Mary Poppins

"Mary Poppins" is pure magic! Just as she so gleefully sings, the play is "Practically Perfect!" Mary Poppins, played by the Lindsey Bliven, has the voice of an angel and an unbeatable stage presence. My 10-year-old daughter literally sat on the edge of her seat throughout the entire show. It really is captivating and an absolute pleasure to experience.

"Mary Poppins" is an American classic story originally released as musical fantasy film, produced by Walt Disney, in 1964. It is set in 1910 Edwardian London and centers on the Banks family who feel that they are in dire need of a dedicated nanny. The family's two children, Jane and Micheal Banks, have gone through a multitude of nannies thanks to their pranks and unruly behavior.

George Banks, the non-affectionate father and stressed-out loan officer, was raised by a cruel nanny and believes a stern, no-nonsense type is what his children need. He expects his wife, Winifred, to be exemplary by performing such duties as hiring a good nanny and entertaining the notable neighborhood wives in the circles he would like to join.

Winifred feels like a failed and neglected mate and is resentful for giving up her career just to become a desperate housewife. With everyone in the household experiencing some level of discontent and disconnect from one another, they are prime candidates for the services of Miss Poppins.

Marry Poppins floats into their lives when "the winds change," directly after the children make an advertisement for the perfect nanny that is torn and drifted up into the chimney. She promises to be all that they want plus as stern as the father desires and promptly hires herself for the position. The children quickly learn that Mary Poppins is "practically perfect" and are intrigued by her mysterious, bottomless bag. Any skepticism about how special she is soon dissipates the next day during their walk in the park where they meet Mary's friends, an animated bunch of unlikely characters.

What ensues is a story that if chock-full of extraordinary singing, dancing from many genres including ballet and tap, and a message that teaches the lessons of faith, family, friendship, kindness, generosity, non-judgment and ultimately, love. Despite being set in the early 20th century, the tale is still one that is contemporary in content: the fear of job loss, balancing family and work life, the plight of trying to raise nearly perfect children in a very imperfect world, and remaining connected to the community. Mary Poppins puts it all into perspective like only she can with, with a "Spoonful of Sugar," of course.

It just happens that my child's favorite word all of last year was "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," therefore seeing the song performed was sheer delight for her. She would have jumped on the stage and joined them if allowed to do so. The colorful costumes and stage props were total eye candy!

Besides Mary Poppins and the Banks family, the ensemble includes a great deal of quirky characters and even a beautifully groomed dog with impressive acting chops. There is the sarcastic family maid, the lazy but gentle butler, Bert -- a jack-of-all trades -- and the dreadful Mrs. Brill, just to name a few.

Despite the sour demeanor of the evil visitor, Mrs. Brill, she is dressed to the nines and is adorned in the most amazing cloak. If you love fashion, you will be able to appreciate her regardless of her mean intent.

My daughter and I loved every minute of the stage play and although the spotlight is on Mary Poppins, we both agree that Jane Banks, played by Cameron Flurry, steals the show. She is simply flawless.

"Mary Poppins" runs through January 4, 2015 at Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut Street in Philadelphia. For information or tickets, call 215-574-3550, 800-982-2787 or visit www.walnutstreettheatre.org or ticketmaster