With a spoonful of sugar,  “Mary Poppins The Musical” will soon be performed in a most delightful way.

The cast members have been preparing for this musical all year, a play that has presented many challenges.

Director and theater teacher at McNary High School. Mr.Tom Cavanaugh said “The most difficult part of the play is that everything is really big so there is a lot more to do.”

“Most people have seen Mary Poppins so hopefully we’re doing it justice and that they get to come in and feel all the feels that they did when they watched the movie growing up. Hopefully they see some really outstanding performances, and get to come in and have fun, be immersed in a big beautiful show,” Cavanaugh said.

SeniorJ ason Maurer is playing George Banks, the father of the family in this production.

His character is the primary source of conflict and strife within the family. 

“He is the reason that Mary Poppins comes to bring order to the family, and the conflicts with work and with the family make George Banks somewhat of an antagonist,” said Maurer. “But throughout ‘Mary Poppins,’ and other events, George comes to a change of heart.”

Senior Gage DuBois is playing Bert, the lead male role. 

“Bert is one of Mary Poppins’ best long time friends. He's essentially the most friendliest guy you could ever meet,” he said. 

“I found out I had the role about a month before school started so with that I took the soundtrack of the musical, (and)  learned all of the music that I sung over the summer so I could come to the first rehearsal prepared,” Dubois said.

Preparing for their parts mainly consisted of memorizing lines and sharing ideas with other cast members. Maurer is a compassionate person and finds it hard to act as an angry father towards his ‘kids’. 

Senior Talia Medlin is playing the lead role.

“I was extremely surprised. I actually didn’t see the cast list at first. One of my friends who’s playing Mrs.Brill in the play messaged me before I ever saw the cast lists,” Medlin said when she first saw her name on the cast list.

“Mary Poppins the Musical” opens at 7 pm, Wednesday, Jan. 25, in McNary’s Ken Collins Theater. Buy your tickets here. Check out the McNary Thespians Instagram page for more information and to keep updated on the play. 

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