Mary Poppins (played by Rachel McWilliams) uses her magic tape measure on Jane Banks (played by Sloane Brower), and discovers it says "rather inclined to giggle, doesn't put things away." (Andy Hallman/The Union)

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FAIRFIELD - Fairfield Youth Performing Arts is ready to premiere its inaugural musical since the organization was formed in 2024.

FYPA’s thespians will perform “Mary Poppins Jr.” three times this weekend at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center. The shows on Friday, July 25 and Saturday, July 26 will start at 7 p.m., while Sunday’s show on July 27 will begin at 3 p.m. Tickets are available at the arts center’s box office or online at fairfieldacc.com.

The show’s co-directors are Tommy Brower and Phoenix Haessler, joined by musical director Erin Epperson. The directors said they were blown away by the acting and singing talent they witnessed during rehearsals in May, and they’re confident the cast will deliver three unforgettable performances this weekend.

MAJOR ROLES

Playing the titular role of Mary Poppins is Rachel McWilliams, one of three high school students from Mt. Pleasant who have major parts in the musical. McWilliams is going into her sophomore year, and has experience in drama and honors choir.

“She is absolutely marvelous,” Brower said. “She is a wonderful human being.”

“She’s the sweetest kid,” Haessler said.

Two weeks before auditions, Brower received an email from McWilliams saying she and some friends wanted to try out for the musical, but they had a band concert on one of the audition days, and wondered if they needed to audition two days or just one. Brower said he has had a nightmare that he told the three Mt. Pleasant girls “No, you have to come to both rehearsals,” and then he missed out on having them in Mary Poppins Jr.

There are two characters who are in every scene, and they are brother and sister Michael and Jane Banks, played by Tristen Talbot and Sloane Brower, Tommy’s daughter. Sloane told The Union she had prepared for the role for two months before the audition, and Haessler said she “crushed” her audition. Though just 10 years old, this will be Sloane’s seventh play, and the first time in a leading role.

“I still cant’ believe I have the part,” she said.

Sloane said she enjoys singing, and sang for her fourth-grade talent show. She also worked hard at sharpening her British accent by watching the Harry Potter movie series and imitating the character Hermione Granger, played by Emma Watson.

Eleven-year-old Tristen Talbot just performed in Fred Gratzon’s musical “The Lazy Show” a few months ago. Brower said he saw Tristen perform karaoke during a family engagement night at school, and was impressed with his stage presence and energy. Brower told Tristen’s parents they had to sign him up for FYPA, and they did.

“He’s a very talented young man, he’s eager to learn and is just funny,” Brower said.

“The level of talent in the whole cast blows my mind,” Haessler said.

“Even the small roles have incredible voices,” Bower added.

The character of Bert, played by Dick Van Dyke in the 1964 film, is played by Haessler’s 14-year-old brother Oscar. Oscar has done plays before, and acted in Iowa Dance Collective’s “Alice in Wonderland.” That’s why Haessler was surprised when she found out Oscar wasn’t planning to audition for Mary Poppins Jr.

“After the first night of auditions, I was like, ‘Are you sure you’re not going to audition?’ and he was like, ‘You know, actually I think I will,’” Haessler recalled. “I had never heard him sing before, and he blew us away. He’s incredible.”

The parents of Jane and Michael Banks are George and Winifred, and they are played by Xavier Kessel and Clare Whalen, respectively. Just like McWilliams, Whalen is also going into her sophomore year at Mt. Pleasant High School, and Brower and Haessler described her as “legitimately funny” with a dry sense of humor they like.

“She can say something completely ridiculous with a straight face, which I appreciate,” Brower said.

Kessel will be a senior at Fairfield High School this fall, and because of age restrictions in FYPA, this will be his last opportunity to perform with the group. He has performed in a number of shows such as “Peter Pan,” “The Lion King,” and “James and the Giant Peach,” where he had the titular role and performed alongside Brower and Epperson.

Haessler said Kessel is an incredibly talented actor with a great voice, and that casting the character for George Banks was the most difficult, since that character changes the most from beginning to end.

“He’s the one with character arc,” Haessler said. “The whole process of Mary being there and working with the kids is to get George to loosen up and realize that family is more important than money.”

Apart from Whalen and McWilliams, the other girl from Mt. Pleasant High School who appears in this production is Isabella Traman, going into her junior year. Traman plays the Bank’s family’s fill-in nanny, housekeeper and cook.

The Union asked Brower and Haessler how they managed to get three high school students from a neighboring town to appear in their musical, and Brower said he marketed there, plus it helped that the three girls are friends and can carpool to Fairfield. He said McWilliams was in town to see Fairfield’s CCR cover band “Commotion,” and that’s when she saw a poster for Mary Poppins Jr. auditions.

FULL CAST LIST

(In order of appearance)

Bert – Oscar Haessler

George Banks – Xavier Kessel

Winifred Banks – Clare Whalen

Jane Banks – Sloane Brower

Michael Banks – Tristen Talbot

Mrs. Brill – Isabella Traman

Robertson Ay – Ledger Logli

Katie Nanna – Kylie Felt

Mary Poppins – Rachel McWilliams

Neleus – Kennedy Mahon

Mrs. Corry – Vivian Miller

Bird Woman – Leni Bolser

Von Hussler – Cameron Allen

John Northbrook – Quimby Scotton

Bank Chairman – Braezyn Stutzman

Miss Smythe – Aria Reiter

Miss Andrew – Thisbe Adkins

Policemen – George Engel-Foley, Leah Lathrop, Lena Miller

Messenger – Rosie Sieck

Featured Chimney Sweeps – Bixie Brower, Valerie Kessel, Cielo Lee, Braezyn Stutzman

Full Ensemble (alphabetically)

Edmund Adkins, Thisbe Adkins, Cameron Allen, Gwen Alva, Bixie Brower, George Engel-Foley, Kylie Felt, Valerie Kessel, Leah Lathrop, Cielo Lee, Kennedy Mahon, Laingley Miller, Lena Miller, Lorelai Miller, Vivian Miller, Aria Reiter, Quimby Scotton, Rosie Sieck, Braezyn Stutzman, Theo Wagner

Ensemble Groups (in order of appearance)

Park Strollers – Kylie, Thisbe, Quimby, Cameron, Lena, Leah, Edmund, Gwen, George, Valerie, Braezyn

Statues – Bixie, Vivian, Cielo, Aria

Clerks – Kylie, Cielo, Leah, Edmund, George, Aria, Valerie, Thisbe

Customers – All Ensemble Members

Featured Sweeps – Bixie, Braezyn, Cielo, Valerie

Chimney Sweeps – Kylie, Kennedy, Thisbe, Quimby, Vivian, Cameron, Lena, Bixie, George, Valerie, Cielo, Aria, Rosie, Braezyn

Kite Flyers – Kylie, Kennedy, Leah, Edmund, Gwen, Bixie, Lorelei, Laingley, Braezyn, Theo