BWW Reviews: Quick Take of MARY POPPINS National Tour in Denver

Denver Center Attractions and producers Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh have announced that the award-winning musical MARY POPPINS, returns to The Buell Theatre for one week only now until May 5th.

The entire original creative team reunited to bring this magical story of the world's most famous nanny to audiences around North America. The MARY POPPINS North American Tour began performances on March 25, 2009 and has played to more than two and a half million delighted theatergoers in more than 60 cities to date. MARY POPPINS, a co-production of Disney and Cameron Mackintosh, opened on Broadway on November 16, 2006. Based on P.L. Travers' cherished stories and the classic 1964 Walt Disney film, MARY POPPINS the stage play features the Academy Award-winning music and lyrics of Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. The stage production has been created, in collaboration with Cameron Mackintosh, by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes, who has written the book, and the Olivier Award-winning team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, who have composed new songs and additional music and lyrics.

I must say that there was plenty of Disney magic in this visual extravaganza and it delighted my inner-child ever so much and the excited children in the audience. The doll house larger than life doll house was so inventive and truly something to behold. Each backdrop was a work of art and this show was filled with big numbers and fabulous dancing (especially Super... and Step in Time). It ends with a classic Disney positive moral - Anything can happen if you let it. A couple little problems that I noticed was that it was having an internal struggle on whether it was supposed to be a children's musical or a musical for adults and the child in us all. This was made apparent by the additions of the subplots in the show that were at times hard to follow and made this a rather lengthy children's show (sometimes simplicity was key). I also would like to encourage the Production Company to reconsider the start time to an hour earlier; which was further vocalized by several cranky and sleepy kids in the audience. Even with the show running two and a half hours, it was a delightful homage and visual sensation to this wonderful Disney classic. Applause goes to Madeline Trumble as Mary Poppins, Con O'Shea-Creal as Bert, Kerry Conte as Mrs. Banks, Chris Hoch as Mr. George Banks, and Karen Murphy as the Bird Woman/Miss Andrew. Highlight numbers include The Perfect Nanny, Practically Perfect, Jolly Holiday, Being Mrs. Banks, A Spoonful of Sugar, Feed the Birds, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, Brimstone and Treacle, and Step in Time.

Sure to be a delight for the whole family, don't miss MARY POPPINS at the Buell Theatre before it flies away. MARY POPPINS plays at the Buell Theatre now until May 5th at the Denver Center. For tickets or more information, contact the box office at 303-893-4100 or online at www.denvercenter.org.

Photo Credit: Jeremy Daniel

Madeline Trumble as Mary and Con O'Shea-Creal as Bert

To post a comment, you must register and login.