Audience quotes from MARY POPPINS

If I could, I would try to explain exactly how much people we're blown out of the water by MARY POPPINS... then I though, "why not simply let the people themselves tell everyone?"

"Mary Poppins was a great experience. The set and special effects were unbelievable. The cast was outstanding. It was an unforgettable experience."

"This being my first time to see the stage musical, I was unsure what to expect. The story was unique! The sets were amazing! The acting, dancing, and singing were phenomenal! I truly felt transported to another world!"

"Mary Poppins was an unforgettable experience. The performance was well polished, enchanting, and deserving of a standing ovation! I enjoyed every moment!"

"Took my daughter for a birthday gift. It was amazing, wonderful and magical all wrapped up in one. Ashley Brown was beyond good as Mary Poppins. My daughter and I haven't stopped singing the songs since we stood up to go home!!"

"Quite possibly the best musical I have seen in my life, and I have seen quite a few! The costumes, sets and special effects drew me right in, and the voices were consistently beautiful, even the children's voices. Altogether a wonderful evening's entertainment."

"This was a truly magical production! We've seen many great musicals over the years -- this was one of our absolute favorites. If you have children (or even if you don't), do not miss this show. Absolutely magical."

"The whole production of Mary Poppins was outstanding. My husband and I had seats way over on the right side of the theater but could still enjoy everything.All the preformers had wonderful voices, and the children were excepttional. I would love to see it again. It was fun, fun , fun"

"I heard Mary Poppins was coming to DSM and it's my mother's favorite movie! I bought the tickets and surprised her with the show. The story line was a bit different from the movie but moved along well. All the important songs were there and sung beautifully! Great, gorgeous cast! "

"Amazing sets and dancing!"

"We were blown away by the quality and creativity in every area--singing, acting, choreography, lighting, stage and props, costumes, backdrops, special effects.....each area was a delight in its own. After many, many musicals, this was simple the best."

"WOW! Great show with outstanding sets and acting! The singing was beautiful!"

"This was a wonderfully orchestrated event with talent that surpasses most that I have seen in the past. Mary Poppins has an amazing resemblance to Julie Andrews vocally. This is a wonderful event for children and adults alike."

"Slightly different than the movie - and in a very good way. The house opens up like a doll-house - awesome. The choreography for Supercalif.... and Step in Time was delightful. Mary Poppins and Bert are amazing performers and so well supported by the rest of the cast. And, i think i was present with the most participatory Dallas audience ever. They clapped along, sang, sighed, and it was all wonderful."

"Wonderful musical. Took 5 yr old grandson, maybe a little too young, but by the time it was over, he was captivated and loved it. Casting is perfect, those kids amazing. Such a fun, and uplifting story about the importance of family."

"It was Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The special effects were stunning."

"Must see! Wonderful acting and singing! Amazing sets, costumes and lighting. Funny! And some great special tricks! Seen it twice, would go again if I could!"

"Took the whole family and everyone loved it. They did a great job of doing all the favorite songs from the movie, and they also added new elements that made it exciting and fresh."

"Absolutely amazing! We thoroughly enjoyed every single minute!"

"I picked this play due to the fact that my wife loves Disney cartoons. I also did like Mary Poppins growing up as a kid. It was a great play from start to finish. I am still trying to figure out how they got all those items in her bag."

"The singing and dancing was great. There were two favorite moments, the items that she pulled out of her bag and the end where she went up through the crowd and up through the whole in the ceiling. GREAT EXIT!!!!!."

"The tickets were purchased for daughter, granddaughters and great granddaughter and was a hit. The ages ranged from 4year old to 50 years old and a wonderful time was had by all. "

"I took my husband, my son (6months old), my two daughters 3 1/2 yrs., and 2 yrs. old, and it was an absolute THRILL for all of us!!! We are all fans of the movie, but were excited to see them in person. What a wonderful job. The entire experience was great, the ushers were wonderful, the vendors, everyone! Thank you for a wonderful experience. WE will be back next year for sure!!!"

"Mary Poppins was the most fun I have had in a long time. What a fun event to go see with family and friends of all ages. I am ready to go see it again!"

"The whole cast and crew did an amazing job of bringing one of my favorite musicals to the stage. As a former actor and techie, I was left questioning myself how some of the technical tricks were done. Regardless, this show--even on stage is full of mystery and magic. GREAT JOB TO EVERYONE."

"Don't miss this fabulous musical. It was wonderful. Can't wait for Little House on the Prairie with Melissa Gilbert playing Ma coming next May."

"We've seen several shows this season at the DSM, but this by far was the best! It was truly magical!"

"Starting with very comfortable seats to outstanding sound and fantastic performances by each of the cast member this show is certainly a can't miss!"

"The show was amazing, I loved all the music and new spin on the movie scenes. Mary Poppins is a must see for anyone who loves musicals."

