Reporter lives Broadway fantasy in 'Mary Poppins'

NEW YORK (AP) — For weeks, I dreamed of my Broadway debut in "Mary Poppins."

There was the excitement of costume fittings, the hard work of rehearsals and the anticipation of being on stage at a premier New York theater. I woke up each morning, counting down the days; I could hardly wait for the moment.

It was over in a blink.

My time in the spotlight as a chimney sweeper in the Disney musical ended just as quickly as it had begun.

For its fifth anniversary, "Mary Poppins" invited me to be a chimney sweep for a day to experience the inner workings of the production at the New Amsterdam Theatre.

I knew it would be fun, but what I thought would be an easy task …