Mary Poppins: Still Flying After 51 Years

By Noel Smith

Cabrillo Stage provides the second of its “Youth Revolution” productions for the 2015 season with Stoli Wolfgang and Kalin Ramirez as Jane and Michael Banks leading the way in Mary Poppins. The words precocious and talented certainly fit their performances as they play the part of two children looking for the love and attention of their father George Banks played by Geoffrey Ward. Their mother Winifred Banks (Marlene Berner) is overwhelmed by the demands of her husband and her two energetic and mischievous children who delight in getting rid of their nannies ASAP.

Then comes the practically perfect in every way Mary Poppins, played perfectly by Emily Marsilia riding the East wind to Number 17 Cherry Tree Lane, London, to save the day propelled by her umbrella and cheered on by her old friend Bert (Griffith Whitehurst). All the elements of the classic story as presented by Walt Disney from a series written by P. L. Travers are there on stage with the music and dancing and the joy. Whitehurst brings the thoughtful but impish Bert to life with his acting, singing and dancing including a marvelous walk up the wall, across the ceiling and down the other wall of the stage.

The stage musical does have some minor differences with several new songs and a couple of missing ones when compared to the movie released in 1964. Look for Mike Saenz as Neleus (A statue!) as they have a Jolly Holiday in the park and in the second act a character from the original series, Miss Andrew (Lindsey Chester), arrives as the practically perfect anti-Mary Poppins who, fortunately, is quickly dispatched by our hero.

You’ll be applauding the favorites of, “Jolly Holiday,” Spoonful of Sugar,” the amazing choreography and dancing of “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” “Chim Chiminey,” and the joyful “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” while hearing a new song called “Anything Can Happen” as the musical’s theme song.

All the elements are there for an evening’s enjoyment of this well put together musical directed by Cabrillo Stage favorite Janie Scott with the orchestra led by conductor and Artistic Director Jon Nordgren who has given us an extraordinary season of entertainment. The cast is energetic and the ensemble has lots of fun suddenly appearing in the audience making us all apart of the play.

As Mary Poppins floats away (Really, she does!) over the city of London and out of sight for the last time, you will have spent an evening entertained by truly wonderful performances by all the cast and crew of this magical musical.