BWW Review: Vive Les Arts Theatre Pursues the Magic of MARY POPPINS in Killeen, TX
by Amy Bradley
- Jul 28, 2016
The community driven, Vive Les Arts Theatre located in Killeen Texas, brings to life MARY POPPINS, in Vive Les Arts self-proclaimed "huge summer musical". We all know the traditional Mary Poppins story of family, discipline, and chimney sweeps, yet, however familiar this tale is, it's always refreshening to revisit the Banks on Cherry Tree Lane. Beginning with Bert (played by John Asbach), everyone's favorite chimney sweep, setting the scene for Jane (played by Joy Adams) and Michael (played by Jonathan Dominguez), as they adventure with Mary Poppins (played by Heidi Lewis) through the streets of turn of the century England. As two very misbehaved children, their distracted mother Winifred Banks (played by Carlie Jo Hill) can't seem to keep a nanny for longer than a few weeks. Adding insult to injury, George Banks (played by Jeremy Stallings) is a classic distracted father aloof and unconcerned with his family. George places value on his money more than anything, showing the audience that adults have lessons to learn as well. As the winds change, Marry Poppins storms in without notice, and begins teaching the children that, "anything is possible if you let it". The journey continues with moving statues and larger than life set pieces that add a new and different spin to this timeless classic directed by Hayley Dugger. Presented in front of a buzzing community audience, the cast of MARY POPPINS entertained the locals with their adaptation of this joyful musical.
