Mary Poppins

"A spoonful of sugar is all it takes, it changes bread and water into tea and cakes."

Mary Poppins: She mysteriously arrives at the Banks' household to nanny for the children, but is actually saving the entire family.  Since 1964, this plot is near and dear to the hearts of most everyone.  And how could I forget - she is practically perfect in every way (here is where I start bopping my head back and forth to the tune and beat of this song).

Broadway Across America has gifted Salt Lake City with the touring company of Mary Poppins.  I'm not going to go into gory details like I normally do; if you want details, go to this review.

I find myself so caught up in the magic tricks, the choreography, the eye-candy colors everywhere, that I forget the world around me.  I love so much about this show I don't care about weak plot points or things that don't make sense, like the ridiculous resolution of George Banks' conflict or the strange statue that comes to life or the word-seller Cajun lady.  There are also some rather boring moments for me, but I'd say only twenty or thirty minutes of the two and a half hour show fall into that category.

This Mary Poppins is more from the books than from the Disney classic movie, so be prepared for someone who isn't a saccharine as expected.  Also, there is a number involving toys coming to life that would scare me to death if I were a child but I giggled right through it this time because I looked around at the audience and saw their shocked looks of horror.  Ha.  Consider yourself warned.  It really isn't that bad, just entirely surprising. 

Notice things like the use of color in costuming and lights to show stark contrasts, the lighting design to make you feel you are amongst the stars, and the clever tricks in almost all of the scenery and set pieces.

My favorite part?  Step In Time!  The cost of admission is worth it for this number alone.  You may think I'm kidding, but I'm going to be purchasing a ticket today to see the show again.  I cannot tell you the excitement bubbling up in me (and I'm smiling foolishly and getting all jittery and excited while writing) that now all of those in the Salt Lake area can finally know what I am talking about when they ask if I've seen Mary Poppins and I squeal, "Tap. Dancing. ON. THE. CEILING!!!"  Yes, I really squeal it.  Yes, I really put that much emphasis on it.

During Step In Time, I half expected Mary to look out at the gaping-mouthed, gasping audience and repeat her earlier line, "Close your mouth please.  We are not a codfish."

Three of the four of us who have season tickets together regularly write our thoughts on shows for public domain, two of them for a very popular local theater review site.  As we walked out, I said to the group, "You know, shows like that make me not care about dissecting anything or critiquing.  They just make me feel happy.  I don't care about anything else.  This show makes me ridiculously happy."  And even the most critical of them agreed, adding that he appreciated the great morals and family value lessons in the show. 

I saw the show in New York City back in 2007, then again in 2008.  Since then, I've tried to recommend this show to all of those going to NYC, as a "fun, family friendly, big Broadway show."  Unfortunately, most of them opt for the spectacle of Wicked or the latest trendy performance.  But now they flock to Mary Poppins because it has come to their front door.  You all know what I'm talking about now, don't you?  Listen to this girl!  I know my Broadway! 

To echo the lyrics of the closing number, "Anything can happen if you let it."  Let your heart open wide, let yourself become a child again, let your senses be dazzled, let yourself enjoy Mary Poppins for the light-hearted gift it is.  You may just find yourself singing along to Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious at curtain call like most of last night's audience.  Get tickets here.  (use code TZOO for a 40% discount on some days)

It's a Jolly Holiday with Mary

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Step In Time!

Les Miserables Broadway Across America

I live a charmed life sometimes.  Other times, well...we need not show off those wounds.

I've mentioned before my most amazing friends on the planet, right?  I was blessed, once again, with treasure beyond my deserving - tickets to Les Miserables.  Not once, but twice. 

Adventure number one was quite the romantical evening out with my darling friend Chris.  We have season tickets together with Melissa and Jon, but were unable to attend on our original night.  We thought we'd be out of luck until Melissa called us and said she had two Orchestra tickets for Chris and I on Saturday May 28 if we wanted them.  Heck yes!

We started the evening with delicious chicken philly cheesesteak-type sandwiches and cheese fries, which, if you know me, you know I couldn't be much happier with the meal selection.  Chris, knowing me as well as he does, also knows I do not appreciate driving in downtown SLC on busy evenings and he volunteered to chauffeur.  The chill in the air and the drizzle of rain made for what could have been construed as miserable, but cutie little Chris (well, he's huge, but you know) had this umbrella he carried over my head, made sure my lil legs were adequate to jump across all puddles, and even pulled me in when he noticed my wandering self was drifting away from the umbrella coverage.  I kept thinking to myself, "Man, this is kinda romantic!  Too bad I'm not with a boyfriend!"  But I then smiled as I realized that boyfriend or no boyfriend, my actual friends don't get much better than Chris and I couldn't have been more grateful for those moments.

