Mary Poppins Is Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
NAPPANEE — I love the word Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious … a word to use when you can’t think of any other. That’s not true of “Mary Poppins,” now on stage at Amish Acre’s Round Barn Theatre in Nappanee. I can think of 100 words to describe this musical. Words like: Brilliant. Super. Great. Clever. Excellent. Energetic.
Amber Burgess is Mary Poppins and Mary Poppins she is. She flies through the air as she comes and goes and visits the Banks family with her bag full of tricks. Burgess is extraordinarily talented and it shows as she brings Mary Poppins to life.
Joe Ford is the chimney sweep Bert. He, too, is magnificent.
The story take place in London in the early 1900s and centers around the Banks family.
The Banks — father, George (Ryan A. Schisler); mother, Winifred (Katherine Anderson); daughter Jane (Hannah Shetler); and son, Michael (Josh Hatfield) are looking for a nanny. It seems the children are naughty and drive off every nanny hired. All four turn in outstanding performances. Hatfield is from Osceola and Shetler is from Millersburg and is a freshman at Fairfield High School.
Another nanny has just left. Enter Mary Poppins, just what the doctor ordered for the children. After all, “A Spoonful of Sugar ….”
Besides Mary’s gaining the confidence of the Banks children and teaching them many lessons, Mr. Banks has problems of his own. He has to make choices and apparently makes some wrong ones. Thus, he is sent home and may be terminated. He worries he is going to lose his job and the family will be on the street.
When Mary leaves to teach the children a lesson, Mrs. Banks hires Miss Andrews to look after the children. She was Mr. Banks’ nanny and he has spoken highly of her. When she arrives, however, he storms out of the house and the family learns she is a real tyrant. The children are afraid of her, which isn’t good until Mary comes back and gives Miss Andrews a taste of her own medicine.
The show is full of songs and fast-paced dances. Jane, Michale, Robertson Ay and Mrs. Banks join Mary as she tells the children all about her “Spoonful of Sugar.” “Supercalifragilisticexpialidcious” features Mary, Bert, Jane, Michael, Mrs. Cory and customers. Bert and Mary team up for “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” and Bert, the park keeper, Michael, Jane and kite flyers join her for “Let’s Go Fly a Kite.”
The entire cast puts its all into making the production fun and entertaining. Sara Drinkwine is Katie Nanna and is a member of the ensemble. Carl Glenn is the policeman and is a member of the ensemble. Joyana Lorine Feller is Miss Lark and Mrs. Corry. Izzy Wysong is Willoughby. Justin Williams is Adiral Boom and Von Hussler. Sarah Philabaum is Mrs. Brill. Derik Lawson is Robertson Ay. T. J. Besler is the park keeper and the bank chairman. Tim Becze is John Northbrok and is a member of the ensemble. MoMo Lamping is Bird Woman and Miss Andrews. Kyle O’Brian is Neleus and is in the ensemble. Elsa Scott is Miss Smythe and in the ensemble. Joelle Rassi is also a member of the ensemble.
“Mary Poppins” continues through Dec. 31. For tickets call (800) 800-4942, ext. 2 or online at www.amishacres.com.