"I wasn't sure what to expect when I booked our tickets. Knew the Disney Movie and all the songs - and went for an evening of entertainment. What we got was so much more! Songs. Dancing. Glorious voices. Sets that knocked my socks off and dazzled me with every set change and special effects. The entire evening was magic! Disney is the master of production."

"This was one of the best performances I've ever been too. The talent of the performers and special effects were top notch. It's a great family event that deserves to be seen by the masses. I would recomend it to anyone and everyone. If you've seen Disney's Mary Poppins, you must see this musical. It will take you more in depth into the world of Mary Poppins. It is a must see!"

"This was a great show. I had read so much about Mary flying over the audience, but nothing was said about the tap dance around the room by the Sweep. That was absolutely amazing. How did you do it. I am so grateful for the 4 for $99 special which enabled me to purchase tickets. My granddaughter, daughter-in-law, and myself really enjoyed it. Thank you!"

'Legally Blonde' shimmys to the stage at Fair Park Music Hall

12:06 AM CDT on Wednesday, July 22, 2009
By LAWSON TAITTE / The Dallas Morning Newsltaitte@dallasnews.com

You may not come out of Legally Blonde humming the tunes, but this show will leave you as pumped as a two-hour cardiac workout.

The stage adaptation of the popular movie, a modest hit on Broadway, arrived at the Dallas Summer Musicals on Tuesday. It keeps up a breathless pace as heroine Elle Woods, the seemingly shallow blond bombshell who follows an ex-boyfriend to Harvard Law School, discovers a whole new perspective on life.

Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin, who rewrote their Sarah, Plain and Tall for the Dallas Theater Center this spring, tell the story mostly in song. Their lyrics, as cute and clever as Elle herself, are worthy successors to those of their great Broadway predecessors. They give us good tunes, too, but the incessant melodic patterns seldom relax and luxuriate. They just keep percolating like a triple shot of espresso.

The real mover of this theatrical whirlwind, though, is director-choreographer Jerry Mitchell. Over the last decade, he has established himself as one of the American theater's great storytellers through movement. Like the score, the dancing seldom settles into a stand-alone number, at least before intermission. Throughout the musical someone onstage is stepping, shimmying or gyrating in ways that move the plot along. The second act finally gives us some release with production numbers based on exercise videos, sexy poses and, of all things, Irish step dancing.

As Elle, Becky Gulsvig looks a lot like the film's Reese Witherspoon. She sounds even more like Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth. (Those with strong negative reactions to squeaks and other high pitches may find themselves at risk.) Gregg Barnes' costumes expand the boundaries of pink, mauve, hot pink and not-quite-crimson. Gulsvig wears them smashingly.

For those who crave a bit of old-fashioned fun from their musical comedies, preferably with a smidgeon of uplift and optimism, with a bevy of shapely young bodies to boot, Legally Blonde is guilty as charged.

PLAN YOUR LIFE Through Aug. 2 at Fair Park Music Hall. Runs 160 mins. $15 to $85. Ticketmaster at 214-631-2787, http://www.ticketmaster.com/.

Trackback to original review post on dallasnews.com

Theater review: 'A Chorus Line' reclaims its energy at Fair Park Music Hall

11:55 PM CDT on Tuesday, July 7, 2009
By LAWSON TAITTE / The Dallas Morning Newsltaitte@dallasnews.com

A Chorus Line is a unique musical, a perfect musical. I'm not sure, in retrospect, it's one of the great musicals.
The tour based on the recent New York revival arrived at Fair Park Music Hall on Tuesday. It has restored the show's vivid energy and sharp characterizations, and it makes nearly as good a case for the piece as possible. To paraphrase one of Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban's songs, it scores dance 10, acting 10, singing maybe a six.

At one point the longest running show in Broadway history, A Chorus Line grew out of workshop-style discussions organized by director-choreographer Michael Bennett. He asked professional dancers, gypsies from Broadway chorus lines, to talk about their lives. Then he, with librettists James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, made a show out of their stories.

The musical, without an intermission, is built around a day of auditions. It also takes its shape from the process of putting together a big production number, from the first rudimentary steps to the high-strutting, show-stopping climax.

The personalities of the individual characters are indelible, but over the years productions have tended to blur or exaggerate them. Bob Avian and Baayork Lee, both part of the original process in 1974 and '75, have whipped things back into shape beautifully.

Emily Fletcher, for instance, nails Sheila's aggressive sensuality without making her too hard, and Bryan Knowlton, as Paul in the first week of the current run, keeps his dignity while making his sometimes shocking self-revelations.

I've never seen a completely satisfactory Cassie. Robyn Hurder at least dances the role better than most. Part of the problem is inherent: The starring role in this musical is that of a woman who keeps insisting she doesn't have star power or star pretensions.