Adventure number two was a pleasant surprise to say the least.  My friend from the womb, Scot, (yes, our moms were prego at the same time and we grew up together!) and his amazing wife, Megan, came down from Idaho with their theater friends to enjoy their season tickets at the Capitol.  I was planning on meeting them for a couple hours in the morning prior to church and give them grandiose hugs g'bye.  Only, it happened to be pride weekend and their friends happened to take their car up to see the parade and festivities.  Scot and Megan said it sure would help them if I could give them a ride to the theater, and, hey, it sure would help them if I'd take this ticket and see the show!  I'm usually a stickler with keeping the Sabbath Day holy.  I have been known to make exceptions for vacations.  I struggled with the decision a wee bit, but decided I would take the blessing to spend more time and enjoy the show with these lifetime friends whom I only have the pleasure of seeing once per year.   And as a result of our afternoon out, I was given permission to marry Scot should Megan ever die.  Precious.  And twisted. 

Because the show was the same cast, I will share with you my collective thoughts from both viewings and a collaboration of the input from others - seeing a show with four theater gurus is an eye-opening must.

Les Miserables is always going to be loved by audiences.  Let's face it, they'd have to be really terrible for the audience not to go nuts, especially in Utah. 

The quick summary? 

Pros: Les Mis!  The sets were amazing - no more rotating stage for this show, but three-story high sets and projection screening effects that I actually liked - hallelujah!  The Wonderland folks could have taken a lesson from these designers.  Javert.  Best character, singer, actor in the show - I swear by the stars:-)  The collective-cast sound was brilliant and beautiful and hit the right chord in my heart.  I am a sucker for a sincere tale of redemption and they don't come better than Les Mis. They cast Fontine and Cosette as a mother/daughter pair so like each other you would almost think they were the same actress - props.

Cons: There must have been a special school of vibrato all of the cast had to graduate from in order to perform - they all had this same overly ample warble.  I am all about classical and I know this show needs to be so, but...MAN...calm it down, I think I hear some goat mating calls in the distance. Alright, alright, it wasn't that extreme, but it made me giggle when I thought it, so I shared.  Eponine, on the contrary, had no vibrato - she straight toned the heck out of everything.  And, interestingly enough, she managed to change ethnicity from child to adult - reverse Michael Jackson syndrome? Valjean had a weak head voice, which really bummed me out on "Bring Him Home."  His chest voice more than makes up for it, but hearing a non-strong-head voice rendition of "Bring Him Home" is like having a pizza with no cheese.

For me, the shows were mainly about the company with whom I was sharing the experience.  I can only dream of some day being as talented as the performers on that stage.  I love that my heart is able to sing along with them and simultaneously be filled with the joy of knowing I am loved and am capable of loving so much in return.  Thanks, Jean Valjean.

Chris all bearded for his role in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat"

Scot!

Young Frankenstein

What do you do when some of your besties come up to you and excitedly ask, "Do you want to get season tickets with us for Broadway Across America at the Capitol Theater?"
Don't think.  Say, "YES!"

For those of you who don't know, Broadway Across America is the organization that brings us the touring Broadway shows of everything from "Wicked" to "Les Miserables" to "Legally Blonde."

We bought these tickets what seems like forever ago and last night we were finally able to experience our second show - "Young Frankenstein."

I've seen this Mel Brooks show on Broadway, starring the likes of Sutton Foster (my fav!), Roger Bart, Megan Mullally, so I wasn't quite sure if another company could win me over.  Especially considering I will see any show for Sutton Foster or Megan Mullally, but shows with jokes from a man missing a leg and an arm saying something cost him "an arm and a leg" just don't typically tickle my fancy.  Mel Brooks' style is so over-the-top with blatant puns and innuendos thrown in your face - subtlety is non-existent.  "Roll in the Hay," anyone?  I like a pun to be so clever you feel particularly clever yourself if you catch it.  Or just so so so ridiculously cheesy that you can't help but laugh at the person trying to make it funny.  Ends up the humor was more of the latter than I remembered. 

Melissa's favorite part of the show was the character Igor (eye-gore).  Which, consequently, leant itself to my favorite part of the show, which was listening to Melissa laughing at Igor:-)

Jon was dreaming the entire evening of someday playing Dr. Frankenstein - even choreographing his own tap number while we descended the stairs after the show.  The dance numbers in this show are big, impressive, entertaining, and involve real dance - from tap to ballet to my favorite type that is more of a gymnastics endeavor.  If you enjoy *big* Broadway production numbers, you'll enjoy this show.

Chris?  Well, I'm not sure what his favorite part was...the lady in front of us almost laying her head on his knee during the entire show, the couple on a date behind us, trying not to laugh at the innuendos, sitting next to me, or fantasizing about turning into "the monster" with accompanying deep love.

I think a highlight of the evening for all of us was being escorted backstage after the show.  Seeing all of the magic deconstructed back there - the costumes, the props, the sets, the make-up stations, the quick-change areas, standing in the wings...talk about being on the very cusp of your dreams!  Never, in a million years, did I imagine I'd be part of a circle of people so closely involved with an area of my life that has always fulfilled me more than any other.  I am blessed. 

Three of my biggest blessings? Melissa, Jon, and Chris - I love you all and thanks for another fantastic evening at the theater!