by James Kliegal

The smash Broadway hit, Mary Poppins, is the spring musical for the Lindsay Community Theater. Show dates for Mary Poppins are April 19, 20, 26, & 27 at 7:30 p.m. and April 21 & 28 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are adults $15 ($10 online in advance) and students $5. Get tickets at lindsaycommunitytheater.com. Mary Poppins is directed by Jim Kliegl, and the choreographers are Chelsea Cusack, Linda Jarrett, and Haley Brummet.

Mary Poppins centers around the lives of the Banks family: Father George (George Galloway), Mother Winifred (Alli Smith), Son Michael (Elizabeth Clements), and daughter Jane (Evy June Elizondo). Michael and Jane are mean to their nanny (Stacey Johnson) who abruptly quits. When the kids describe the “perfect” nanny, Mary Poppins (Chelsea Cusack) magically appears and takes on the job. The other servants, Miss Brill (Darby Madison) and Robertson Ay (Jack Craven) are glad that someone else is taking care of the “little monsters.”

Michael (Elizabeth Zimmer), Jane (Evy June Elizondo), and Mary Poppins (Chelsea Cusack) play in front of the statue Neleus (Riley Keeton)

Mary Poppins displays some magical abilities and takes the kids on a magical journey to the park, where they meet a talking statue, Neleus (Riley Keeton), a chimney sweep, Bert (Jonathon Passmore), the Bird Woman (Carlene Ruiz), the Park Keeper (Gabe Hernandez), and the Talking Shop owner, Mrs. Corry (Jennifer Keeton) along with her two daughters Annie (Taryn Edwards) and Frannie (Phoebe Mora). Also in the park are Policeman (Sofia Craven), Admiral Bloom (Laura Grabowski), Miss Lark (Haley Brummet), and Queen Victoria (Liz Waterman).

Later, in the nursery, Jane and Michael fight over the toy doll Valentine and rip off her arm. Mary Poppins places the doll in the toy chest to “heal.” Then the life-sized Valentine (Edelyn Zimmer) emerges from the toy chest and complains about how she is treated. Soon all the other toys (Brooke Farnsworth, Jacob Waterman, Michelle Huckaby, Robin Hernandez, Libby Elerick, Saffron Galloway, Phoebe Mora, and Haley Brummet) join Valentine, and they all leave in protest. Mary Poppins also leaves to let the kids learn on their own.

George Banks meets with the bank president (Audrey Obannon) and two clients, Von Hussler (Aurora Hernandez) and Northbrook (Stiffany Steele) about bank loans. When one of the deals appears to go badly, George is suspended from his job. Winnifred meanwhile hires a new nanny, Miss Andrew (Amy Zedda), George’s nanny from his childhood. When George sees her, he yells, “The Holy Terror,” and runs from the house. After the kids are treated horribly by Miss Andrew, they run away from home as well.

When Mary Poppins returns to the park, she finds the kids, returns them home, and ousts Miss Andrew. George learns that his bad business decision was actually a very good one, and he is reinstated at the bank with a promotion. After his ordeal, George realizes that family is more important than work, and the family is finally whole and not broken. Mary Poppins, her work here done, flies away over the rooftops of London to another family that needs her “magical” help.

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