Posts Tagged ‘mary poppins’

Vibrant “Mary Poppins” Soars at the Muny

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , on July 7, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Mary Poppins
Original Music and Lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
Book by Julian Fellowes
New Songs and Additional Music and Lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe
Co-Created by Cameron Mackintosh
Directed by John Tartaglia
Choreographed by Patrick O’Neill
The Muny
July 6, 2022

Cast of Mary Poppins
Photo by Phillip Hamer
The Muny

Mary Poppins has flown into the Muny for the second time. After an entertaining production nine years ago, the “Practically Perfect” nanny is back, and this time she has a bit of an edge. The latest presentation in the Muny’s 2022 season is big, vibrant, and sharper than ever, with a great cast and loads of energy, led by two stellar performers in the leading roles. 

While the stage show and the classic Disney film have much in common, they are not the same. The stage version–which debuted in London in 2004 and on Broadway in 2006–features some fairly significant changes. Differences include a new book that adjusts the story somewhat and includes elements from P.L. Travers’s books, as well as adding some new songs and changing the settings of some of the more familiar movie songs. It’s still the story of a mysterious and even magical nanny (Jeanna De Waal) who flies into the lives of the Banks family–children Jane (Laila Fantroy) and Michael (Gabe Cytron), and parents George (Nehal Joshi) and Winifred (Erin Davie). This family needs some help, as George is absorbed in his work at a bank and a professed need for “precision and order”, Winifred is feeling inadequate and neglected by her husband, and the children have been subjected to a series of sub-par nannies and have difficulty living up to their father’s rigid expectations. Soon, Mary Poppins arrives and, with the help of the charming jack-of-all-trades Bert (Corbin Bleu), shows the family what their world can be like if they just remember what is important. 

I’ve seen the stage show four times now, beginning with the London production in 2006, and including the last time the Muny presented it in 2013. While, for the most part, I’ve enjoyed the stage version, I’ve had some issues with the way the adaptation has flattened out some of the characters, such as the the Banks parents and especially Winifred. Also, while I’ve seen excellent performers in the role of Mary, the performances always seem to take a while for her to establish that “spark” that she needs to carry the show. This production has remedied those issues to a large degree in the form of casting, as De Waal brings a bit of a wry edge to to Mary Poppins that works especially well with the slightly darker tone of the stage show. She’s also in excellent voice, and works well with the thoroughly winning Bleu as Bert. Davie also adds an air of substance to Winifred Banks that I’ve haven’t seen before, with a standout performance that adds depth and interest to her story. Joshi works well with Davie and with the also excellent Fantroy and Cytron. There are also memorable comic performances from Zoe Vonder Haar and Barrett Riggins as the Banks family’s household servants Mrs. Brill and Robertson Ay, as well as Debby Lennon in a menacing and vocally impressive appearance as George’s imperious childhood nanny, Miss Andrew. Another especially memorable performance is that of Darlesia Cearcy as the Bird Woman, whose soaring voice and excellent harmonizing with De Waal makes “Feed the Birds” one of the true highlights of this production. There’s also a first-rate ensemble, lending strong support and contributing much energy to the production numbers, featuring spirited choreography by Patrick O’Neill.

This production looks great, as well, with a big, bold, colorful production featuring a versatile set by Paige Hathaway, detailed and whimsical costumes by Robin L. McGee, and dazzling lighting by Rob Denton, as well as eye-catching video design by Alex Basco Koch and spectacular flying effects by EFX. There was a bit of an problem with Lennon’s microphone in the performance I saw, but the issue was covered well, as Lennon was given a hand-held mic which added an amusing “evil lounge singer” vibe to her character that worked surprisingly well. The Muny orchestra is also in fine form, as led by music director Brad Haak, providing a full, rich sound to the well-known score.

This is probably the best stage version of Mary Poppins I have seen, with a lot of energy, musicality, and heart, and that little witty edge that gives it something extra. With memorable performances from De Waal. Bleu, and the rest of the cast, and dazzlingly vivid production values, this is a show that’s sure to please theatregoers of all ages. It’s a “Jolly Holiday”, indeed.

