Mary Poppins Helps MTC Get Second 100 Shows Off to Fast Start

After putting on the 100th production in the history of the company, Moorestown Theater Company Artistic Director Mark Morgan believes MTC is off to a great start with the second 100 shows.

The most recent show to open, Mary Poppins, drew a big crowd for its opening night on Thursday, with six more performances set between Saturday, July 18, and Sunday, July 25.

“You get a lot of value for your money,” Morgan said.

That includes the title character flying on stage, the first time in MTC’s history that one of its performers has done so.

There’s also a 15-piece orchestra and age-appropriate casting. The production is double cast.

“We have actors playing parents who are parents, and I think that lends to the credibility of the show,” Morgan said. “It brings an element of realism to the show.”

In fact, Morgan’s wife, Carol Ann Murray, plays Mrs. Banks in one production. She reprises a familiar role as mother to Jane Banks played, of course, by Juliet Morgan, their daughter.

Mark Duffy plays Mr. Banks in that cast, while Rick Williams plays Mr. Banks in the other cast.

The cast performs songs from the movie, including “A Spoonful Of Sugar,” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.”

It also includes songs not seen in the movie. The show is slightly different than the movie.

“You can’t have cartoon penguins on stage,” Morgan said. “There are new songs you won’t recognize from the movie. It’s a little different, but most of what’s in the movie is in the stage production.”

Morgan called Mary Poppins the “It” show of the season, as the rights for community theaters to perform it just became available in September.

“Everybody’s doing it,” said Morgan, who added that the MTC’s production encourages residents to spend money in Moorestown.

“It can be a night of spending locally,” Morgan said. “People can go to all the nice restaurants we have in, shop in our downtown, and we provide the entertainment.”

MTC’s 100th production was Sleeping Beauty Kids, performed in the spring. Its 101st show was Lion King Jr. and Mary Poppins is No. 102.

“The Lion King was phenomenal. People told us it was the best production we ever had for kids,” Morgan said. “We’re off to a real strong start for our second 100 shows.”

Remaining show dates and times are as follows: July 18 at 7 p.m.; July 19 at 2 p.m.; July 23 and 24 at 7 p.m.; and July 25 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Matinees on Sunday July 19 and 25 include sign language interpreters for the hearing impaired.

All shows are performed at William Allen Middle School, 801 North Stanwick Road in Moorestown.

Tickets are $17. All tickets are reserved. Theater opens 30 minutes before show time.

Visit www.MoorestownTheaterCompany.org to order tickets or call 856-778-8357 for info, including group rates.

The attached images were previously provided by the Moorestown Theater Company

Photo 1: Kaitlyn Resavy (Mary) and Corey Meeks (Bert) are part of the black cast for Mary Poppins.

Photo 2: Steve Gionta (Bert) and Cassandra Moore (Mary) are part of the gold cast for Mary Poppins.