You won’t need a spoonful of sugar to help this musical masterpiece go down. Broadalbin-Perth’s summer drama program presents “Mary Poppins Jr.” on Friday, August 16th at 6:30 p.m. in the Margaret Robin Blowers Auditorium at BPHS. Tickets are $5 and can be bought at the door, and proceeds will benefit the summer drama program.
The summer drama program runs for six weeks and is for students entering grades 3-9. BPHS special education teacher Mike Ott is directing the show, but says the students, especially high schoolers helping out with the production, really take the lead. “It helps [the younger students] solve problems and learn creative thinking,” said Ott of the program, “especially because the program is so student run.”
“Mary Poppins Jr.,” based on the famous Disney musical and 2006 Broadway production, is adapted for younger performers. But students still get a full stage experience, from costumes and makeup to stage crew. High School students are serving as mentors for their younger peers putting on the production, teaching them music and choreographing the show.
“We have 26 kids in the show, and eight high school students helping us out,” said Ott.
Ott says “Mary Poppins Jr.” is the first show for a lot of the kids in the program, and says the biggest obstacle for kids has been playing an adult. “Acting like you’re an adult when you’re 12 is a bit of a challenge.”