Jeanna De Waal, Corbin Bleu
Photo by Julie A. Merkle
The Muny

The Muny is presenting Mary Poppins in Forest Park until July 13, 2022

Read Full Post »

Variety’s Fun “Mary Poppins” Highlights Inventive Staging

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on October 25, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Mary Poppins
Original Music and Lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
Book by Julian Fellowes
New Songs and Additional Music and Lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe
Co-Created by Cameron Mackintosh
Directed and Choreographed by Lara Teeter
Variety Theatre
October 19, 2019

Variety Theatre is currently revisiting one of its successful more recent productions, Mary Poppins, last staged in 2015. It’s a popular show for a reason, with larger-than-life characters, familiar songs and a story that many people remember from the iconic 1964 film, even though the stage version differs from the film in several notable ways. With this Variety staging, the focus is on inventive staging and choreography as is usual, and that’s a highlight, along with some fun technical features and an engaging cast.

If you’ve only seen the film of Mary Poppins, this version will seem familiar and new all at the same time. The story is mostly the same, as the “practically perfect” nanny of the title (Erica Stephan) swoops in to help the struggling Banks family, led by officious father George (Michael James Reed) and conflicted mother Winifred (Heather Matthews), along with their precocious and neglected children Jane (Taylor Gilbert) and Michael (Gabe Cytron) in early 20th-Century London. Also helping out is cheerful Cockney Jack-of-all-trades Bert (Drew Humphrey), who joins Mary and the children on various adventures and, in this version, narrates the story. While the gist of the story is the same as the film, some of the details have been changed up, leading up to a similar but somewhat different conclusion. For instance, more of George Banks’s backstory is included here, along with his imperious, terrorizing childhood nanny Miss Andrew (Debby Lennon). Also, some of the characters from the Mary Poppins books by P. L. Travers are included here that weren’t in the film, and some of the movie songs have been reset to different situations. It’s a fun story overall, although I have to admit I prefer the film. Still, there are some excellent moments here, and some memorable new songs such as “Practically Perfect” and “Anything Can Happen If You Let It”.

The casting here is, for the most part, excellent, and like all Variety shows it features an outstanding youth ensemble featuring the Variety Children’s Charity’s Variety kids and other talented young performers. In fact, the ensemble moments are the most memorable here, featuring Lara Teeter’s inventive choreography and some fun flying effects by Flying by Foy, involving various youth ensemble members in addition to Mary Poppins herself. Stephan is a fine Mary, with a strong voice and excellent chemistry with the especially energetic Humphrey and the kids, although she takes a while to find her energy and her first appearance doesn’t display quite the sense of presence that the role requires. Gilbert and Cytron give winning performances as Jane and Michael, and Reed and Matthews work well together as the parents. There are also standout performances from Zoe Vonder Haar as housekeeper Mrs. Brill and John Kinney as household servant Robertson Ay. Also worth noting is Lennon’s small but scene-stealing performance as the menacing Miss Andrew, showing off her excellent operatic voice and strong stage presence.

Technically, the show looks about as one would expect, putting the large stage at the Touhill Performing Arts Center to good use. Dunsi Dai’s set consists of a series of colorful backdrops that are, at times, reminiscent of the look of the film, as are the costumes by Kansas City Costume Co. There’s also excellent lighting design by Nathan Scheuer, sound design by Rusty Wandall, and a first-rate orchestra conducted by music director Dr. Marc Schapman.

Overall, I would say this Mary Poppins is what audiences would expect.  It’s big, colorful, and well-cast, with those memorable songs that will probably play in your head for the rest of the day. It’s especially strong in the ensemble elements, with Variety’s excellent inventive staging. It’s an entertaining production from Variety, sure to appeal to all ages.

Variety Theatre is presenting Mary Poppins at UMSL’s Touhill Performing Arts Center until October 27, 2019

Read Full Post »

Precision and Order, Chaos and Magic

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , on July 31, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Mary Poppins

Original Music and Lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman

Book by Julian Fellowes

New Songs and Additional Music and Lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe

Directed by Gary Griffin

Choreographed by Alex Sanchez

The Muny

July 25, 2013

marypoppins

Whenever anyone asked me when I was younger (college age) what my favorite movie was, I would have two answers—Citizen Kane and Mary Poppins.  I answered this way mostly because it was true, but also because I loved the reaction I got.  Still, even though I now have quite a few more movies on my favorites list (it’s too difficult to choose just one), the Disney film of Mary Poppins is one of my all-time favorites going back to when I first saw it on TV as a child.  I loved the sense of whimsy about the whole film, and the memorable songs and characters.  In 2006, on my first trip to London with my family, we saw the stage production at the Prince Edward theatre and I loved that as well, even though in many ways it’s different than the film. Now, the Muny has brought the show to the enormous stage in Forest Park, in a production that is at once colorful, charming, funny, mysterious and completely enchanting.

