Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

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Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 12:52am

I saw this show tonight, not having really any expectations. I got a ticket in the balcony for 30 dollars--GREAT seat.

I don't have my program with me, but the cast really seemed great tonight. The audience was pretty dead, I thought. The sets are amazing and I think the show was written pretty well. Some of the scenes could definitely be cut (along with a few songs), but this has been the best new (to me) production I have seen on Broadway in a long time.

After watching the show, it's amazing to me that there isn't/wasn't more buzz about the show. Does anyone else feel this way?

"If it walks like a Parks, if it wobbles like a Parks, then it's definitely fat and nobody loves it." --MA

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 1:00am

I saw this in August '07 and loved it. I was actually surprised it wasn't talked about more. I only found out because I love Disney and after the TONYS that year I finally decided to get tickets to the show!

How were the understudies? I know the new cast starts tomorrow. I saw Ashley and Gavin and they were brilliant!

Also, there re-teching the whole show, so things will be changed.

2008: Feb. 18- Rent, Feb. 19- Curtains, April 18- Xanadu, April 22- Wicked, April 26- Legally Blonde, May 31- Wicked, June 13- The Little Mermaid, June 28- Wicked and Young Frankenstein, July 2- The Little Mermaid, July 6- A Chorus Line and Legally Blonde, August 16- Xanadu, September 13- Legally Blonde and 13, September 28- Xanadu and Spring Awakening, Oct. 12-GYPSY and [title of show], Oct. 19- Hairspray & Legally Blonde, Nov. 9- Wicked and 13, Dec. 14-13, Dec. 26- Billy Elliot, 2009: Jan 1- Shrek, Jan 2- 13 and Wicked, Jan 4- 13, Feb 17- In The Heights, Feb 19- Billy Elliot, Feb 22- Sweeney Todd (tour), March 28- Mary Poppins, April 4- Mamma Mia!, April 15- Jersey Boys (on tour), April 25- next to normal & 9 to 5 May 1- Billy Elliot, May 3- Spelling Bee (tour), May 8- Chicago, May 21- Wicked, June 6- Everyday Rapture, June 23- The Wiz, June 25- Hair July 15- Shrek, August 9- Wicked, September 7- Rock of Ages, October 11- Next To Normal, October 23- The Marvelous Wonderettes, November 7- Ragtime November 29- Dreamgirls, December 25- Billy Elliot, December 30- Finian's Rainbow, 2010: January 9- Bye Bye Birdie, January 16- Memphis February 17- The Phantom of The Opera, February 18- God of Carnage, March 7- Billy Elliot, March 31- American Idiot

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 1:48am

The understudies were great. I wish I had seen Ashley! I'm a little upset I missed her, but the understudy was great. She looked a little bit creepy though at the end though, when we got a close look at her... (trying not to spoil it). Is that just the character of Mary though?

I will definitely be seeing this show again. The girl coming in did the show in London too, right?

How was Ashley in the role?

"If it walks like a Parks, if it wobbles like a Parks, then it's definitely fat and nobody loves it." --MA

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 1:55am

Ashely was phenomenal, she really made Mary sarcastic but still had the nanny strictness everyone knew which I loved. You could tell she was an American acting British but I heard she has improved a lot since I saw her.

But what do you mean by creepy? Ashley looked fine at the end.

I too plan on making a return trip, I've been saying this for months but just never got around to it. I had the chance on September 28th but made the mistake of see Spring Awakening instead, which I now regret a lot. Turned down seeing Ashley one last time for a show like Spring Awakening, what was I thinking?

Yes, Scarlett Stralin starts today, and she played the role in London...

Scarlett's Broadway BIO.

Updated On: 10/9/08 at 01:55 AM

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 1:56am

It seems calling any Disney Broadway show a "secret" is a little ridiculous, but I agree that Mary Poppins is surprisingly overlooked very often. It did surprise me when I saw it; it's got nothing on the masterpiece that is the movie, but I thought it was VERY enjoyable.

My major complaint is that due to the target audience, a lot of what makes the story so special is sort of glazed over. The moment between Mr. Banks and Bert should have been held onto much longer, but it was just sped through for the sake of the kids in the audience. There was even a verse cut out from the film. The whole Mr. Banks storyline was basically watered down.

But again, over-all...a nice surprise.

Updated On: 10/9/08 at 01:56 AM

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 2:20am

Obviously I didn't mean it literally--but it's not as well known as The Little Mermaid or The Lion King. Considering how huge the sets are (and how much the production costs must be), people don't talk about the show very much.

"If it walks like a Parks, if it wobbles like a Parks, then it's definitely fat and nobody loves it." --MA

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 2:23am

I actually was not that impressed. Visually it was great. But I hated the new story/songs, it felt very shoehorned in with the older material.

I think I would have (for once) been happier seeing the film onstage. But for 35 bucks in a partial view box seat, it wasn't bad.

http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 2:34am

It's not based on the film. It's based on the books.

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 2:34am

I think that the Mary Poppins who went on tonight was Catherine Walker who is very good in the role. She is the first understudy so if it was just for one performance then I am willing to bet she went on. I am not sure about the actor who played Burt though.

I must say that out of all the Disney shows this one is by far my favorite and I agree that it is very overlooked.

I went to the signing/interview at Barns and Nobel with Ashley Brown and the man who wrote the coffee table book "Mary Poppins, Anything Can Happen If You Let It" and he said that the Mr. Banks story line was added in just for the show. And, that it wasn't in either the movie or any of the books. And, yes some of the events in the show were based on the books. I know for example that "Temper, Temper" comes out of a chapter in one of the books called "Bad Wednesday."

