Mary Poppins - Part 1
I finished the production of Mary Poppins at Quad City Music Guild this past Sunday.
Mary Poppins is the story about a nanny who enters the lives of the Banks family at just the right time. George works in his bank. Winnifred, his wife, had dreams of being an actress that she gave up to raise her family.
The Banks children have been through countless nannies. Dad isn't always around, nor does he seem to have much invested interest. And the housing staff is stretched beyond their means in caring for the kids until a new nanny comes along.
The kids write a sweet advertisement for a nanny that George promptly tears up and stuffs in the coal oven. Which goes up through the chimney. And Poppins gets it. On cue, she shows up and starts caring for the children.
Yes, our stage production had many of the same bells and whistles as the movie. The bag with all of the things that come out of it, but wait a minute, that's only so large of a bag. The tape measure that says that Michael Banks is naughty.
And yes, they meet up with Bert in the park. That was my first scene. I was a parkgoer. And I had a wonderful dance with Jeanine.
The Banks children are kind of snotty to Bert, since he's a sooty chimney sweep and street artist. But he shows through a little of the 1960's psychedelia when he comes out in royal purple. We had a very quick costume change. I nearly blew the scene where I enter with Jeanine in the mod '60's mode...er...well, the mod 1910 costumes.
Mary brings Jane and Michael to visit their dad at work. He barely makes any time for his kids. Even Northbrook, a businessman there to take out a loan, points out to George that no man should be too busy for his own children.
I liked the Precision and Order scene, as it puts into juxtaposition the plight of Von Hussler (nice play on words), a hustler who is getting an investment in a 1910 Ponzi Scheme. George refuses him a loan. But he gives one to Northbrook. This tips us off in the first act that George is a fine upstanding man. He just doesn't know how to accommodate his family into his life.
The kids are ungrateful for much of the play. But Mary starts to introduce them to hard work, appreciation, and courtesy.
Of course the play is not without certain digression to Disney flourish. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is a number where we meet Mrs. Corri, who sells conversations. Yes, she sells conversations, but she's out, so she has letters and backchat. I forget how the 1960's was so avant-garde. Mary Poppins isn't the only example. The Jungle Book. The Aristocats. Swingin' cats and groovy tunes. Yes, it meant there were a lot of nonsense words and smashing dance moves to learn. I was so exhausted I almost collapsed at a couple of the rehearsals.
Playing the Game was the easiest number for me. I played the Jack in the Box. A bunch of other cast members played toys ranging from a ballerina to a teddy bear, koala bear, toy soldiers, an 18th Century Doll, a court jestor, and a clown. Wednesday pick up rehearsal, Colin, Brad, and Luke conspired with the entire cast, and director and choreographer, to turn me around backwards in my box.
I jumped out to say my line, saw the backdrop, forgot to say my line, and turned around quickly.
And yes, speaking of this show, I got to reunite with Jeanine. What to say about Jeanine? She encouraged me to give the Lewistown job a shot last year. She's a saint. I had some doubts about whether I could stick it out the eleven weeks, but she said some words the night before I began the job that helped me in the moments when I felt like I was drowning in homeworks and papers to grade.
This year, Jeanine will be going to teach music at a middle school in Grinnell, Iowa. She was between that and Bettendorf. I encouraged her that it was the right thing to do.
There are great love stories and great stories about love. I have Sara as a love story. Jeanine, though, is the story about love. Any time I ever bring a Kashi cereal bar or an apple to school I will think of her bringing one to me on a rehearsal night because I skipped dinner and she can tell I am starting to lose focus. I will miss seeing her with the Quad City Singers this fall. But what a great friendship. I wish her all the happiness in the world as she begins her new job in Grinnell.
Mary Poppins is the story about a nanny who enters the lives of the Banks family at just the right time. George works in his bank. Winnifred, his wife, had dreams of being an actress that she gave up to raise her family.
The Banks children have been through countless nannies. Dad isn't always around, nor does he seem to have much invested interest. And the housing staff is stretched beyond their means in caring for the kids until a new nanny comes along.
The kids write a sweet advertisement for a nanny that George promptly tears up and stuffs in the coal oven. Which goes up through the chimney. And Poppins gets it. On cue, she shows up and starts caring for the children.
Yes, our stage production had many of the same bells and whistles as the movie. The bag with all of the things that come out of it, but wait a minute, that's only so large of a bag. The tape measure that says that Michael Banks is naughty.
And yes, they meet up with Bert in the park. That was my first scene. I was a parkgoer. And I had a wonderful dance with Jeanine.
The Banks children are kind of snotty to Bert, since he's a sooty chimney sweep and street artist. But he shows through a little of the 1960's psychedelia when he comes out in royal purple. We had a very quick costume change. I nearly blew the scene where I enter with Jeanine in the mod '60's mode...er...well, the mod 1910 costumes.
Mary brings Jane and Michael to visit their dad at work. He barely makes any time for his kids. Even Northbrook, a businessman there to take out a loan, points out to George that no man should be too busy for his own children.
I liked the Precision and Order scene, as it puts into juxtaposition the plight of Von Hussler (nice play on words), a hustler who is getting an investment in a 1910 Ponzi Scheme. George refuses him a loan. But he gives one to Northbrook. This tips us off in the first act that George is a fine upstanding man. He just doesn't know how to accommodate his family into his life.
The kids are ungrateful for much of the play. But Mary starts to introduce them to hard work, appreciation, and courtesy.
Of course the play is not without certain digression to Disney flourish. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is a number where we meet Mrs. Corri, who sells conversations. Yes, she sells conversations, but she's out, so she has letters and backchat. I forget how the 1960's was so avant-garde. Mary Poppins isn't the only example. The Jungle Book. The Aristocats. Swingin' cats and groovy tunes. Yes, it meant there were a lot of nonsense words and smashing dance moves to learn. I was so exhausted I almost collapsed at a couple of the rehearsals.
Playing the Game was the easiest number for me. I played the Jack in the Box. A bunch of other cast members played toys ranging from a ballerina to a teddy bear, koala bear, toy soldiers, an 18th Century Doll, a court jestor, and a clown. Wednesday pick up rehearsal, Colin, Brad, and Luke conspired with the entire cast, and director and choreographer, to turn me around backwards in my box.
I jumped out to say my line, saw the backdrop, forgot to say my line, and turned around quickly.
And yes, speaking of this show, I got to reunite with Jeanine. What to say about Jeanine? She encouraged me to give the Lewistown job a shot last year. She's a saint. I had some doubts about whether I could stick it out the eleven weeks, but she said some words the night before I began the job that helped me in the moments when I felt like I was drowning in homeworks and papers to grade.
This year, Jeanine will be going to teach music at a middle school in Grinnell, Iowa. She was between that and Bettendorf. I encouraged her that it was the right thing to do.
There are great love stories and great stories about love. I have Sara as a love story. Jeanine, though, is the story about love. Any time I ever bring a Kashi cereal bar or an apple to school I will think of her bringing one to me on a rehearsal night because I skipped dinner and she can tell I am starting to lose focus. I will miss seeing her with the Quad City Singers this fall. But what a great friendship. I wish her all the happiness in the world as she begins her new job in Grinnell.