Mary Poppins Tour

[EvanK]

Hey everyone, just a question.


The tour for Mary Poppins is headed to Vancouver BC, I'm just curious, is this still the original tour, or is this a scaled down version of the tour?

[JohnyBroadway]

They are currently on a SETA contract the set looks the same

[EvanK]

Might I ask what SETA stands for??

[JohnyBroadway]

Short engagement Touring Agreement. The 1st national played a minimum of 3 week engagements. Now ranges from split week and long engagements.

[EvanK]

Ahh okay, yes makes sense. It is only here for 8 shows. That is why I was worried it would be a different production now, due to the short engagement. But it seems to be equity still, and with full show specs :) Looking forward to finally seeing this show.

[JohnyBroadway]

Networks is the producer of the tour, which is still equity. If you go on their Facebook page you can see pictures from the tour. I hope you enjoy the show. Poppins is a personal favorite of mine and in my opinion one of disney's best screen to stage adaptions. The 2nd act kicks A**

[EvanK]

Has Networks maintained the final flight??

[bdn223]

I think It still the same production at least as the one that started 3 years ago, or at least Disney has a some say in the production because its info is still on the disneyonbroadway.com site. I know Disney is not involved at all touring production of Beauty and the Beast especially because its not on the site meanwhile Poppins and Lion Kings tours are. The only difference set wise that i know of if is the house is now a "pop up book" instead of the full house of the bway production because it was too big to tour with other than that i think its the same.

[EricMontreal22]

I have tickets for Vancouver as well--I HATE the Queen E as a venue but I assume it's an issue about getting that huge set on stage.

[RemlapLBC]

For what it's worth, when Poppin's came to the LA Ahmanson for it's initial 12 week run (1st National Tour?) the house was the pop up books. It' was not the Bank's house like at the New Amsterdam.

That said, I actually enjoyed the show much better in LA than when I originally saw it on B-Way. I have read they made changes for the tour that have since been added back to B-Way, so the show might be better in NYC now. Same show with the huge set.

That said, show is coming back to LA and I don't think I need to see it a 3rd time.

[Bettyboy72]

On tour, the flying at the end was kinda lame. She flew from the stage into a box. It wasn't the breathtaking effect seen on Broadway.

[JohnyBroadway]

While I adore the Broadway Production, I did find something stronger about the show on tour. Except for the flying. It could be because I found the show very fresh when I saw the tour.

[EvanK]

I am seeing the show on Saturday in Vancouver.. I have heard from a few people that she does not fly over the audience in this production. Color me sad.

[EvanK]

double post.

[broadwayguy2]

Evan, that final flight is dependent on the venue. In order for the Broadway flight to function, she flies to catwalk above the audience and is able to run back down to stage level. That is impossible to achieve in all venues in a tour situation.

As far as the current tour, produced by NETworks, there are changes from the first national tour, but not readily noticeable to the audience. I think the most significant is that the stage itself is not as deep.

For what it's worth, the tour version (which originated in the UK) works very well and I think the pop-up house works better in the context of the rest of the show design. The "full" house always seemed overkill and out of sync with the rest of the production design. The tour version has served as the template for several of the newer sit-down companies around the world, including the Australian company.

[samcd3]

I think this is a scaled down version of the tour. Minus a couple of ensemble members and the talking dog... from the jolly holiday picture on the Networks on tour fb page I can see no pnas or female statues, the cast looks dramtically smaller.

[EvanK]

oh I understand not all houses can do the final flight, but the Queen E certainly can. All above the audiences heads are catwalks.

[Wicked Fanatic]

http://losangeles.broadwayworld.com/article/Rachel-Wallace-Nicolas-Dromard-to-Lead-MARY-POPPINS-at-the-Ahmanson-20120720

Once again a show heads to L.A. and they make casting changes as they did last year when Wicked returned to the Pantages. Looks like Case Dillard will be taking a vacation to have Nicholas Dromard play the role of Bert. I saw him at OCPAC last year and he was good so glad he will have a chance to shine in L.A. Also looking forward to seeing Q Smith again. Last time at the Ahmanson she played Mrs. Corry but now she plays the role of Miss Andrew :)

Mary will definitely fly at the Ahmanson. It's very similar to Broadway where she flies center stage and up into the balcony. What I saw at OCPAC was very similar to what was described here and not so great.

ETA: I'm actually surprised they didn't bring Gavin Lee back. Wonder if he'll ever leave the role of Bert which he has now been playing since 2004?

I wish they would bring back "Temper Temper" and get rid of "Playing the Game", but ain't going to happen. Disney has managed to do with the musical what they did with the film and the author P.L. Travers hated which is to remove all the darkness from the original books.

[Goggles]

I wish Temper Temper was still part of the show too! I just got my hot tix for the LA run, i can't wait to see it....again.
When did they cut Temper Temper? I thought it was fantastic when I saw it in london.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

^
If I'm not mistaken, "Temper, Temper" was cut about six months after the first national tour launched.

When I saw the show for the second time in March 2009, "Temper, Temper" was still in the show (I'm 98% sure), but in September 2011, "Playing The Game" was in.

[My Oh My]

Do they still feature those cringeworthy naked statues prancing about the stage with protruding junk and massive, painted on jugs and camel toe?

That made me hella uncomfortable. And I'm no prude.

[The Scorpion]

I wish they would bring back "Temper Temper" and get rid of "Playing the Game", but ain't going to happen. Disney has managed to do with the musical what they did with the film and the author P.L. Travers hated which is to remove all the darkness from the original books.

It's a shame they got their way. Cameron managed to avoid that in the London production which I think was classier and much darker. It even told kids under 8 to say away!