I find it funny that when this show was in London it was geared more towards adults and they thought that it would be too dark for kids. They even went so far as to say that parents should leave the kids at home when they went to see this show. But, when the show went to Broadway they changed the logo and made it the typical Disney on Broadway family friendly show. They even went as far as to change the logo for the show for the Broadway production to make it more family friendly. When they changed the logo for the Broadway production they made it the logo for the London one. This was towards the end of the London production. And, at the end of the London production they tried to make it more family friendly.

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

#10

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 3:13am

The understudy was Megan Osterhaus or something, I think?

"If it walks like a Parks, if it wobbles like a Parks, then it's definitely fat and nobody loves it." --MA

#11

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 3:17am

This is one of those shows I felt I was just kind of watching and not really absorbing anything. I guess maybe I was just too anxious for Ashley Brown to have some kind of belting number, but it never happened.

The sets were beautiful and Disney magic was in full swing, but the show itself was underwhelming.

But maybe that was because I was right behind one of those poles in the balcony.

#12

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 5:08am

Megan Osterhaus does sound right for the Mary Poppins understudy. I know that she and Catherine Walker are the two understudies with Catherine being the first understudy. That means usually if there is only one performance that she would be more likely to go on rather then Megan.

CyCoSpAz2, this is not a belting show. If anything there would be a song to show of Brown's amazing soprano.

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

#13

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 8:27am

"But what do you mean by creepy? Ashley looked fine at the end."

The poster was referring to Megan Osterhaus. Ashley left the show a day earlier.

"We like to snark around here. Sometimes we actually talk about theater...but we try not to let that get in our way." - dramamama611

#14

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 10:13am

Mary Poppins is a fantastic production, and I find it frustrating that it is not given more credit for its fabulous strengths. People should really be flocking to this rather than to The Little Mermaid and The Lion King. The show may have some weaknesses (which I think comes from Mackintosh/Disney tug-of-war), but in all, it's one of the more satisfying and original Disney musicals. I am seeing it again next year with Strallen and cannot wait...it's been a long while.

How to properly use its/it's: Its is the possessive. It's is the contraction for it is...

#15

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 10:37am

What do you mean re-teching the whole show? Are they making it simpler to save costs or something?

#16

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 10:51am

I loved this show, too.

#17

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 11:56am

I've actually seen the show 3 times and honestly it may be the best Disney on Broadway show currently running, but is often overlooked because of Little Mermaid and Lion King. The first time was the first preview in 2006, which was absolutely amazing, and many people in the audience that night believed that it could win Best Musical that year. Then, of course, Spring Awakening opened. The second time was just before the tony nominations came out, and I sat, previously in the Mezzanine, in the Balcony. My dad described it as the United Nations up there, and I agree. We then moved down to the front of the balcony for the second half. Even then, the show seemed to loose a little of it's spark from the first time I had seen it. The last time was Kid's Night on Broadway, which was a similar experience, since the three year old girl next to my friend and I commented on everything in the show, to her parent's applause. (I tried shutting her up by kindly saying "Could you please be quiet?", to her parents "Shut up, it's a ****ing kid's show you queer!" My friend and I moved again during the second act to the front row of the balcony.

Over time, however, it slightly lost it's magic touch from when it originally opened. However, it's still one of the best shows on Broadway right now, and i'm anxious to see the show once it's been reteched.

#18

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 12:01pm

I agree in saying Mary Poppins is a terrific show, I just think the word of mouth actually hurt the show. People have said its a good show but it's nothing like the movie. I think that's keeping some people away from seeing it.

A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.

#19

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 12:27pm

What do you all mean they are re-teching it? How so?

"If it walks like a Parks, if it wobbles like a Parks, then it's definitely fat and nobody loves it." --MA

#20

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 12:43pm

ACL2006, I agree with you. I think that people are expecting to see a flashy version of the movie on stage like they did with all the other Disney shows. And they aren't happy when they find out that that is what they don't get.

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

#21

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 1:35pm

WishingOnlyWounds-
I am well aware it's based on the books, that didn't bother me. It was the poorly done adaptation. Drewe and Stiles didn't meld their style with that of the Sherman Brothers, and it is VERY obvious.

http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer

#22

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 1:40pm

It is based on the books and movie, I know, and I had no problem with most of the stuff that was not at all present in the film. But much of the stuff they replaced from the movie is basically a crappier version of what was in the movie. The whole "Cherry Tree Lane" song and nearly everything involving Mr. Banks in any form. It's really amazing how well the show as a whole works considering what a mess the book is and how little Stiles and Drewe contributed in their many new songs. That's the strength of the amazing production, the cast, and the wonderful things the Sherman Brothers did nearly half a century ago.

#23

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 1:43pm

I agree that it is an overlooked show. When I saw it last November during the strike, I was surprised on how good it is. Can't wait to see how it translates with the tour.

#24

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 3:08pm

"The poster was referring to Megan Osterhaus. Ashley left the show a day earlier."

I'm aware, I'm saying when I saw Ashley she looked fine.

Parks, totally just got what you meant by "when she got closer"... sad I didn't make the connection sooner.

There re-teching it by making it I guess more like the London production, again that's a guess being I'm not sure what else they could really change. But I do know there going back into tech for two months then the producers are going to try to get the critics to review the show again.

#25

re: Mary Poppins : Broadway's Best Kept Secret?

Posted: 10/9/08 at 3:17pm

In all honesty, "Mary Poppins" is my least favorite of the Disney shows. Bloated, overlong, with terrible changes to the film score and pain-inducing drawn-out detours. I'll be quite honest and say I can understand why attendance has dropped off so much recently. And the audience I saw it with, mostly tourists, did not seem as enthused as they did at the other Broadway Disney shows....

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