PHOTOS FROM MARY POPPINS

 

About time! All the photos from the show are taken by Genny Wynn, who is also the lighting designer. About 75% of the costumes were rented from PCPA Theatrefest in California. This show is huge, we did have to plug in some of our own stock for size reasons and more people in the dance numbers. I'll try to remember to point those out. And now, Mary Poppins!

 He's Bert (Olin Davidson) at the top of the show singing "Chim Chim Cher-ee"

 Bad Banks kids with Katie Nanna (John-Laurent Dean, Heather McCall and Maggie Tarpley)

 The Banks kid wrote the ad for a new nanny, Katie Nanna quit!
Mrs. Banks(Desiree Dillon) Mr. Banks(Micheal Hadary) Jane and Micheal. Mrs. Bank's costumes are from our stock.

 Hey, it's the new nanny! Mary Poppins(Megan Wheeler) arrives right after Mr. Banks tears up the kids ad and throws it out the front door.

 Mary gets the job! (imagine that!) And takes the kids to the park were they meet Bert. Who's drawing pictures, that seem to come alive( in the movie they jump into the chalk drawing)

 The park inside the painting

 Hanging out with the statues. Tanisha Moore, Hannah Trowell, Cedric J. Page, Micheal McClain. The statue costumes are from Theatre Macon

 It's a "Jolly Holiday" with Mary and a very quick change into these costumes ( shout out to Lacy and Lindsey, our dressers)

 Holy cow! The statues come alive. Added to the statues: Sarah Arnett and David E. Foster

 Oh, look, Queen Victoria is a black woman! Renita James as the queen. Her costume is from stock and I made her headpiece.

 Mrs. Brill (Lindsay Simon) isn't too happy. Mrs. Banks is having a tea party and she has to do extra work. She's giving instructions to Robertson Ay(Blake Fountain)

 The kids try to help.

 Mary shows up and gives everyone "A Spoonful of Sugar" to help the "medicine" go down....hm.....

 .....which causes everyone to dance around like crazy. Forgetting that nobody came to the tea party.

For some reason, that Poppins woman decides to take the kids to the bank where Mr Banks works. Is it Take the Kids to Work Day? Mr. Banks is a loan officer and has to decide between..

 the man (Ryan Stillings) who wants to open a factory to benefit the workforce or......

 this guy (Micheal Byrne), who has some sort of hinky plan to make the bank lots and lots of money. Mr. Banks isn't to happy when the kids show up.

 Outside they come across the Bird Woman (Caroline Hatchett). I wish I could post videos so you could hear her singing. She also did all the wigs for all 3 shows. Her costume is from stock and I made her hat.

Mary then takes the kids to Mrs. Corry's shop. A very strange place indeed!

 Annie, Mrs. Corry, Mary Poppins, Fannie(Christine McNeal, Tanishia Moore, Kelsey Russo). We had to pug in 4-5 costumes for size reasons and the wigs  are ours.

The crazy dance number that happens is: SUPERCALIFRAGILLISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS

 Mr. Banks is annoyed (what else is new?) with the kids when they come home. They get sent upstairs where they get lippy with Mary and break one of their toys.

Don't break your toy around that Poppins woman

 the toys attack in "Playing the Game"

Mary decides that Banks kids are too much and flys away. End of Act 1.

Act 2 will be tomorrow.

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 104

 

 Pretend she's a showgirl. After all she is wearing a headdress.

 

As soon as I post this, I'll start editing 2 shows worth of photos. Those posts will happen soon

I spent this morning gluing rhinestones onto 10 costumes, one at a time! Tomorrow, lucky me, the same thing gets done to the backs. 1st dress is tonight and 42nd Street opens on Friday, let's hope everything goes well and there isn't a ton of things to do tomorrow.

WHAT?!?!?! A DAY OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Time to show off. Here's some of the fun stuff we've made. Our cutter/draper worked st Barbara Matera ( major costume house in NYC), so he made some headdresses for 42nd Street 

 

All made from bought buckram hat forms, and a ton of stuff from the local craft store. Feathers, flowers, party decorations, fake birds, sequin, you name it, it's on those headpieces. Of course, I'll post photos of the girls wearing them during the show, but here's Steve wearing one

What a plain boring dress! 

