Zoe's keen for a spoonful of sugar this Christmas

Published: 2 October 2011
By: Robin Williams

Anxious wait: Loreto College student Zoe Banks is hoping to win the leading child role in the Australian musical adaptation of the Disney film Mary Poppins

COORPAROO schoolgirl Zoe Clarke can't wait for December to come around, but not for the usual reason of a summer holiday.

Zoe is hoping to win the leading child role in the Australian musical adaptation of the classic Disney film Mary Poppins.

The much loved story of a quirky nanny is set to take audiences by storm as the musical production prepares to open at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre this December.

Twelve-year-old Zoe, a Year 8 student at Loreto College, Coorparoo, has been shortlisted to Australia's top 12 and Brisbane's top four to play the highly contested role of Jane Banks.

Following two full days of auditions Zoe is awaiting the final decision from international Disney executives to see if she has pipped hundreds of Australian girls for the prized role.

Despite having no musical theatre experience, Zoe was originally encouraged by her dancing teacher of four years to apply for the role and much to her surprise she was asked to join Brisbane's 130 finalists.

"I was really nervous because it was my first audition and I was competing against girls who had done heaps of auditions before," Zoe said.

"I love the Mary Poppins movie and have seen it hundreds of times. I really enjoy dancing and singing, and auditioning for the role of Jane was a great experience."

Zoe's efforts at the auditions earned her a top-four call-back.

"It was such a relief when my name was called but there was a little scream of excitement at the same time," she said.

"I still can't believe I'm in the top four out of the hundreds who applied."

Zoe's recorded audition has been sent to America for Disney executives to have the final say.

If selected, Zoe will fly to Sydney for rehearsals with the full cast and tour Brisbane and Perth for six months, performing three-month stints in both capital cities.

The humble school girl said she would continue to dance and sing regardless of the outcome but admitted it would be a dream come true to win the much sought after role of Jane Banks.