BWW Blog: Daniella Ignacio - MARY POPPINS Flies into Morristown, And It's Practically Perfect in Every Way

There's nothing quite more heart-warming than seeing little kids being introduced to theatre. From the giant crowd of kids dancing on the plaza while Barry DeBois of the Once national tour leads them in singing "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" as a pre-show activity, to the children chattering excitedly in the rows directly in front of and behind me as the show was about to begin, I was reminded of the giddiness and pure joy I felt going to see theatre as a child. And as I watched the incredible child actors, teenagers, and professional adult performers that comprised the cast of Mayo Performing Arts Center's production of Mary Poppins, I was reminded of the passion that I still have for it today.

Simply put, this production was true magic. (It also included actual magic on stage, with Mary Poppins really flying, taking out potted plants and an assortment of other items that should not fit in a bag from her bag, and rearranging the plates during Mrs. Banks' dinner party scene. The production values were truly Broadway-quality.) Every performer on the MPAC stage was performing with high energy to match the tone of the night. In particular, Sandy Taylor and Justin Anthony Long stole the show as Mary Poppins and Bert. Their polish and professionalism was evident, as was their excellent storytelling and depiction of the classic characters. Always in the moment and delivering every line with purpose, they truly set a splendid example for the younger actors onstage while also having a great deal of fun while performing.

The teenagers and college students alongside Taylor and Long also delivered incredible performances, from the leads to the ensemble members. All of them were fantastic, but some of them stood out as the most exceptional. Watching Joshua Berg undergo George Banks' character development from the strict, authoritative workaholic with an obsession for order to an amiable family man was a pure joy. Alexandra Russo as Miss Andrew was another highlight of the night, giving a perfectly ominous and creepy edge to the nasty character, all while singing with a powerful high soprano. And the ensemble, with 41 members strong, was always a flurry of energy onstage.

However, the two young people I most enjoyed watching in this production were Aidan Alberto as Michael Banks and Sarah Rappaport as Jane Banks. Both children were perfectly cast as the precocious Banks siblings and sported polished accents to boot. It's also worthy of note that Alberto, a young boy of Southeast Asian descent, was given a chance to play this role despite the fact that most traditional Michaels have been white. His ethnicity did not change the story at all, and he was given the chance to truly shine.

There were a few moments of the show that stuck out on the technical end, however. During many of the scene changes, a black backdrop was lowered to cover them up while the orchestra played instrumental music to pass the time. I realize that people were moving sets behind it and it would look unprofessional to have them shown, but for a show with such high-quality production value, director Cathy Roy could have thought of a more creative way to handle the long set changes without making the audience stare at a black screen. I noticed children and adults alike becoming antsy during every set change. This backdrop was also utilized during a few of the scenes, including "Feed The Birds," making for less than interesting scenery while Bird Woman Abigail Fletcher was singing the well-known song (beautifully, I should add). Perhaps a backdrop depicting a street would have enhanced that scene in particular. Having a street could have also allowed ensemble members to walk back and forth or dance during scene changes, giving them something else to do for the show, enlivening the overall feel of the city and making set changes less tedious to watch.

Minor technical issues aside, the direction behind Mary Poppins was extraordinary. With her actors delivering incredible performances, Cathy Roy definitely guided them in the right direction to tell this story. She created eye-popping visual pictures onstage, especially when the full cast was involved - the "car" created by the ensemble during "Jolly Holiday" was one show stopping moment. Kevin Lynch, the musical director and conductor, also clearly did his job, with a full cast of amazing singers performing to their full potential and an orchestra of seasoned musicians playing the score effortlessly.

Everyone involved should be proud of the work they've put into this show. This production shows just how amazing youth performers can be when given the chance to work with this level of professionalism, and I'll definitely be coming back to watch MPAC's next spring youth musical!

For more information on MPAC and their arts education programs, go to www.mayoarts.org/education.

Photo Credit: Kevin Coughlin

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