“Mary Poppins”
By Sandy Carriger
Staff Writer
I had the pleasure of
attending California Musical Theatre’s Broadway Sacramento opening
night production of “Mary Poppins” on Friday evening, June 3, 2011
at the Community Center Theater.
The show, based on the stories of P. L. Travers and the 1964 Walt
Disney film, was, in the best way I can describe it, SUPERCALIFRAFILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS!
I was taken back in time to my 12th
birthday, when the movie was first released. My parents took me to
see it on the big screen at one of the premier, landmark theaters
in Los Angeles. At first, I didn’t feel the excitement and
anticipation I had as a child. But, once I was seated in the 8th
row center and the curtain rose, I knew I was in for a treat! I was
accompanied by my son, now all grown up, who is just as passionate
about the production as his mom!
Photo right: Steffanie Leigh as ‘Mary Poppins.’ National Tour Company of MARY
POPPINS. ©Disney/CML. By Joan Marcus
So there I sat, trying to picture
Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke in their respective roles of Mary
Poppins and Bert the Chimney Sweep. Those images soon faded as
Mary, played by Steffanie Leigh, and Bert, played by Nicholas
Dromard, and the entire company filled the stage singing and
dancing. This ‘new’ Mary and Bert were better than I could have
imagined and yes, Mary Poppins did fly and Bert danced upside down!
The audience was filled with youngsters and oldsters all with grins
from ear-to-ear.
The story ensues in and around the
home of the Banks family, George, Winifred, Jane and Michael, who
reside on Cherry Tree Lane in London around the turn of the
century. George Banks is a staunch banker and strict father with
the old belief that children should be seen and not heard. His
wife, Winifred, is a devoted wife and mother, who tries to properly
please everyone. The children, Jane and Michael, are extremely
precocious and go thru nannies with an abnormal rate of turnover.
For the umpteenth time, the family attempts to solicit yet another
nanny.
Photo: Steffanie Leigh as
‘Mary Poppins’ and Nicolas Dromard as ‘Bert” perform “Chim Chim
Cher-ee.” National Tour Company of MARY POPPINS. ©Disney/CML. By
Joan Marcus.
Jane and Michael create their own
nanny wish list, which their father believes is absolute nonsense.
Miraculously, their ad is answered by the magical Mary Poppins who
shows the children how wonderful the world can truly be and warms
the cold heart of their uptight father with the power of love.
Where do I begin? The music, the dancing, the costumes, the
scenery, the actors…all were so well done! Classic songs included:
Chim Chim Cher-ee, Jolly Holiday, A Spoonful of Sugar, Feed the
Birds, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, Let’s Go Fly a Kite,
Step in Time, Anything Can Happen as well as a few new ones.
The most memorable dance numbers,
where the costumes and colors absolutely popped, were: Jolly
Holiday, the park comes alive; the statues leave their
pedestals and dance, the trees are greener, the pond is bluer and
the park goers dazzle with brilliant colors.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, we enter Mrs. Corry’s shop
of letters and end up with a wildly fun, brightly colored and
whimsically clad array of characters introducing us to ‘that’ word
and its meaning. Playing the Game was an eerie rendition of
abused and forgotten toys come alive in life size form. And of
course, Step in Time with the chimney sweeps bounding over
roof tops with skill and agility! One song that always sends chills
down my spine is the sad and soulful, Feed the Birds, sung
so well by Janet Macewen attired in an amazing costume of tattered
rags and make-up that aged her beyond her years. This production
was also complete with light shows, smoke machines and magic
tricks.
Photo: (L to R) Steffanie
Leigh as ‘Mary Poppins,’ Katie Balen as ‘Jane Banks,’ Bryce Baldwin
as ‘Michael Banks,’ Nicolas Dromard as ‘Bert,’ and the National
Tour Company of MARY POPPINS perform “Step In Time.” ©Disney/CML.
By Joan Marcus.
The performers were incredible. I was especially impressed with the
child actors, Camille Mancuso as Jane and Tyler Merna as Michael,
who could hold their own and had amazing stage presence. Stephanie
Leigh was the perfect Mary Poppins, pretty, pert and always smiling
even as she flew over the audience, umbrella in one hand and
satchel in the other with that trademark Mary Poppins stance.
Nicholas Dromard is continuing his role as Bert directly from
Broadway. He is incredibly nimble, walking/dancing up the archway
of the stage wall, upside down on the ceiling and then back down
the opposite side of the stage. The list of actors is too numerous
to mention, but all gave a superb performance whether in a lead
role or as part of the ensemble.
The Northern
California premiere
of
“Mary Poppins” will continue through Sunday, June 19, 2011 and concludes the
2010-2011 Broadway Sacramento series at the Sacramento Community
Center located at 1301 L Street, Sacramento, CA. Evening shows run
Tuesday–Sunday, matinees run Thursday, Saturday or Sunday. Prices
are $24-$94 depending on time and seating at each performance.
The 2011-2012 season begins this
September 2011 and includes "Wicked," "Shrek," "Rain, a Tribute to
the Beatles," "Mamma Mia!," "West Side Story" and "Million Dollar
Quartet." For more information, you may phone
(916) 557-1999 or (916) 808-5181 OR visit
www.broadwaysacramento.com
Call the Community Center Theater Box Office at (916) 557-1999 or
visit the Box Office at 1301 L Street, Sacramento, CA, (916)
808-5181.
Tickets are also available at Wells Fargo Pavilion Box Office
for single-show and season tickets, 1419 H Street, Sacramento, CA.
Call (916) 557-1198 for groups of 12 or more, or fax
request to: (916) 557-2775. Single show tickets for Broadway Sacramento
presentations are available online through services provided by
www.Tickets.com.
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