Good day one and all! Greetings from Bert (Matthew Power) your friendly neighborhood artist, chimney sweep and jack of all trades. I just wanted to pop in and introduce you to the cast of the South Arkansas Arts Center production of Disney and Cameron Mackinsosh’s MARY POPPINS!
Welcome to #17 Cherry Tree Lane, home of the Banks family. George Banks (Charley Hankins) rules his family with precision and order, as he does in his job at the bank. Winifred Banks (Andria Gleghorn) keep the home running efficiently but can’t seem to keep a nanny for their two children, Jane (Kaylee Sullivant, Kathryn Legg) and Michael (Jai Durvasula, Luke Louden). Katie Nanna (Jennifer Legg) has just left her job as nanny for the Banks and Mrs. Banks does not know what to do next. 
Suddenly at their door appears Mary Poppins (Hannah Faith Davis). She is not your average nanny, but is practically perfect in every way. She helps the children to learn more about who they are and about their parents through a series of adventures. Neleus (Wiley Taylor) comes to life in the park as do Queen Victoria (Victoria Rodriguez), Prince Albert (Luke Legg) and a Greek statue (Cyan Frey) to dance with the children until the Park Keeper (Renee Bearden) and policeman (Blake Goff) put a stop to their fun. From baking a cake with Mrs. Brill (AnnaMarie Cobb) and Roberston Ay (Michael McLeese), to conversations with Mrs. Corry (Kaila Emery) and her daughters (Avery Hall, Zoe Pyle), and even stopping to feed the birds with the Bird Woman (Nancy Rae Kinard), life is never boring with Mary Poppins around!
Meanwhile at work, George Banks has two men come in asking for business loans. Von Hussler (Holland Ruff) and Northbrook (Austin Crank) await George’s ruling on their accounts, while George must answer to the Chairman of the Board (Jacarllus Hill). With Miss Smythe (Addie Bosanko) and the crew of clerks at the bank, all things must run smoothly.
When Mary Poppins leaves briefly, things start to go wrong on Cherry Tree Lane. Admiral Boom (Ellis Lyles) and Mrs. Lark (Emilia Gathright) have a front row seat to what is happening. With no idea whether Mary Poppins will return, Mrs. Banks reaches out to the only nanny she can think of at this point – Miss Andrew (Charlsie Langley). Miss Andrew has a reputation for strictness and precision, having been nanny for George Banks in his childhood. Once Mary returns, she sends Miss Andrew on her way. George is soon called to the bank and before the board of directors to answer for his business choices and he is afraid for his job. Jane and Michael along with Winifred Banks hurry to the bank to support George. Mary Poppins has worked her magic on all the members of the Banks family by the end of the show, proving that anything can happen if we let it.
Joined by an ensemble of park goers, kite flyers, and chimney sweeps (Braelyn Allen, Lexi Dorrell, Allison Kirksey, Parker Lacy, Lily Langston, Addalyn Miller, Lorna Miller, Alisa Proctor, Destinee Smith), SAAC’s summer musical “Mary Poppins” is a show for all ages to enjoy. Based on the novel and movie, familiar songs can be heard like “Jolly Holiday” and “Feed the Birds” and “Let’s Go Fly a Kite.” The cast includes many El Dorado locals, as well as actors from Camden, Magnolia, and even Arkadelphia.
When asked what makes “Mary Poppins” a special show Director Ian Aipperspach stated “Mary Poppins is a practically perfect journey of watching a family grow stronger together. The songs and dances are memorable, singable, and contain a spoonful of sugar to keep us happily tapping our steps in time. As we watch the Banks family grow stronger, we can see parallels in our daily lives in how we can be better people. This is the real ‘magic’ in life – that we should treat people with kindness and respect.”
• • •
July 11-12 & 20-21
for Kaylee Sullivant & Jai Durvasula
July 13-14 & 18-19 Performances
for Kathryn Legg & Luke Louden
• • •
The South Arkansas Arts Center
Production of
Disney and
Cameron Mackintosh’s
MARY POPPINS
A Musical based on the
stories of P.L. Travers
and the Walt Disney Film
Original Music and Lyrics by
Richard M. Sherman
and Robert B. Sherman
Book by
Julian Fellowes
New Songs and Additional Music
and Lyrics by
George Stiles and Anthony Drewe
Co-Created by
Cameron Mackintosh
Cameron Mackintosh and Disney’s
Mary Poppins
is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.
www.mtishows.com