Front Row

Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of the phenomenally successful stage musical Hamilton, is starring in Mary Poppins Returns, a sequel to Disney’s 1964 classic. He talks to John about following in the cockney footsteps of Dick Van Dyke, and how he referenced the original Mary Poppins in Hamilton. As Lin-Manuel Miranda’s stage musical Hamilton marks one year on the London stage this week, we look at whether it has created an increased appetite for hip hop musicals. Taking part are the Musical Director of ZooNation DJ Walde, who co-created the musicals Sylvia, Some Like It Hip Hop, and Into The Hoods; Professor of Musical Theatre, Millie Taylor; and Poppy Burton-Morgan, writer and director of the musical In The Willows.Richard Sherman, now ninety, wrote the music for the original Mary Poppins with his brother Robert. In 2007 he came on Front Row to talk about composing for Walt Disney and performed Walt’s favourite song, Feed the Birds.Presenter: John Wilson Producer: Kate Bullivant