MARY POPPINS is Coming To Marshwood High School

"Winds in the east, there's a mist coming in, like something is brewin' and 'bout to begin!" Disney's Mary Poppins, The Broadway Musical is coming to Marshwood High School!

When Jane and Michael, the children of the wealthy and uptight Banks family, are faced with the prospect of a new nanny, they are pleasantly surprised by the arrival of the magical Mary Poppins. Embarking on a series of fantastical adventures with Mary and her performer friend, Bert, the siblings try to pass on some of their nanny's sunny attitude to their preoccupied parents.

Mary Poppins is a reimagining of the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney film. The song "Feed the Birds" is an example of this reimagining. In the stage version, the song follows a scene at the bank where Jane asks her father a single, pointed question about recognizing the value. As Mary takes Jane and Michael home, they meet the Bird Woman. Jane is ready to dismiss this lady in rags, but Mary makes sure the children stop and listen as she sings about finding happiness from something as simple as using your tuppence to get a bag of birdseed.

Richard Sherwin, the songwriter, said "'tuppence a bag' has nothing to do with tuppence or bread crumbs. It's about the fact that it doesn't take much to give love, that it costs very little to make a difference in other people's lives." The production handbook for the show further explains, "The song...articulates something essential to the story and to us, the audience: Small gestures of kindness, rather than monetary transactions, fill our lives with joy, satisfaction, and meaning...The message of 'Feed the Birds' applies to the act of theater-making as well. Theater does not require large budgets or high-tech wizardry to tell stories. Care and attention along with imagination, teamwork, and commitment, will bring the show to life."

Director Tanya West says "The arts can bring so much to our lives and the richness it can bring to education is immeasurable. Through creating a show, we are constantly practicing life skills and experiencing what I call 'life lessons.' Mary Poppins is full of these 'life lessons' and it has been our mission to embrace as many as we can."

Don't miss your chance to see Marshwood students in grades 3-12 in this delightful show as Mary Poppins teaches the Banks family (and the audience) to value the important things in life: family, friendship and imagination. It's about discovering the extraordinary world around us, even when things look bleak. As Mary Poppins says, "Anything can happen if you let it. Life is out there waiting, so go and get it!"

Performances for Mary Poppins, The Broadway Musical will be November 15, 16 and 22 at 7pm, and November 23 at 2pm and 7pm, at the Wesley E. Kennedy Performing Arts Center at Marshwood High School. Tickets are available for $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Reservations can be made by calling Marshwood High School at 207- 384-4500 or online at marshwoodmusic.org by selecting District Musical.