Local theater celebrating a ‘jolly holiday’ with ‘Mary Poppins’
With classic songs such as “Spoonful of Sugar,” “Chim Chim Cheree” and “Step in Time,” the Glendale Centre Theatre opened the classic musical “Mary Poppins” this past weekend.
“It’s enormous,” said director Zoe Bright of the production. She most recently directed the musical “Godspell” at the local theater, along with other productions in the past.
The opening-night performance on Friday had to be postponed “due to unforeseen circumstances,” according to an email blast and the theater’s website. The Saturday performance went on as scheduled.
“I love this theater, and I’ve always enjoyed ‘Mary Poppins.’ It’s something that I grew up with, the film,” Bright said.
The musical is different from the film, though, Bright said, because it’s actually about Mr. Banks, the father of the children who Mary Poppins serves as their nanny.
“It’s about sort of his redemption, really. He’s quite a grumpy man. He’s not in touch with his family at all,” Bright said in her native English accent. “He [thinks that] children should be seen and not heard… But they’re very badly behaved. The kids are not little angels, either.”
That’s why all of the nannies have left in the past. But then along comes Mary Poppins, who changes everything for the family.
“It’s almost as though she’s their guardian angel, really,” Bright said.
“The sad thing, of course, is that I can’t fly her here,” Bright said. “We don’t have any of that sort of rigging to do that.”
So, she focused on creating magic in other ways, such as recreating Mary’s bottomless bag and having the chimney sweeps dance on a “roof.”
Glendale Centre Theatre has traditionally had an in-the-round set-up, where the audience surrounds all sides of the stage.
For the most recent production, “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” a small stage was built on one side of the theater, and that has stayed for this show, so a home interior and a roof setting could be created.
Bright added this production of “Mary Poppins” features extensive dancing, set by choreographer Kai Chubb.
It’s Deborah Robin’s first time to play Mary and her first time to perform at Glendale Centre Theatre.
“I told Zoe this is a part I’ve wanted to play since I was 3,” she said. “I’ve loved Mary my entire life and, when I saw the audition notice come up, I had to come in.”
It’s her first time to perform onstage since giving birth to her two young daughters. One turned 6 years old on the Fourth of July, and the other, who is 3 years old, was born on Valentine’s Day.
“I have two holiday babies,” she said.
The Woodland Hills resident said her husband, Forest, has stepped up to help with family needs.
“He’s been so supportive,” said Robin, who works part time teaching music classes. “I wouldn’t be able to do this without him. He’s taken over pretty much all of my duties.”
While she loves all of the songs she sings in the musical, she said “Feed the Birds,” the quieter song in the show, is her favorite.
“It’s one where Mary doesn’t dance or move. It’s a more still number. But it’s been my favorite since I was little,” she said.
For more information about “Mary Poppins,” which runs through Aug. 25, call (818) 244-8481 or visit glendalecentretheatre.com.
Twitter: @LAMarkKellam
