From the director Gayle Cameron, to cast members, seamstresses, set artists and backstage crew, each plays an important role in bringing the big-budget musical to the stage.

Among the cast from the Wingham area are Chris Alcock and Will Knight.

Chris has appeared in many different roles in recent years (Cats, The Full Monty and Cabaret) and in this production plays multiple characters, including Mr Northbrook and a policeman.

Will is a stalwart of Taree Arts Council and has appeared in many shows. In Mary Poppins, he plays Admiral Boom.

Both have worked tirelessly for the past six months along with Gayle (who also directed Cats, Miss Saigon and Cabaret), musical director Don Secomb, choreographer Amanda Hammond and the rest of the cast on the well-known story about the magical English nanny.

Going behind the scenes, seamstresses Sammy Clarke and Bron Squire have created some amazing costumes.

Sammy designed and made the colourful Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious costumes, while Bron, also a wonderful new member of Taree Arts Council, has been a great asset, making costumes, organising wardrobe and doing running repairs at the same time as running her own shop Figtree Fabrics.

Sammy is part of the backstage crew, along with (her husband) Graeme Clarke, Greg Smith, Luca Pigott and Eddi Raglus.

Graeme works as both backstage and props crew and even makes a cameo debut appearance on stage.

Greg is a retired teacher who lives in Tinonee and is a hardworking backstage crew member.

Luca is in year 12 at Wingham High School. As part of his HSC course in Entertainment, he will gain invaluable experience working backstage and in the flytower.

Eddi recently returned from Cambodia where she was a volunteer teaching English in schools. In what is a total change of pace, she is a follow spot operator for Mary Poppins.

Among the talented set artists who have contributed to the visual spectacle of the show is Julie Foster.

This is Julie's third Taree Arts Council production.

She worked backstage in The Full Monty and was the artist for Cabaret where her clever art deco designs enhanced and complemented the 1930s feel of the show.

"Her attention to detail is an outstanding feature of her work," said Gayle.

"She is an accomplished professional artist specialising in acrylic and mixed media.

"She also runs an interior design business, ColourSense Design, which supplies colour and décor advice for residential and commercial premises and pre sale preparation."

Mary Poppins will be played by Elizabeth Hall, who appeared in the Taree Arts Council productions of Cabaret and Miss Saigon and spent six months of last year undertaking acting training in the United States.

As well as learning her lines, songs and moves, she has also been rehearsing with a harness to perfect her 'flying'. It will be the first time in the Manning Entertainment Centre's history that a performer in a musical production has flown using the flytower.

Joining her onstage is Jeremy Miller as Bert, Charlotte Reece and Georgina Saad (sharing the role of Jane Banks), Cassidy Donovan and Wil Hellstedt (sharing the role of Michael Banks), Jodi Cooper as Mrs Banks, Travis McLaren as Mr Banks and the ensemble cast.

Gayle is excited for audiences to see the show.

"It's full of so many theatrical experiences and is so fun. It really is a show for everyone and has something in it for all ages," she said.

"It's got a lot of humour in it, which I don't think a lot of people realise and it's the story of a family who are unravelling and how Mary Poppins teaches them how to come together again."

It features some well-loved musical numbers including A Spoonful of Sugar, Let's Go Fly a Kite, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and Chim Chim Cher-ee.

Audiences can also expect some magical and gravity defying moments.

Gayle said if you love the film, read the books (by PL Travers) or saw the stage play, the musical is a combination of the best of them.

Mary Poppins opens on Friday November 6 at the Manning Entertainment Centre and closes on November 22.

Shows are on Friday, Saturday and Wednesday evenings from 8pm and Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 2pm.

Tickets are available from the Manning Entertainment Centre, online at www.themec.com.au or at Stockland Forster.