It is time to brush up on your British accent and bone up on how to say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, because the Vicksburg Theatre Guild has scheduled the first of three auditions for their upcoming production of “Mary Poppins.”

The first audition is scheduled at 2 p.m. Saturday for the role of Mary Poppins and the Banks children, director Paul Ballard said.

“I got to looking at what I need to do and decided there is so much of the show that is Mary and the kids that more time is needed to work with these characters, he said.

Two subsequent auditions will be held at 2 p.m. Nov. 28 and at 6 p.m. Nov. 30 for the show, which will include a large cast of men, women and children.

Ballard said he is looking to cast an actress that can sing and dance for the role of Mary Poppins.

“She will need a strong high soprano voice, and she will definitely be doing some flying, so she does not need to be afraid of heights, Ballard said.

The children’s roles of Jane and Michael Banks will need to be a boy and a girl between the ages of nine to 14.

“I am thinking of double casting the children’s roles,” Ballard said, just in case one were to become ill during performances.

Other specific rolls for the show include George Banks, Winifred Banks, Burt, Admiral Boom, the bank chairman, Mrs. Brill, Mrs. Cory, Robertson Ay and the park keeper.

“There are quite a few minor leads, some with solos, and there will be some parts that don’t sing, but characterization is important,” Ballard said.

The musical lyrics of “Mary Poppins” was written by the Academy Award-winning Sherman Brothers with additional music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, and the script was written by Julian Fellowes, Ballard said.

“The play harkens back to the books by P. L. Travers in which Mary Poppins is a little bit of a darker character than in the movie version,” Ballard said, meaning all of Mary Poppins’ good works do not happen instantly in the play.

Most of the songs from the well-known Disney movie of “Mary Poppins,” which featured Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke are in the musical, Ballard said, with a few variations.

“’Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ is expanded (in the musical) and has a dance number.”

All auditions will be held at the Parkside Playhouse Theatre at 101 Iowa Ave.

Performances for the musical will be Feb. 12 through 14 and 18 through 21. For more information, visit vicksburgtheatreguild.com/2015/05/mary-poppins/.