Front Row Reviewers

Jul 31, 2015 | Theater Reviews, Utah County

Apline Community Theater’s Mary Poppins is Practically Perfect in Every Way

Front Row Reviewers

Front Row Reviewers

mary-poppins-01By Deven Skaggs

I had the opportunity to be treated by Alpine Community Theater as they presented Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins in the beautiful Covey Center for the Arts in Provo.

The story begins with the Banks family which lives in London on Cherry Lane, and things are not going well for them. With an angry and aloof father, a heartbroken mother, and two ill-behaved children it seems the household is falling apart. But when a mysterious woman named Mary Poppins appears at their doorstep, the family finds that she’s the answer to their prayers, but in the most peculiar way. Mary Poppins takes the children on many magical adventures involving singing and dancing statues, talking toys, and of course all the toe-tapping tunes we remember from the classic Disney film.

Sarah Ogden graced the stage majestically as the whimsical nanny who flew in from the east. From the moment she stepped on stage I knew she would not disappoint. Throughout the show she gave a lovely performance, full of the whit, sass, and cheeky personality that the audience expects and loves from this practically perfect nanny. Although Ogden played the part well, I would have loved to see the depth of some of Mary’s decisions. Ogden’s performance was a bit emotionally aloof. Also, as well as Ogden did in the role she still couldn’t discount the fact that she didn’t fly. Let me repeat myself. During the entirety of the show, Mary Poppins didn’t leave the ground. To say I was disappointed in that would be gracious.

Opposite Ogden, in the iconic role of Bert, was Jonathan Snyder. Snyder’s boyish face and happy demeanor played well as charming, but he seemed a bit young and inexperienced for Bert. However, his wonderful voice and strong acting choices were a delight to watch and Snyder and Ogden played off of each other very well. Snyder also had the additional challenge of speaking with a Cockney accent (one of the hardest to perform if you ask me.) Although this was clearly a struggle for him, his energy and enthusiasm carried the role.

mary-poppins-02In the roles of Jane and Michael Banks were Allyssa Shar Buckner and Asher Reynolds. These children stole the show! Both of them were constantly engaged in what was happening around them, full of energy and life, and really connected with the rest of the cast on stage. These kids captured the hearts of the audience and took us for a beautiful and emotional ride. These kids are stars on the rise!

Mr. Banks was wonderfully played by Andrew Lambert. Lambert is the only principle actor who is not double cast, and it’s not hard to see why. His strong character and demanding stage presence aided him well as he portrayed the stubborn father. At first glance he looked young and ill fitted for the role, but his ability to command the stage won me over. The journey Lambert took us on was one of many emotions and at the end touched the hearts of all in the audience.

Mrs. Banks was played by Neena Warburton who has a stunning singing voice and glided about the stage beautifully. She is also young and at times she seemed out of place in the motherly role. However, Warburton’s performance made it impossible for me to have ill feelings toward Mrs. Banks. Her performance was obviously heartfelt, which made “Being Mrs. Banks” a very moving song.

The show was directed by Laura Snyder and it was clear the whole way through that she had a vision for this show. I really appreciated that Snyder gave us nods to the Disney film such as costumes, props, and sets that were easily recognizable.

Another one of Snyder’s directorial decisions was to have ensemble members run through the audience in two different spots in the show. I was very confused during “Let’s go Fly a Kite” because the ensemble had no business being in the audience and they distracted from the more important action happening on the stage. In contrast, having the ensemble run amok in the audience as chimney sweeps during the “Step in Time” playoff was genius, fun, exciting, and engaging.

Throughout the show I couldn’t help feeling that the choreography lacked consistent movement choices and styles (probably due to having a total of five choreographers and three dance assistants). I was never sure what to expect with each number, but there were moments of beauty and true entertainment and the cast performed it full out and was a joy to watch.

mary-poppins-03The sets for the show, designed by Daniel James, were wonderfully crafted. I was floored with each new location we ventured into. The colors, patterns, and styles were stunning and aided very well in telling the story.

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Pair these sets with the costumes and you have a spectacle for the eyes. From the statues in the park, the ensembles’ plethora of colors and patterns, to Mary’s iconic dresses, Amanda Burke’s costume design was a job well done! All of this under a lighting design by Pam Davis made for a night full of incredibly beautiful visuals.

The scene changes were long and distracting, and jarred me out of the wonderful world the actors were working so hard to create.

Overall, I would gladly recommend this show to anyone wanting to have a truly fun and magical evening at the theater. But you must act quickly! The show only runs until August 15th and tickets are selling fast. Don’t miss your chance to enjoy this beautiful story that is practically perfect in every way.

Please Note: The show is double cast, separated into the “Red” and “Blue” casts. The show I enjoyed was performed by the blue cast.

LOCATION:
Performances will be at the Covey Center for the Arts at 425 W. Center Street, Provo, Utah.

DATES:
July 24, 25, 27, 30, 31, August 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 13, 14, 15
All shows begin at 7:30PM.

PRICING:
$12 Adults
$10 Students, Seniors and Children (2+)

Tickets are for reserved seating and can be purchased online, by phone or at the door.  More information can be found at alpinecommunitytheater.org.

Front Row Reviewers

Front Row Reviewers

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