they have fun, but George Banks is really what it’s all about.

DJ: I think of it as three shows. There’s kind of like the big musical production show. Then there’s this magical relationship between Bert and Mary, that also kind of pulls on your heartstrings a little bit. You’re going, “Wow… what is that relationship? What’s that about?” It’s kind of really sweet and heartbreaking. And then there’s the family story, which is basically this damaged unit that Mary is trying to heal in her own inimitable fashion. It’s fantastic, like a musical “Nanny 911.”

So the family journey is the through-line for the show and I think those other elements play off of it really well.

SW: And your wife in the show is played by Rebecca Luker…

DJ: I know, she is just a doll. She is so gifted and so funny and offstage so sweet and just a joy to go to work with. It’s a remarkable experience, the best I’ve had.

SW: I wanted to ask you about the special effects in the show.

DJ: Okay… I wonder what I’m allowed to tell you. There’s not a whole lot I that can tell you. There’s actually some differences from the show in London. The people that come to see us here in New York will get a few extra treats… so they can save their plane fair to London.

I think my favorite effect in the show is I think it’s an eleven and a half ton scissor lift and you never even see it. It helps reveal a part of the Banks’ house. The Banks house itself is stunning.

Bob Crowley is easily the preeminent set designer in Europe right now and he’s a remarkable artist. He’s been able to pull out every single stop on this one. He’s a magician already. There’s a lot of stage magic and some of it is very simple and some of it is quite complicated and all of it is pretty stunning.

There’s some stuff in the second act that is a jawdropper. When people go to see it they’ll talk about the chimney sweep scene in particular.

SW: Have you ever been able to sit in the audience and see any parts of the show?

DJ: In technical rehearsal I did, but not all of it because you have to be ready to go on for the next scene and I’ll be in family scenes that dovetail into the larger scene. I do remember when they were working on “Jolly Holiday” and tears leak into my eyes at a certain moment in the number when it kind of comes to life. It goes from a dreary kind of scene to a very lively one and I just felt like it was a personification of joy onstage. It was really moving and gorgeous.

I’ve never been in a show where they just screamed at the end like they do. It’s just wonderful.

SW: That’s what I’ve heard.

DJ: I know, they leap to their feet and they’re just screaming. It’s so much fun.

SW: Is it all still fun for you or does it get old?

DJ: There’s a discipline involved in doing a long run. It’s different than doing it for a few weeks, being a rock star or something. It’s a different kind of work. You try to keep it as fresh and new as you can. We’re coming up on our year of performances. It’s a discipline without a doubt, but people who come to see it a year from now will have paid the same amount of money as the people who saw it the year before so you owe it to them to give it everything you’ve got.

SW: You mentioned the “Jolly Holiday” scene, is that your favorite part or do you have a favorite part of the show?

DJ: I really love that, I also really love the “Supercal” because the dance obviously takes so much work and discipline to pull of what these dancers do and they do it full out every night. It’s a jawdropper to me and a real testament to the gift of these remarkable ensemble members. They have more talent in their little finger than I do in my entire person. Every single night they put it out there. It’s really something. That one, as an actor I really really appreciate and the audience loves it.

SW: Do you have any favorite memories from your experience so far working on it?

DJ: I loved the preview period before we get reviewed. That’s pretty special. That night was really great.

There’s a lot of backstage life, too. We have a book club now and our softball season already. There’s this whole other element of being in the shows.

I think I’d have to say my favorite part of it is having this other really wonderful family to go to. I go to my family at work and I come home to my family at home and that’s pretty special.

More from Daniel:
His early career

See other interviews