Magic happens when Mary Poppins played by Emma Hartzell shows up to take charge of a couple of rambunctious kids in a rather stuffy Edwardian era English household.
Pennsylvania Youth Theatre’s production of “Mary Poppins the Broadway Musical,” beautifully directed by Jill Dunn Jones, plays through May 18 at the Charles A. Brown Ice House in Bethlehem.
The classic children’s story is based on the stories of P. L. Travers and the Walt Disney Film. Music and lyrics are by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman with new songs and additional lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe and co-created by Cameron Mackentosh.
The Holiday Cast was featured in this production featuring mostly child actors. The May 10 production was seen for this review.
Kai Lemmons, as chimney sweep Bert, shines brightly with high energy and strong voice. Superlative performance.
Emma Hartzell’s Mary Poppins is wonderful. Her performance sparkles and she has mastered the role with her credible British accent.
Everyone is glad Mary is hired to take charge of the kids. “Let’s Hope She Will Stay,” is one the many spirited songs that carry this timeless story.
“When Mary holds your hand/You feel so grand. Your heart starts beating like a big brass band. I’m sure Neleus is beaming. Let’s hope she will stay.”
Olyvia Kovalchick brings great personality to her role as Jane, the energetic daughter of the family that Mary Poppins has taken as a client.
Lochlan McCarthy as Jane’s brother is brilliantly played. Entertaining and fully of youthful energy.
Haldon Kerzner is wonderful as Winifred who is aloof but compassionate toward her spirited children and patient with her banker husband.
August Harrington as George is at once self-centered, distant, and in a cold authoritarian way a loving husband and father. A wonderfully complex character well portrayed.
Graham Webb is parade-ground stiff as Admiral Boom and stuffy as Bank Chairman. And his singing voice is beautiful. Webb also gets delightfully sooty as a member of the Chimney Sweep ensemble.
Eloise Elea as Bird Woman and as shopkeeper’s daughter Annie is charming as she shows how to enjoy what comes along in life. Elea also showcases her considerable skills in two ensembles; the Chimney Sweeps and the Statues.
Jacob Nye as John Northbrook is the epitome of the honest businessman seeking a loan from banker George. He turns in a solid performance.
Hailey Ferguson is delightfully versatile as Fanny, one of the daughters of the shopkeeper. She earns credit with two additional roles as stern, overbearing nanny Miss Andrews and as young Neleus, a statue that comes to life and plays with the real children in the park. Ferguson’s multilevel thespian skills and superb dancing mark her as a future star.
Eliose Enea, Giorgia Dal Maso and Harper Carlo also helped make the statue dancing number memorable. Dal Masso, Enea, Ferguson, Erin Birch, Webb, Harper Carlo and Jaxson Fortunado, Mae Sobrinski and Georgia McKeown also shine in the Chimney Sweep Ensemble.
Alissa Hartzell is wonderful as the nanny who gives up on the children’s antics. She also adds her talents to a couple of ensembles that light up the production: the Bank Clerks and Directors and the Park Strollers.
Conversation shop owner Mrs. Corry is magnificently played by Giorgia Del Masso. She supplies left over letters to the children who, with help from their magical nanny Mary Poppins, produce the play’s signature song,
“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious, if you say it loud enough, you’ll always sound precocious!”
The play is replete with classic show tunes that take us down Cherry Tree Lane such as “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “A Man Has Dreams,” and others.
Erin Birch as Miss Lark is great playing the grand lady with a dog.
Ellie Smith is perfectly humorless and no nonsense as the bank chairman’s secretary Miss Smythe. Great job! Smith burnishes her credentials with her stint on the Bank Clerks and Board of Directors Ensemble.
Anya Ferris gives a great performance as Mrs. Brill, the warmhearted but overworked housekeeper and cook for the family.
Lilly Robinson is perfect in the role of Robertson Ay. The opposite of Mrs. Brill, the character is the deliciously lazy, clumsy and charming houseboy of the manor.
Jackson Marshall shows impressive talent as he does dual duty as respected Policeman in the neighborhood and also as questionable businessman Von Hussler.
The Honeybees ensemble is very cute and lovable. Kudos to Mackenzie Beard, Scarlet Dal Masso, Nya Moyer, Lucy McKee and Asa Beard.
Harper Carlo, Jaxson Fortunado, Mae Sobrinski and Georgia McKeown are outstanding in the Customers Ensemble.
The Park Kids, Kite Flyers and Stars Ensemble contribute greatly to the set by making the park come alive: Michael Passalugo, Sophie Brown, Elaina Bullen, Julian Carnathan, Avery Ries Lira, Mackenzie Beard, Scarlett Dal Maso, Nya Moyer, Lucy Beard and Asa Beard.
The Park Strollers Ensemble make a walk in the park look like a lot of fun. A great job by Ellie Smith, Alisa Hartzell, Jaxon Fortunado, Mae Sobrinski, Georgia McKeown, Lauren Levin, Savannah Marshall, Laura Sodl, Kadence Lewis and Rose Murphy.
The success of such a large cast depends on the quality of the production team and Choreographer Darah Donaher gets a tip of the hat for outstanding dance routines.
Music Director Jacob Kremer deserves great credit for bringing the dances alive with his efforts as does Costume Designer Bill Bauman.
The set design is superb and make remarkable use of a limited space. Set Designer Ellen Schmoyer’s set brings the Edwardian era England scene to live. The set is complimented by the work of Light and Sound Designer Anthony Forchielli and City Entertainment.
Braden Drake is credited as the Production Manager. And this is a great production of a classic musical.
Light Board Operators Abby Urban and Edie Rittle provided multivalued lighting to complex day and night scenes both for indoor and outdoor sets.
Sound Board Operators Kayla Rosado and Mike Martens Jr. did great work balancing music and lyrics in a venue with limited acoustic engineering.
The play is at the Charles A. Brown Historic Ice House, 56 River St, Bethlehem, PA. Telephone: 610-332-1400. https://123pyt.org/
Douglas Graves, Freelance Writer
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