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‘Mary Poppins’ brings theatrical, musical magic to St. C. stage

Photo Provided St. Clairsville High School students in the cast of “Mary Poppins” strike a pose during a break from rehearsing for this week’s opening performance of the group’s 2017 spring musical.

Musical theater will spring to life in St. Clairsville starting this week when the St. Clairsville High School Players present their 2017 production of “Mary Poppins.”

The spring musical will take place at 7 p.m. this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and next week on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, May 3-5, in the St. Clairsville Middle School auditorium. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Based on the series of popular children’s books by P.L. Travers, which first published in 1934 and inspired the classic 1964 live action/animated Disney film “Mary Poppins,” the musical version brings the familiar characters and songs to the stage and mixes in a heaping spoonful of even more magical, theatrical fun.

“We have some huge dance numbers,” said Wayne Berk, director of the vocal music department at St. Clairsville Schools and director of this year’s show. “We’ve got 38 kids in the cast, so I knew we had a lot of kids, and I wanted to feature all of them. ‘Mary Poppins’ has four huge dance numbers that has the whole cast in them. There are some great leading role parts for some of my seniors, too.”

Complete with period costumes, British accents and several handmade sets, “Mary Poppins” transports the audience back to turn-of-the-century London, where an uptight and well-to-do family gets more than they bargained for when the children’s new nanny arrives. The magical nanny leads the Banks children on fantastic adventures and helps the family see life from a new perspective.

“‘Mary Poppins’ is a classic,” Berk said. “It’s a great kids’ show and will be great for the community to come watch.”

While the Disney movie featured animation intermingling with actors, and the Broadway production featured harnessed flying and wall walking, St. Clairsville’s show relies on a little “alternative magic.”

“There is not flying involved, because we don’t have a theater that can accommodate it,” Berk said. “The Disney movie had cartoons, and of course, we don’t have that, so we have to kind of create the magic through stage and special effects, lighting and curtains and all of that.

“We will have a lot of different magical things happening in our production.”

The show features a live orchestra under the direction of Justin Schwertfeger, director of instrumental music at St. Clairsville Schools, with student musicians accompanying familiar sing-alongs such as “Spoonful of Sugar,” “Step in Time,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” among many others.

“They’re doing a great job,” Berk said of the cast and crew members, who have been working for several weeks to bring the production together. “We hope everyone comes out to support some high school kids with a ton of talent who are doing some great things in musical theater.”

Principle characters are portrayed by Gianni Basile and Emma McMillen as George and Winifred Banks, and Annaliese Ayres and Ethan Tiger as children Jane and Michael Banks. Leading roles are anchored by Alex Madzia as Bert (as well as the show’s narrator) and Courtney Storer in the title role of Mary Poppins.

Other principle and featured characters include Katie Nanna (Rhyanna Wiethe), Policeman (Caleb Berk), Miss Lark (Kamryn Russell), Admiral Boom (Tavian Harris), Mrs. Brill (Haley Fletcher), Robertson Ay (Mikhail Bady), Park Keeper (Jacob Hendershot), Bank Chairman (Seth Richards), Miss Smythe (Madison Gillotte), Von Hussler (Corey Rogers), John Northbrook (Justin Hoover), Bird Woman (Leslie Rawlings-Lewis), Mrs. Corry (Maya Tadipatri), Fannie (Ayla Holmes), Annie (Emily Heath), Valentine (Maggie Smith), Teddy Bear (Shaqaille McCamick), Doll (Natalie Planey), Ballerina (Lexi Toothman), Toy Soldier (Hannah Callahan) and Miss Andrew (Shaina Thornton).

Park statues include Alexis Barker, Madelyn Conaway, Ashley Greenwood, Alexa Shields and Lexi Toothman, with Caton Kadylak as Queen Victoria and featuring Elaina Baker as Neleus.

The ensemble cast of chimney sweeps, park strollers, kite flyers, bank clerks, bank secretaries and customers includes Grace Heath, Kira Balgo, Miles Fraginal, Logan Gillotte and Burke Glover — in addition to students listed above as featured characters — playing multiple roles.

Live orchestra members include Maggie Murphy (piccolo/flute), Joel Panas (oboe/clarinet), Kelsey Wright (clarinet), Caitlyn Widmor (clarinet/bass clarinet), Garrett Bethel (clarinet), Cameron Gray (trumpet), William Metzger (trumpet), Sarah Evonek (French horn) Spencer Litzenberger (French horn), Angela Breiding (trombone), Marco Basile (trombone), Jonathan Burkhart (percussion), Zane Ponzani (percussion) and Abby Fifield (percussion).

Students in the crew handling lighting, sound, set design, special effects and stage management include Noah Brown, Kaily Drake, Lillian Provost, Ana Woolard, Maddie Malin, Megan Woodford and Ryan Petrozi.

The production is co-directed by Kristen Shaffer, and a number of parents, school staffers, alumni and sponsors have provided support and contributed essential efforts behind the scenes to help make the show possible.

There are plenty of opportunities to catch one of the shows, and the public is invited and encouraged to come out to be entertained and to support the school’s theater program.

“You will come in not knowing what’s going to happen and come out with a smile on your face, humming at least one of the tunes in the show,” Berk said. “It’s just a great evening of entertainment.”

Tickets will be available for purchase at the door or can be purchased in advance. For advance ticket information, email stcmusicals@gmail.com.

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