When casting began in Australia, Hunt-Ballard was performing in Jersey Boys, playing Frankie Valli's lover.
``I loved being in the show and I'm a loyal employee,'' she says. Months later, however, after hearing the producers were still having trouble finding their leading lady, her agent suggested she audition.
The creative team was back in Europe, working on the Dutch production, so Hunt-Ballard auditioned for their assistants, who sent a video of her to producer Cameron Mackintosh in London.
``She's marvellous,'' says Mackintosh. ``When I went to Australia for the auditions, I didn't see anyone who was unique in their own right.
``I saw many talented people, but a lot of them had been doing pop musicals like Wicked, which is a different kind of singing and playing -- really `big' rather than the very precise way of acting and singing and the other-worldly quality Mary needs.
``I saw (Verity's audition tape) and thought: `This girl's got something.' So I said: `Let's fly her to Amsterdam' we were doing Mary Poppins there and when we saw her, we knew we'd found someone very, very special. Thank God!''
After a sell-out season in Melbourne, Mary Poppins is previewing in Sydney ahead of its red-carpet opening on May 5.
``I'm so excited to be opening it in Sydney,'' says Hunt-Ballard, 29, who won rave reviews in Melbourne.
Asked if she ever shudders at how close she came to not auditioning, she smiles serenely.
``As I get older, I think more and more that we don't have too much control over what's going on, and you're swept on the wind -- as Mary Poppins is.
``I worked very hard to establish a career, and have been working professionally for 10 years, but I'm very grateful a role has come along that extends my particular skills.
``One of the great challenges is that Mary Poppins is not of this earth. Because she's practically perfect, everything she does needs to look effortless -- and that's a huge challenge when you're singing, dancing and acting as well as having to wear a corset.
``The costume is quite heavy too, so it takes a lot of stamina.''
Composer George Stiles, who co-wrote the new songs for the show with lyricist Anthony Drewe, says: ``Verity is stellar. She's quite simply one of the best there's ever been.''
``She's very witty,'' says Drewe. ``Some girls play it too stern and some are too soft, but Verity has really nailed it.''
View the Metro Hotel Sydney Central Mary Poppins Accommodation Package
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