New Westminster and Burnaby talents are helping to make magic with the Arts Club Theatre's production of the musical Mary Poppins, which just opened at the Stanley Theatre.
Playing Jane Banks, one of the leads, is Kassia Danielle Malmquist, a Grade 7 student at Glenwood Elementary who takes her theatre work at Dancin' Stars School of Performing Arts in Burnaby. In Mary Poppins, she transforms from spoiled brat to thoughtful young girl in her character as Jane, and along the way she displays her considerable singing and dancing talents in most of the many musical numbers.
Katey Wright, who grew up in Burnaby and now lives in New Westminster (where she is one of the artistic producers of Patrick Street Productions), personifies the evil type of Nanny in her song Brimstone and Treacle, as her character Miss Andrews terrifies everyone in the Banks family when she comes to take over from the absent Mary Poppins. She also becomes the charming and magical Mrs. Corry in one of the musical's hits, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
Susan Anderson, long associated with Royal City Musical Theatre, plays the capable Mrs. Brill, the family cook. In the character of the Bird Woman, she also sings the sentimental ballad Feed the Birds.
Sara-Jeanne Hosie as the world's best nanny, Mary Poppins, and Scott Walters, who plays Bert the chimney sweep, lead an excellent cast in the many lively and eye-catching dance numbers in the hit tunes in this musical, choreographed by Valerie Easton, another familiar face from Royal City Musical Theatre.
The cast and crew at the Stanley create a truly magical setting, with authentic, colourful costumes and many beautiful sets - a charming Victorian street and interior, a park, rooftops at night, an imposing bank interior.
Their technical talents have filled the stage with special effects that are truly magical, including Mary Poppins' fantastic satchel, disappearing and appearing characters, flying people, and many more surprises throughout the show.
It's a show well worth seeing, and it goes until Jan. 5.