The stage show takes inspiration from the popular Disney film as well as P.L. Travers’s original book series, adding elements from the books and rearranging some of the scenes and songs from the movie, with a few songs added by songwriting team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.  The story, as in the film, follows the Banks family—parents George (Stephen Buntrock) and Winifred (Erin Dilly), and their free-spirited but neglected children Jane (Elizabeth Teeter) and Michael (Aidan Gemme), who have made it their mission to drive out all the nannies their parents have hired.  Their mischievous efforts are thwarted by the arrival of Mary Poppins (Jenny Powers), a nanny like no other, whose unorthodox methods and stern-but-caring demeanor changes the lives of all of the members of the Banks family for the better. The story is narrated all the while by Bert (Rob McClure) a charming, itinerant Jack-of-all-trades who accompanies Mary and the children on their various adventures.

For the most part, I like the changes. The film will always be in a class of its own and it will always be there to watch and enjoy, but in order to turn a film into a stage show some adaptations, adjustments, additions and subtractions are necessary, and I think the team behind Mary Poppins has made the adaptation very well.  My only real criticism on that point is that the parents (and especially Mrs. Banks) are made much less quirky in the stage show and can come across as bland even with excellent actors in the roles. Some of the subplots from the film have been removed and some songs (such as “Jolly Holliday”, “A Spoonful of Sugar” and—most spectactularly—“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”) have been re-set in a way that makes more sense on stage.

The Muny’s production is big and colorful, fitting for the gigantic stage, and with an excellent cast. The British accents ranged from pretty good to practically non-existent, but otherwise I thought the performers were strong and appealing.  Powers took a bit of time to get the right level of energy for Mary Poppins, seeming a bit too staid at first, but by the second act she had it right—with just the right balance of toughness and concern, with a truly wonderful singing voice and great rapport with the children and especially with McClure as Bert, who as far as I’m concerned was the real star of this show with all of the charm, presence and likeability required for the role as well as excellent dancing ability.  Teeter and Gemme as the children also put in winning performances, and real-life married couple Buntrock and Dilly were appealing as their parents.  The cast was rounded out by some very impressive performers in the smaller roles, most notably Rebecca Finnegan in multiple roles (especially as Mr. Banks’ nightmarish former nanny Miss Andrew) and Laura Ackermann as the Bird Woman.  The ensemble of dancers was extremely strong as well, showing of their abilities to delightful effect in the big production numbers like “Jolly Holiday” and “Step In Time”.

The larger production numbers are where this production really shone. Mr. Banks often expresses his desire for “Precision and Order” (that’s a song, as well) in his household, which often descends into chaos before a balance is eventually found with the timely intervention of Mary Poppins, but here that bears out in the production as well.  In songs like “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” (the hands-down best scene in the show) and “Step In Time”, the precision of the choreography makes order out of the seeming chaos of the situation. There is real suspense, for instance, in “Supercali…” when the huge ensemble with their letter placards assemble to spell the word, until it all gloriously comes together at the last possible second.  It’s amazingly timed, making full use of the huge Muny stage, and to marvelous effect.  “Step In Time”, “Jolly Holiday” and new song “Anything Can Happen” are also extremely well performed and add to the sense of whimsy, adventure and wonder of the show.

The technical aspects of the production contributed very well to the atmosphere as well, with the brightly colored modular set, colorful costumes and well-executed lighting effects.  The flying was interesting.  It worked very well especially at the end  when Mary Poppins flew out over the audience (a Muny first, apparently), but seemed clunky at other times in the show, with no attempt to disguise cables and harnesses, even though oddly the clunkiness often added to the charm of the production.

Mary Poppins is ultimately about finding order in chaos and helping parents to understand their children (and vice versa), and about finding adventure and wonder in the everyday tasks of life.  It’s a great show for families to see together, as it’s a show that successfully appeals to all ages.  My personal fondness for the film has remained strong over the years, and I think the stage adaptation stands well on its own.   I was glad to b able to see it again in such a delightful setting. The Muny’s production brought out all the wonder and charm of the piece, and the overall result was magical.

Read Full Post »