Washington theater: ‘You won’t want to miss’ Mary Poppins

WASHINGTON — Show Director Jenny McClenahan says the Washington Community Theater’s rendition of Mary Poppins opening this weekend is unlike anything local audiences have seen before.

“There isn’t just singing and dancing and acting going on onstage here,” she said. “Mary has a fourth element and the fourth element is magic. That has been the most challenging thing, but I am the most excited about that … it’s not something that is done in every musical.”

Making that magic happen requires extensive practice from everyone involved, from lead actors to backstage hands.

“There is a lot of magic on the stage and magicians have to practice a lot to get good at their craft,” she said. “We have had to do a lot of rigging to make sure that the audience is astonished. We want that to go very well and there cannot be any mistakes or the magic will be disappointing.”

The show’s choreography is also impressive. Coming in at three hours including intermission, the song list is extensive and, in some places, daunting.

“Mary Poppins is a very song-dependent show,” McClenahan said. “It has three songs in it that have very intricate dances, where we hired a choreographer that came in.”

Despite those hurdles, McClenahan said the time was right for the show, which she’s pitched to the theater for the last several years.

“Community theater gives us a break from our differences … We need to go to the theater once in a while to set those things aside and laugh together,” she said. “That is also the message of Mary Poppins, ironically … I think this show sends more than the message of, ‘Let’s go watch a Disney show,’ I think it’s more about bringing families together and bringing communities together.”

The cast is larger and younger than usual for the community theater. McClenahan said that was thanks to the involvement of several teachers and students involved with the show, herself included.

“I actually called around and emailed around to the music teachers in Washington County and the surrounding areas and pitched the show,” she said. “We needed chimney sweeps and strong dancers … we have kids from the Mid-Prairie community, the Washington community and the Highland community. It’s pretty exciting.”

McClenahan said the heavy student involvement hadn’t been a norm since the 2014 show Seven Brides. She said it was a good opportunity for those involved.

“It’s very different for them to see a multimillion dollar community theater running,” she said. “We have rear screen projection, we have an amazing sound and light booth. At Highland we essentially have a hole in the wall with curtains hanging, so it’s great for them to see what musical theater can be … they have no idea, really, what’s coming when opening night hits and a whole community is coming out.”

McClenahan said she was excited for the shows.

“It’s absolutely worth coming out and seeing it,” she said. “You won’t want to miss it. We have spent lots of time on the set and it’s spectacular, it’s very colorful. Not all of it is like the movie, but it is no less magical.”

Mary Poppins runs at the Washington Community Theater June 17, 18 and 19, as well as June 24, 25 and 26. Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30 p.m., Sunday shows are 2:30 p.m.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com