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How Rodents and Cross-dressing Inspired Dame Julie Andrews’ Mousical

The actress talks about how her legendary career led to directing a musical adaptation of her children’s book.

Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews
© Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Oscar winner Dame Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music) has gone from taming unruly children to directing tap dancing mice in The Great American Mousical at Goodspeed-at-Chester/The Norma Terris Theatre.

Adapted from the children’s book Andrews co-wrote with her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, the family-friendly musical follows a troupe of singing and dancing mice whose latest production is threatened by the imminent demolition of their Broadway theater.

In her interview with the Today Show, Andrews talked about the process of directing this “homage to the great Broadway musicals,” and how a rogue mouse backstage at Victor/Victoria inspired it all.

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