Not any more! I made this dress for Smokey Joe's Cafe, a number called "Teach Me How To Shimmy" and boy does it shimmy! Stay tuned for a photo.

Silver trim added to a black fedora.

  Appliques I made to match four other ones. Made out of craft weight interfacing, dot sparkle fabric, sequin, paint and jewels.

A back shot of the headpieces. The circle loop things have horsehair that bobbypins go through to keep the darn things on.   

Five more days to go until 42nd Street opens. Shows are selling out! Yeah!. I'll be posting show photos when I get them, promise.

HANDS UP FOR HIJINKS!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I'm waiting on the show photos to be retaken, so  you'll have to settle for some backstage fun.

 Opening night cupcakes that spell out Supercalifragilistic....you get the idea.

 The statues that come alive during "Jolly Holiday"

Some of the creepy toys from "Playing the Game"

 The lovely Megan Wheeler (I've know her since she was 5 years old!)  as Mary Poppins,our amazing stage manager Abby Vincent and Olin Davidson as Bert. Our cutter made that red coat!

 My pretend grandson, Matty Hogan in his Supercali costume.

 Mary, Bert and some of the sweeps in the awesome tap number "Steps In Time". Because of legal reasons I can't post any video.  Insert sad face.

One of the children in the show gave out opening night gifts.

These photos where taken by the cast and I don't know who took what. Sorry about that.

Our next show opens tomorrow and the third one open a week after. Needless to say, we're busy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The next Mary Poppins is Sunday, so I hope the photos will be taken then and I can show off, I'm mean, post some show photos.

 

Until next time.......

 

 

 

 

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 103

 

I chose this doll for today because he looks like I've been feeling (and I feel about 103)

 

It's down to the wire for getting the last 2 shows open. Last night I was so tired, I went to bed at 8pm and got up this morning at 6am. And I'm still tired. 

I haven't posted any of the show photos because they didn't come out good and are being re-taken. The show on the other hand has been sold out......yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I do have backstage photos and will post then when I'm not sleeping.

Later.......

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 102

Egads! I've been so busy, I almost forgot what day is was. That's happens when you haven't had a day of since May 14th. 

Anyway, here's a male doll. He's made of cloth and is maybe from an Asian country. Maybe he's a rice farmer, I think that's what he has in his hand.

Mary Poppins opened with a fantastic weekend of shows. The tap dancing ( I love tap dancing) was awesome!  I'll have some backstage hijinks and show photos shortly. 

Hello, to my new followers!

WEIRD DOLL WEDNESDAY, PART 101

 

Let's pretend she's the Bird Woman from Mary Poppins, ok?

 

I think she's French and is a flower seller. Again, this was taken with the now broken camera. 

Enjoy you're day. It's 1st dress tonight, so who know when I'll get home.

WELL, THAT WAS A BUSY WEEK!

 

Show #1 opens in THREE DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We're entering the crazy time AKA Tech week.  So here's a photo of most of the theatre techs. (the people who make the magic happen)

 

 There's carpenters, sound and lighting engineers, props master, scenic painter (find the painter) and last be not least the costume crew. Our company this summers numbers 69, that's including the actors, stage management, the designers, director's, front of house (box office) our company manager. That's 69 people with a job they love doing. I know that some people think theatre is a waste of money, but it really does bring in $$$ to a community .

This summer marks the 25th year my university has produced a summer theatre season. There's going to be a big wing ding this coming Saturday. A lovely couple, Julia and Julius, have taking it upon themselves to make posters of all 25 seasons. Here  I am pointing to one in the hallway the other day.

 Thanks goodness I'd dyed my hair the day before, it was looking a little tired.

And here's some of the fun things I've been making

 The vests that were ordered from "We're in The Money" came with matching ties that are long, but the designer want's bow ties? I'll make those right up for you. And add some silver trim.

 The Bird Women from Mary Poppins needed a  hat..............

 One beat up bird hat coming right up.

And Queen Victoria needs a veil?

no problem!

We've also been busy doing alterations and filling in costumes that weren't included in the 20 boxes of rental costumes. Sometimes the sizes are just not going to fit and plan B goes into effect (which is why a nice supply of stock in the costume storage is nice).

My life is going to be hectic for another 3 or so weeks, then who knows what's in store? Big changes? Or small changes? Only time will tell.