Theater Review: “Mary Poppins” at Wilton High School

Review by Nancy Sasso Janis

Wilton High School Theatre completes this year’s theater season with the Disney classic,"Mary Poppins." The students are presenting four performances at the impressive Clune Center for the Arts on the high school campus.

The two-act musical is based on the books by P.L Travers and the 1964 Disney movie musical and is appropriate for all ages. The stage production features new music from George Stiles and Anthony Drewe and a book written by Julian Fellows (famous for the television series “Downton Abbey.”)

The beloved story of the magical nanny comes to life with many of the Sherman brothers’ familiar songs including "Jolly Holiday," "Feed the Birds," "Step in Time," "A Spoonful of Sugar," "Let’s Go Fly a Kite" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," some of which appear more than once in the score.

There are over 75 Wilton High School students in the cast, crew and orchestra pit that are involved with this excellent production.

WHS Theatre has spent the last three months creating the tale of the troubled Banks family at 17 Cherry Tree Lane that is visited by the enigmatic Mary Poppins who ultimately teaches the family the lifelong lessons of gratitude, acceptance and joy.

For the first time, the high school students are working with ZFX Flying, the company responsible for the flying effects in the original Broadway production to add the extraordinary and always impressive element of flight to the production. Mary drifts above the stage with her iconic umbrella and Bert walks up one side of the stage, across the top, and down the other side. Some kites do some flying as well.

The students were directed by Andrea Metchick, who also added some additional choreography to the work of producer Kathryn Luckson. Assistant director was Kevin Slater with Finnegan Ryder in the role of student assistant director. The choreography includes some great tap dancing during “Step in Time.”

Metchick writes that “the story of Mary Poppins has touched all of us at one time in our lives. We were raised on the classic Julie Andrews and Dick VanDyke’s smiles, voices and graceful movements as stuff our dreams of theater were born from. [The books] took us outside ourselves and helped us find compassion for others and remind us to connect with our families.”

Ella DeLuca is perfectly cast in the role of Mary Poppins. She sings beautifully and masterfully brings to life this magical character.

Jake Enman is a charming Bert and a fine dancer to boot. Henry Purcell manages the character arc of George Banks and Miya Lasher is a graceful Mrs. Banks that shines in “Being Mrs. Banks.” Emily Baer is strong in the role of Jane Banks and young Alex Shiue plays the role of her brother Michael.

Sayuki Layne commands the stage in her role as the nasty nanny Miss Andrew (“Brimstone and Treacle,”) with a scary wig. Nick Somma stood out with a wonderful singing voice as Northbrook, as well as the park keeper.

Also in the well-rehearsed cast are Nicole Allers, Daisy Beach (Annie,) Lucy Beach (Bird Woman,) Sarah Bennett (Mrs. Brill,) Julia Bloss, Reina Calafell, Aiden Cannavino, Ryan Cohen (Neleus,) Josie Coleman, Tyler Coppola, Norah Corrigan, Will DeBernardis (Policeman,), Jackie DiCenzo, Haldan Dickinson (Teddy Bear,) Samantha Dorne, Will Drew, Allison Eidt (Miss Lark,) Skyler Espinoza, Erin Famous, Shae Farago (Mrs. Corry,) Amelia Fleming (Doll,) Thomas Fletcher, Eli Foodman (Valentine,) Albert Furman, Connie Gao, Aijalon Gordon, Clarissa Greis, Tess Gunning (Nymph Statue,) Avni Gupta, Lydia Hall, Elle Hawthorne, Grace Hoermann, Nick Huberty (Bank Chairman,) Hannah Hsu, Savannah Joseph, Isabella Kaoud (Nymph Statue,) Kokona Layne (Fannie, Nymph Statue,) Alex Lyon, Hannah McCall, Reina McDermott, Ellie Meyer, Kara Mobyed, Connor Murphy (Admiral Boom,) Ellis Nichols (Katie Nanna,) Melissa Ongley, Illeas Paschalidis (Roberston Ay,) Maria Paschalidis, Joy Ren, Erin Robins, Kate Rusin, Finnegan Ryder, Lyra Sharma (Miss Smythe,) Alex Shiue, Robin Somma, Thomas Stofega, Grace Todd, Alex Wang (Von Hussler,) Kendra Ward, Rebecca Wax (Queen Victoria,) Henry Wiltamuth, Joshua Zheng.

The ambitious set design by Christian Planton includes many large pieces that are moved around to set various scenes. There are some great song effects that add to the story. The sound was good overall, although there were a couple of points that were too loud for those of us in the front rows.

Costumes designed by Mary Brannan are colorful, period-specific and cohesive. Mary Poppins has all of the required outfits and the gowns for Mrs. Banks are lovely. The couples that waltz are decked out in finery in matching colors.

Lighting design by Adam Lobelson works effectively and follows the characters that fly.

Will Mandelbaum directs the orchestra in the pit, a mix of students and professional musicians. Marc Sokolson, who served as music director for the now shuttered Blessed Sacrament Children's Theatre production of “Mary Poppins,” plays keyboard one and Clio Janis plays a wide range of guitar lines.

The production of "Mary Poppins" is generously sponsored by Wilton based company ASML. The Theater Arts Association Booster Club board was instrumental in getting this show on the stage and the director thanked the Wilton High School families for sharing their students with the production team.

Tickets can be purchased through wiltonhighschooltheatre.com.

https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/74079

The remaining performance is on May 20, 21 at 1PM in the Clune Center for the Arts. Tickets are $15 for students and $20 for adults.

Seating is general admission, and the theater opens to the audience thirty minutes before curtain. For group information or reservation questions please call 203.762.0381x6205.

Nancy Sasso Janis, writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, posts well over 100 reviews each year. In 2016, her membership in the Connecticut Critics Circle began and her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted not only in the Naugatuck Patch but also on the Patch sites closest to the venue. She recently became a contributor to the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Her weekly column and theatre reviews appear in the Thursday Weekend section of the paper.

Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theatre Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the NEW CCC Facebook page.