When Mary Poppins flies into London to help out the Banks family, a familiar face is there to greet her with open arms. Her trusted friend and cohort, the chimney sweep and fun-loving Bert, is ready to help Mary share her magic with this family in need. When Mary Poppins, the award winning Broadway production of the timeless classic story, flies into Atlanta’s Fabulous Fox Theatre, Bert will be ready to share the magic of this exciting production with local audiences. Playing this role, a role he originated in London and then Broadway, is Gavin Lee, who sat down to share with me his take on his experience with Mary Poppins and the satisfaction of playing such an amazing role.
BWW: Hi, Gavin! How are you?
Gavin Lee: I am good!
Gavin, thanks so much for taking the time to talk with me today. I am excited to hear about the show and I know our readers will be too. We are really looking forward to Mary Poppins in Atlanta!
Cool! Good, good good!
Let’s start by having you tell us a little bit about yourself and your career. Specifically, how did you get into the theatre business??
So, I started very early, when I was about 9, about 1980 or so. My first dance class I ever did was disco dancing. That kind of tells you my age. Within the year, my sister was going to dance class and I was the annoying brother when she got home. I would say, what did you do, show me, show me! And I would try and copy her..
So you were like Mike in A Chorus Line?
Exactly! Eventually, my Mom asked if there were any boys in the class, and there were a few. So, I started dance class and within about a year, me, my sister, and my mom and dad were all in community theatre. I did that growing up and went off to college in London and then started performing in the West End. That was followed by reperatory companies around the country, played some nice understudy roles and a couple of lead roles, but by far the biggest lead role I ever landed was definitely Bert in Mary Poppins, hence, I am still doing it six years later. It is very hard to give up such an amazing role.
And was the Broadway production of Mary Poppins your first experience in the U.S.?
My very first job back in 1990 was actually on a cruise ship going out of Florida, so I had been to America, but only Florida, and I had been to New York for vacation. Obviously, like any actor does coming from England, you take a week’s vacation and go to New York and try and cram in 12 shows in one week and I did that maybe three or four times over the years, but definitely coming to Broadway with the show was the first time I had ever worked here. It was everything I ever dreamed it could be. Getting to perform opening night on Broadway and getting to perform at the Tony Awards at Radio City, amazing things happened in that first year. I was very pleased when they asked if I wanted to go and start the first national tour. I didn’t want to leave the job, it does become a job, so every time you can change it up slightly, like coming from London to Broadway and then Broadway to the tour, it just gives you a whole new lease of life on the show. So, the national tour is my third reincarnation of the role and my third complete cast change, so it has been fabulous. And now, being on tour, every three or four weeks you are changing cities, it’s brilliant. It keeps it so fresh.
