TVAC opens their 19th fall musical production Nov. 14 with Mary Poppins

DAYTON-The Touchet Valley Arts Council's 2019 fall musical Mary Poppins promises to be supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Director Elizabeth Arebalos-Jagelsi said, "It's epic and different than any other we've done on this stage."

Mary Poppins is based on the stories of P. L. Travers. It tells the story of the Banks family who are rescued from their emotionally stunted father when a musical, magical nanny, named Mary Poppins, drops into their lives at Number 17 Cherry Tree Lane, London.

This happy, feel good musical stars Janine Wheeler as Mary Poppins, Jim Edwards as George Banks, Amanda Calvert as Winifred Banks, Madison Carter as the Banks' daughter, Jane, Carter Barron as the Banks' son, Michael, and Sean Calvert as the plucky chimney sweep Bert.

Janet and Paul Ihle provide comic relief as the cook and houseboy.

Arebalos-Jagelsi said to watch for some thrilling flying scenes and spectacular choreography.

"Every number gets bigger and bigger, and bigger," she said.

Arebalos-Jagelski invites audience participation in the older Richard and Robert Sherman tunes like Let's Go Fly a Kite, and new scores by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe like Practically Perfect.

An all-volunteer technical crew is responsible for creating the magic the audience will see, through moveable sets, colorful props, and period–appropriate costumes.

Arebalos-Jagelski said it isn't easy creating special effects in a small theater like the Liberty Theater, but the ones in Mary Poppins are "positively explosive".

She said Mary Poppins has been in the planning stages for over a year, and has a cast of 59.

Tap dancing choreography began back in June, and Arebalos-Jagelski credits Darla Brownell-Tubbs for stepping up for that.

Brownell-Tubbs and choreographers Patti Jo Amerein, and Tracy Barron are responsible for such lively dance numbers like the show stopping number Step in Time.

The melodic marches and anthems in the production are also the purview of accompanist Jim Thorn.

This is Arebalos-Jagelski's sixth play since her directorial debut in the third TVAC production of Wizard of Oz.

She said she is ably assisted in this production by Co-director Leah Stockton, who is also the Prompter, Choristers Mariah Harter and Sarah Thomson, Costumer Mary Luce, and Musical Director Mike Ferrians, she said.

"It takes so many people," she said.

Find out how a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down beginning on November 14.

Tickets can be purchased at the Liberty Theater website at: libertytheater.org or by phone at: 382-1380. Prices are tiered and the are $15, $18, or $20 , except for Family Night, on Nov. 14, which costs $10.

Mary Poppins runs through December 7.