Ashley Brown (born February 3, 1982) is an American singer and actress who is best known for playing the titular character in the United States national tour and Broadway productions of Mary Poppins.
Early life
Brown was born February 3, 1982, in Gulf Breeze, Pensacola, Florida, the youngest of four children. She started singing when she was 6 years old and then started professional singing lessons when she was 14. She studied at Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.[1]
Career
Brown initially caught the attention of casting director Tara Rubin not long after graduating from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. After a successful audition, she was cast in the Disney touring production On the Record. This in turn led to her Broadway debut on September 20, 2005, replacing Brooke Tansley as the lead character, Belle, in the Disney Theatrical production of Beauty and the Beast.[2] She departed the role on May 28, 2006, after eight months and she was succeeded by Sarah Litzsinger.[3]
On November 16, 2006, Mary Poppins opened on Broadway with Brown starring as the title character.[4] Brown left the Broadway company on October 5, 2008, after playing the role for two years and was replaced by Scarlett Strallen who previously played the role in the West End.[5]
On March 11, 2009, Brown reprised the role of Mary Poppins in the US national tour.[7] She left the tour on February 7, 2010, and was succeeded by Caroline Sheen.[8]
Brown played the role of Mary Poppins again in the Broadway production from March 8 to July 17, 2011, while Laura Michelle Kelly was away filming a movie.[14]
In 2013, Brown made her sold-out solo Carnegie Hall debut with the New York Pops[17] as well as having a minor role in the television broadcast The Sound of Music Live!, in which she played Ursula, one of the servants in the Von Trapp household.
Brown played the Mother Abbess in the national tour of The Sound of Music, which launched September 2015.[19] She then played Mrs. Juniper and Madame Calypso in the 2017 Encores! production of The Golden Apple, and returned to Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops in December 2018.[20][21] She returned to Broadway in the 2024 revival of Elf the Musical playing the role of Emily Hobbs.[22]
Personal life
Brown became engaged to actor Daniel Wisler on April 18, 2010;[23] they married November 5, 2011.[24] Brown gave birth to a baby girl on May 9, 2016.
^Everett, Carole J. (2009). "University of Cincinnati College—Conservatory of Music". College Guide for Performing Arts Majors: The Real-World Admission Guide for Dance, Music, and Theater Majors. Peterson's. p. 325. ISBN9780768926989. 'Faculty, Resident Artists, and Alumni' ... Alumni continue to hold key positions in the performing and media arts. Numbered among them are ... musical theatre stars Faith Prince, Lee Roy Reams, Michele Pawk, Jason Graae, Jim Walton, Vicki Lewis, and Ashley Brown.
