Downey students bring magic to life in ‘Mary Poppins Jr.’
Photo courtesy Andrea Pyle
DOWNEY — On the second weekend in May, Downey Unified School District’s after-school program, Musical Theatre Conservatory (MTC), presented “Mary Poppins Jr.” free to the public at Stauffer Middle School. It was double cast (think twice as hard) with 31 students from throughout DUSD middle schools.
For the second time, the school gym was magically transformed into a terrific theatre space thanks to major assistance by DUSD’s staff, VAPA coordinator Jeff Giles, and the support of Principal Dr. Allison Box. The set and lighting was by longtime volunteer Jeff Toussieng. The director was Andrea Pyle. The musical director was Athena Hansen. The dance instructor was Melissa Willey. The choreography was by student Kaylin Armijo. The stage manager was Keanna Wills. Theatre is collaboration.
It must be an improvement over the previously used, much smaller cafetorium stage that had no wings, only one entrance for actors, and many other handicaps. We discovered seating for 250 people, each with a program and a bottle of water. Dr. Box enthusiastically showed off their new curtain that opens in the middle and new lighting equipment. And they have a new and improved sound system since Stauffer’s Advanced Drama Class performance of “Into The Woods” in April. These people work fast. Pyle was running sound with Toussieng running lights.
Downey Unified School District President Linda Saldana, board member Nancy Swenson, former board member Donald LaPlante, and Jeff Giles were in attendance. They were surrounded by families, friends, relatives, teachers, students and community members who show how much they love this performance.
MARY POPPINS: THE FILM (1964)
Disney’s “Mary Poppins” won a number of Academy Awards. Julie Andrews won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Robert and Richard Sherman won the Academy Award for Best Musical Score. “Mary Poppins” won the Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects and for Best Editing. That’s the only version of “Mary Poppins” I have seen.
Walt Disney spent 20 years trying to acquire the rights to her series of books featuring Mary Poppins from Mrs. Travers (Order of the British Empire).
She was afraid Disney would over sentimentalize her story. Finally Disney reportedly offered to pay her $100,000 (more than $800,000 by today's standards), plus five percent of the movie's multi-million-dollar gross earnings. Disney also agreed to allow Mrs. Travers to act as a consultant on the film. Travers hated everything about the movie.
That story is told in the Disney movie “Saving Mr. Banks” (2013). Tom Hanks played Disney and Emma Thompson played Travers. I recommend it.
MARY POPPINS ON BROADWAY
“Mary Poppins” (2004) the Broadway musical was conceived by Cameron MacKintosh, the producer of shows such as “Phantom of the Opera,” “Cats,” “Les Miserable” and “Hamilton.” It is based on the stories of P. L. Travers and the 1964 Disney film. Disney was the coproducer. The Broadway musical played for 2,500 performances and received multiple Olivier and Tony Awards nominations.
Travers so disliked the Disney adaptation and the way she felt she had been treated during the movie that when producer Cameron MacKintosh approached her years later about making a British musical, she acquiesced only on conditions that British writers alone and no one from the original film production were to be directly involved.
Travers died at the age of 96 in 1996.
In 2001, Mackintosh and Thomas Schumacher, head of Disney Theatrical Productions, acquired the rights to the novels and began a collaboration on a Broadway musical. I met Schumacher when he was on staff at the CTG/Mark Taper Forum and I was a project director.
The book is by Oscar winner Julian Fellowes, who is best known for being the Academy Award-winning screenwriter from Gosford Park and creator, writer and executive producer of Downton Abby. Music and Lyrics are by the award-winning Sherman brothers.
MARY POPPINS JR
“Mary Poppins Jr.” is a shorter version of the Broadway musical from highly successful Music Theatre International (MTI), who seems to have the entire Broadway domain adapted in one way or the other. It features new songs and additional music and lyrics for younger voices by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. It may be a shorter version, but due to excessive time for set and costume changes, I think it clocked in well over two hours with an intermission. The audience didn’t seem to mind. I had the privilege of seeing CAST A.
STORY
Bert, the narrator of the story, introduces us to the troubled Banks family in the strict 1910’s Edwardian London. George is a harried banker lost in his work and Winifred is his wife. They are struggling to raise their children, Jane and Michael, who are mischievous and have a hard time adjusting to new nannies.
Mary Poppins, a nanny with magic and common sense, arrives to help Jane and Michael Banks, who have sent many nannies packing, and the whole family learn to appreciate each other again. Through magical adventures, she helps them see the wonder in everyday life, eventually leading them to become more understanding and forgiving.
THEMES
Family is key. Embrace change. Never give up. Keep a positive attitude. Take responsibility.
CAST A/B
Mary Poppins: Emily Meily/Ella Garcia
Bert: Kayleen Diaz/Karlin Armijo
Jane: Keely Newman/Ximena Ramirez
Michael: Olivia Garza/Jamel Quinto
George Banks: Sam Padilla/Daniel Miranda
Winifred Banks: Amy Hernandez/Avery Cazares
Bank Chairman: Paolina Vasquez/Lila Palacios
Katie Nana: Paolina Vasquez/Lila Palacios
Miss Andrew: Morgan Barrick
Mrs. Brill: Natalie Martinez/Olivia Cortez
Mrs. Corey: Zoey Gallado/Alissia Ramirez
Neleus: Rikki Martinez/Maggie Robleto
Robertson Ay: Madelyn Gonzales/Julian Rodriguez
The Bird Woman: Natalie Ortiz/Ellie Odom
Von Hussler: Melissa Ascano
John Northbrook: Elih Gonzalez
Ensemble: Olive Whitson, Nayeli Gonzales, Rio Soto
SONG HIGHLIGHTS CAST A
Practically Perfect - Emily Meily, Keely Newman, and Olivia Harza
A Spoonful of Sugar- Emily Meily, Keely Newman, Olivia Garza, Madelyn Gonzales, and Amy Hernandez
Feed the Birds - Natalia Ortiz, Emily Meily
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious - Emily Meily, Zoey Gallardo, Kayleen Diaz, Olivia Garza, and the ensemble.
Anything Can Happen (Finale) - The Company
Andrea Pyle and the MTC after-school students, continue to demonstrate the best in Educational Theatre and make a tremendous contribution to our community. What an experience for the students.
Pyle is an alumni of the Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA). When I was a founding school and arts administrator for the Los Angeles County High School (LACHSA), I interacted frequently with her school administrator, Ralph Opacic. We were the only Specialized Secondary Schools of the Arts in California. Pyle has been teaching Drama and TV/Film at Stauffer for over eighteen years.
At the end of this year, Pyle is stepping down as director of MTC as she wants to spend more time with her own children. She has been teaching classes, directing Stauffer Drama productions, and on top of that directing MTC after school productions, and she has a family.
I can’t thank her enough for the work she does with her students and introducing new generations of students and audiences to Musical Theatre. Well done.