Practically perfect in every way
“Mary Poppins” is onstage at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Orlando, so let’s just get all the clichés out of the way right from the start. The production is a spoonful of sugar, a jolly holiday, full of high flying fun. Why, it’s super… cal if rag list ic ex pi ali doc io us. Yes, it’s practically perfect. OK, is that all of them?
The thing is, in this case, all those clichés are true. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I must tell you once again that each production at the southwest Orlando church is better than the last. Please don’t let the “church” designation fool you. We’re not talking kid-filled Bible pageants here. Professional lights — with which Alyx Jacobs and George Jackson create gorgeous effects — mesh with Anthony Narciso’s clear sound design.
Joe C. Klug’s scenic design is staggering in its scale and versatility — not to mention its beauty. John R. Mason III leads a team of musicians so good you might forget you’re hearing live music, not a recording. And then there are the performers, led with aplomb by Shannon Starkey in the title role, who make their own magic.
Overseeing it all: Director Steve MacKinnon, who proves once again he’s the go-to guy for large-scale musicals in Central Florida. There are literally dozens of performers involved in this production, and yet he keeps the focus tight while making even the smaller roles register as distinct characters.
For “Mary Poppins,” MacKinnon gets a big assist from choreographer Kim Ball, who makes good use of dancers of varying experience as she expertly stages the big set-piece numbers: “Supercali-etc.,” “Anything Can Happen” and a toe-tapping “Step in Time” in which she brilliantly creates the sensation of tap.
Of course, none of this would mean anything without the performers, and they one and all shine. Starkey is firm yet kind, confident but not arrogant, in short exactly what you want Mary Poppins to be. As Bert, Spencer Morrow is a little more squirrelly than the movie’s Dick Van Dyke, but his energy works well for a stage show.
As Mary’s employers, Ralph Prentice Daniel and Danielle Lang have strong voices, feel like a married couple and make you clearly see their characters’ struggles. Cami Miller is a delightfully comic yet sinister villain.
The supporting roles also are cast with care: Jataria Heyward sparkles as conversation seller Mrs. Corry, Amy Martin Cole is a lovely Bird Woman, Trent Williams handles pratfalls with ease as a hapless servant, and Barbara Dare Thomas is a hoot as the much put-upon housekeeper Mrs. Brill.
“Mary Poppins” isn’t a perfect show — an unneeded song or two bloats the running time — but this production makes the most of every moment. There are five more chances to catch this treat, laden with special effects and theatrical beauty. Fans of musicals — really, fans of seeing how good local theater can be — won’t want to miss it.