East’s 50th Musical is Mary Poppins!
By Dija Abd-Elhamid, Sophia Byl, and Armita Rohani
Drama Club is about to add even more hype to the Williamsville East 50th Anniversary festivities with the upcoming musical, Mary Poppins! Since Mary Poppins was the musical that was performed in East’s opening year of 1975, it would only be appropriate for the classic show to be given a modern-day twist by our lovely actors for the school’s 50th anniversary. Since the version being performed here at East is the Broadway one, featuring songs that never appeared in the original 1964 film, the show certainly has been updated to make it as fun and engaging as possible for an audience in 2025.
The show will be kicking off on the night of Thursday, March 13th, at 7pm. Afterwards, there will be performances on Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th at 7pm, as well as a Saturday matinee show at 1pm. There will even be a Meet and Greet with the cast before the Saturday matinee show, running from 11:15am to 12:15pm. Tickets are $13 online or $15 at the door, with an additional $2 fee to attend the cast Meet and Greet. Keep in mind that the show is reserved seating, so act fast and buy your tickets beforehand! Mary Poppins is just one of many East Drama Club performances that will be whisking watchers away to England – this time, it’s the 1910s in London, with the social divide between the wealthy and the poor wider than ever.
The story focuses on the Banks family living at 17 Cherry Tree Lane, who are well-off financially, but struggling in terms of their relationships with each other. The children, Jane (Robin Solazzo) and Michael (Russel Groat), are spoiled and distrustful, having scared off every nanny their parents have found with their naughty behavior, while Mr. and Mrs. Banks (Luca Ballarin and Sarah Patti, respectively) are too absorbed in their own troubles to pay much attention to the kids. All seems to be lost until a new nanny, Mary Poppins (Ella Hinklin), appears out of seemingly nowhere with more than a few magical tricks up her sleeve. Soon, Jane and Michael are caught up in a whirlwind of adventure and magic with Mary and her friend Bert (Brady Sadkin), learning not only about how to let loose and have fun, but also about the importance of treating others with kindness and respect.
As always, Mrs. LoVullo is back as director and choreographer for East’s 50th musical! Mary Poppins will be her 16th production here at East and her 20th high school show overall. “Wearing the choreographing and directing hat at the same time is a good thing, because I can incorporate the scenes into the dances and meld those together really well,” she commented about her dual roles. “But also there’s a lot going on at once with the sets, the projections, the crew… there’s a lot of moving parts that all come together very quickly.” Mrs. LoVullo grew up watching the original Mary Poppins as a kid, so she’s been looking forward to directing this musical for a long time. Her favorite part? The flying elements! She added that everyone being willing to try new things was what truly made the production come alive. It certainly wouldn’t be Mary Poppins without Mary iconically floating down with her umbrella. We look forward to seeing the fruits of her and the cast, crew, and pit’s labors!
Mrs. Mahaney and Ms. Costanzo also return as the producer and costume manager, respectively. Mrs. Ieda will be conducting the lovely members of the pit orchestra, Ms. Girzone is the vocal director for the show, and Mr. McCluskey is the advisor for the Stage Crew. The cast, crew, and pit are excited to bring the world of Mary Poppins alive on the Williamsville East stage. One of the wonderful things about Drama Club is that it brings together many people who otherwise would never have crossed paths.
Maddie Heim, a senior and current Vice President of Drama Club, explained that compared to the fall plays, “it’s a lot bigger of the community in the musical,” and that “there’s a lot more moving parts.” That’s certainly true, seeing as the musicals require an ensemble for singing and dancing scenes as well as a pit orchestra to make the music come alive. For Mary Poppins specifically, students are also needed behind-the-scenes in order to safely operate the flying mechanisms. Sophia Chung, a senior who has been playing violin in the pit orchestra since her sophomore year, commented on the fantastical and sometimes downright bizarre moments that Mary Poppins often features. Her favorite scene is when Mary and the kids visit the talking shop, saying, “I don’t even know what a talking shop is, but I love it when [Evie] says, ‘I’m out of conversations!’” Sophia added that the weird moments are really what bring the charm to the musical: “I like how fictional it is. You don’t know what’s happening, but I think the kids will like it.” Seniors are also excited and reminiscent of their final performance.
Braziah Brice said, “the musical is a great experience that I think everyone should have the chance to participate in, you get the chance to learn and grow as not only a performer but a person, and you make great friends along the way.” Dida Akinlua said, “I’m excited for two things: warm weather and this year’s production of Mary Poppins!”
Well, regardless of if you’re a kid, a teenager, or an adult, you’ll surely find something to enjoy in East’s 50th musical. Whether it’s the lively pit orchestra music, the emotion the actors bring to their characters, or the fun of the flying mechanics, there’s something for everyone in Mary Poppins.