Kismet (musical) London's West End and has been given several revivals. A 1955 film version was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The musical was commissioned by Edwin Lester, founder and director of the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, who conceived of a musical based on the 1911 play "Kismet" by Edward Knoblock. Lester had previously produced "Song of Norway", with the same composing team, adapting the melodies of Edvard Grieg. For "Kismet", the writers seized upon the melodies of Alexander Borodin, which they felt had a suitable exotic flavor and lush melodies. "Kismet" is set in a fictional Baghdad in the times of "The
On the Record (musical) Belle in "Beauty and the Beast" on Broadway on September 20, 2005. After completing her run as Belle on May 28, 2006, Brown opened the Broadway production of "Mary Poppins" on November 16, 2006, in the title role — a performance which earned her a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. Brown ended her Broadway run on October 5, 2008, but subsequently returned to the role, opening the North American national tour of "Mary Poppins" in Chicago on March 25, 2009. Meredith Inglesby, who served as a member of the quartet and as Diane's understudy, also