Hamlisch's tunes retain their hummability, albeit in very '70s fashion. Kleban's lyrics tell the dancers' stories with considerable wit. Most of all, Bennett knew how to build a dance number.

Still, a nagging little voice keeps telling me that a really great musical should have characters who interact with each other and should be about something other than getting a job, even if the people do their jobs for love.

PLAN YOUR LIFE Through July 19 at Fair Park Music Hall. 130 mins. $15 to $85. Ticketmaster at 214-631-2787, http://www.ticketmaster.com/.

Theater review: 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' is a fun ride for the family at Fair Park Music Hall

12:36 AM CDT on Wednesday, June 24, 2009
By LAWSON TAITTE / The Dallas Morning News
mailto:Newsltaitte@dallasnews.com

Cute kids. A quartet of hilarious villains. A whole pack of trained dogs. A production number with a samba that sizzles. What more could a family musical possibly need?

How about a magical car that floats, flies and makes people ask it nicely if they want a ride?

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang chugged, sailed and soared into Fair Park Music Hall for the Dallas Summer Musicals on Tuesday. This road version more than lives up to the standard the Broadway version set in 2005. Largely overlooked in a bumper year for musicals, it struck me as the best Broadway family show since The Lion King. This tour, adapted and directed by Ray Roderick, sacrifices a bit of grandeur but gains in comic spontaneity.
Ian Fleming, an unlikely children's writer, shows his hand as the original storyteller in various ways: There are spies, though they're played for laughs. And recall that James Bond's cars always had tricks up their sleeves, just like the title vehicle here.

Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman's songs are almost as infectious as the ones they created for Mary Poppins. And, frankly, the plot in this show is more appealing. The father, hapless inventor Caractacus Potts (Steve Wilson), has boundless affection for his children (Jeremy Lipton and Camille Mancuso at Tuesday's performance). They all look after the grandfather (Dick Decareau), and the kids know before the dad does that there's chemistry brewing with a motorcycle-driving heiress (Kelly McCormick).

None of the performers are household names, but they're all solid pros and often more aptly cast than their Broadway counterparts. Dirk Lumbard is delightfully oily as the taller of the bumbling spies, and Scott Cote is his even dumber sidekick. As the evil baron and baroness, George Dvorsky and Elizabeth Ward Land are silly and sinister at the same time. Oliver Wadsworth may be entirely too sinister for younger children as the hideously creepy Childcatcher, although the happy ending defuses most of the terror.

You don't have to be a kid to have a truly scrumptious time at Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. But feel free to bring a couple of tykes along if you think you'll feel conspicuous without them.

PLAN YOUR LIFE Through July 5 at Fair Park Music Hall. Runs 150 mins. $12 to $71. Ticketmaster at 214-631-2787, http://www.ticketmaster.com/.

Original Dallas Morning News Post

Theater review: Topol stays in character for Dallas Summer Musicals' 'Fiddler on the Roof'

10:15 AM CDT on Thursday, May 21, 2009
By LAWSON TAITTE / The Dallas Morning Newsltaitte@dallasnews.com

Nobody finds it odd when a violinist or pianist is still playing a favorite concerto at the end of a 40-year career. So why be surprised that Topol is still playing Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof?

The Israeli actor had racked up a number of stage performances even before he made the 1971 movie. Now the total is around 2,500. In what is billed as his final tour, he arrived in Dallas for a one-week run at the Dallas Summer Musicals on Monday.

The performer still has what the role requires. That sonorous bass-baritone peals magnificently through the low notes. The stately, if world-weary, bearing and the soulful countenance, blazing eyes clearly visible in the back rows of the huge theater, give Topol, 73, a patriarchal aura. He could as easily be playing Moses or Rasputin – if it weren't for all the droll bits of low humor he tosses off so nonchalantly.

It must be said that spontaneity is not a factor here. Every mournful growl at a bit of bad news, every joyful roll of the eyes, appears calculated and polished to the nth degree. Naturalism also goes out the window in favor of this delicately calculated theatrical flair.

Many old-fashioned masters of comic shtick destroy their material by sending it up. Not Topol. No shred of cynicism or self-indulgence gets in the way of Fiddler's emotional journey. Before empty-nest syndrome had a name, this great musical explored the agonies of letting go – and the star plays them for all they are worth.

The current tour has selling points beyond its leading man. Susan Cella as Golde and Mary Stout as Yente are also masters of the broad comic style. Among the lovely daughters, Jamie Davis' Hodel stands out for her soaring voice. Steve Gilliam's storybook set invests the village of Anatevka with a quaint charm.

Best of all, director-choreographer Sammy Dallas Bayes has reproduced Jerome Robbins' exuberant first-act dances with fiery precision. An important secret of Fiddler's success is the sheer animal energy that drives these sequences. They keep this tale of loss and aging young and vital.

As young and vital as its septuagenarian star.

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