Chim Chim Cher-ee

Last Sunday my friend Scott called and told me he had two tickets to a stage musical he was working on, and asked if I wanted to go.  He admitted it was the dress rehearsal for the show, but thought I would enjoy going.  He suggested I find someone to go with.  Since he had to work the show, I decided to invite my friend Sally.

When we got to Century II last Thursday evening, it was already bustling.

Sally is laughing and conversing with Scott, as he met us in the parking lot to hand us our tickets.

A better photo of Century II can be seen from their web site. 

Most of you know how much I LOVE anything British.

Nobody has to tell me how bad my camera is, so I tried to give you a clue as to what we were about to see.

Here's Scott walking us in from the parking lot.

His job as a rigger, stage hand, and one of the people who created the magic, was phenomenal.

I'm not sure why everyone was dressed in long sleeves, because, as Sally can attest, it was very hot, even in the air conditioned theater.  And yes, I'm THAT short!

The play was fantastic, although cameras weren't allowed inside.  In case you aren't familiar with it, as I must confess I was NOT, it's a musical about a magical nanny who takes a position in the Banks' household after George Banks (a banker) places a request for a new nanny, while the children write their own request.  The request "floats" up the chimney, which is not exactly shown in the play, but recited by Mary when she applies for the job.

The earliest indication of Mary Poppins' magical abilities is seen during the second stage change (sequence) in which she unpacks her bottomless carpet bag in the children's room (nursery). She first removes a hat stand, and then places the bag on a table, removes a potted plant, a lamp, and a mirror, which she hangs on one of the walls in the children's room.

There was a sequence during the song Spoonful of Sugar (which I admit, I had never heard before), in which the kitchen is wrecked and is then magically restored. This involved a series of mechanical (and seemingly magical) effects where steaming water blasts out of the tea kettle, utensils slide around the table, plate racks collapse, a cake is transformed, and a clock falls apart.  Everything is eventually returned to normal, except the cake, which is now beautifully decorated.

There are actually only a few tickets left for this play, which runs through August 18.  Choice seats, like the ones Sally and I got (we both like to sit in front), would have cost $60.00, while others range from $50.00 for evening performances to $22.00-$30.00 for matinees.  All dollar amounts are US.

I only have ONE word for this fun musical I was able to attend thanks to my friend Scott: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious