Practically Perfect! Mary Poppins Magic Descends on Newcastle's Civic Theatre

IMAGES: Peter Stoop

Prepare to be swept off your feet as the world’s most magical nanny, Mary Poppins descends onto the Civic Theatre stage this October.

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 In celebration of the film’s 60th anniversary, this dazzling new production promises to enchant and delight with its whimsical charm and timeless magic. The beloved tale that first captivated hearts in the 1964 Disney classic will come to life in Newcastle, bringing a spoonful of wonder and a dash of "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!"

From the moment Mary Poppins first twirled her umbrella in the 1964 Disney classic, starring the incomparable Julie Andrews and the ever-charming Dick Van Dyke, hearts have been captured and imaginations set alight. The stage production of Mary Poppins was brilliantly adapted from the wonderful stories by PL Travers and the original film, in a fusion of various elements from the two, including the film’s songs created by the Sherman Brothers. The result is a magical story brought to life in a spectacular and unforgettable production.

Walt Disney considered the Mary Poppins film one of the crowning achievements of his career. It was the first feature length film to combine live-action and animation, and it earned 13 Oscar nominations, winning five, including Best Original Soundtrack. Astonishingly, it wasn’t until 2004 that the original West End stage production, produced by Cameron Mackintosh and Disney Theatrical Productions opened, before it moved to Broadway in 2006. The award-winning production then toured internationally and was translated into thirteen languages, with an estimated eleven million people seeing the show worldwide.

The Newcastle production is produced by The Very Popular Theatre Company (Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia, Superstars, Billy Elliot) and directed by the multi-award-winning Daniel Stoddart, producer, writer, director, performer and CEO of Stoddart Entertainment Group under which The Very Popular Theatre Company sits. Stoddart is on a mission to create and produce world-class entertainment right here in the Hunter, and this production promises to be a highlight of the company’s repertoire.

“The production is on track to become the most popular we’ve ever done so far,” said Daniel.

“It’s already sold over 9,500 tickets, and we’ve had to release additional shows to meet the demand."

“The 60th anniversary of the film seemed like a wonderful opportunity to produce such a popular show, one that crosses the generations in its appeal. It’s soaked in nostalgia and magic with all the bangers in terms of the score and songs. There’s Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, Chim Chim Cher-ee, Spoonful of Sugar, Let’s Go Fly a Kite, all the favourites people know and love.

“Musical Direction is by the Aria nominated Dan Wilson, who leads a 13-piece live orchestra. It’s a nerdy musical theatre fact that Mary Poppins is renowned for one of the most challenging scores to play as musicians. The tempo and pace chip along quickly, so you need really skilful musicians. Basically, we’ve worked very hard to ensure that this is as good as anything you will see on Broadway or the Westend.”

Indeed, over $1.3 million has been spent on the production so far, with $250,000 on the set and props alone. The set was designed by Chicago-based set designer Eric Luchen, who also designed the recent School of Rock: The Musical set for Hunter Drama.

“It’s exciting to see another Eric Luchen set here. We’re lucky to have him. The market for set designers in the US is so big that it’s much more competitive than here in Australia. Everything is built here locally, though with lots of surprises to delight the audience, as you would expect from a show about a magical nanny who can fly!”

“There are 200 costumes, all made from scratch; nothing is bought off the shelf. Lainey Donnelly is the Costume Designer, and she is a local with a long career as a stylist and costume designer across film, events and theatre. She has a team of sewers here in Newcastle. There could be as many as 20 individual items making up each costume.

“There is extraordinary choreography by Rachel Stark, who has done an incredible job. In particular, the iconic dance scene during Step in Time when Bert and the chimney sweeps tap dance on the rooftops of London, which made the hairs on the back of my neck go up when I first saw it. It literally had my eyes welling with tears. It was that good. We were diligent with our casting to ensure we had extremely talented tap dancers, not just good musical theatre performers. It was worth holding out for that skill set because it’s absolutely magical.”

Daniel is close to the role of Bert because he won a City of Newcastle Drama Award (CONDA) in 2014 for Excellence by a Male Actor in a Musical, playing Bert for the Metropolitan Players production of Mary Poppins.

“It’s nice to return to the show again. I’ve got a good eye for the theatrics of putting these three-dimensional cartoon characters on stage – the over-the-top Disney energy. I’m good at managing the technical aspects so it flows seamlessly from scene to scene. There are some whopper scene changes. One moment, you’re in this three-story house, and then you’re in an outdoor park. Having that tenacity to push the team hard to achieve seamless transitions is a strength of mine – painting the picture so that everyone can see the vision. We’ve got a crew of about 30, 46 in the cast, and overall, if you include costume sewers, there would be over 100 people working on this show.”

Daniel’s ability to envision the whole and inspire others has led him to cast young up-and-comers, emerging artists that he sees as having a big future ahead of them.

Max Howard has been cast as Bert. The 19-year-old began performing arts training as a dancer at a very young age and graduated from the Hunter School of the Performing Arts in 2023. He has been involved in a number of productions with Hunter Drama and The Very Popular Theatre Company, including Suessical the Musical and Superstars. He was heavily involved with Starstruck as a student director and works part-time at Hunter Drama as a tutor. He is keen to help pass on his skills to new generations of performers.

“It was a challenging role to cast for, but Max is the right choice. It’s his time. He has that spark that you need, the charisma and talent. It’s nice that we’ve worked with him before and that he’s been involved with Hunter Drama, but that’s not how we plan things. There are several performers in the cast that we know through Hunter Drama. It’s not part of the strategy, but it’s nice. They decide to audition, and it’s an accidental progression. We haven’t set out to do it that way, but it results from industry growth and a naturally created ecosystem.

“We’re also seeing an increase in Central Coast-based performers and creatives putting their hands up. Around 20 per cent of people auditioning are from the Central Coast, including our own Mary Poppins, Felicity Beale! Felicity was perfect with ideal physical and personal attributes, not to mention her singing and dancing talents.”

Like Max, Felicity began her performance training at the young age of eight as a dancer before discovering musical theatre with the Gosford Musical Society at 15. Her first-ever role in a musical was as a dancer in a 2015 production of Mary Poppins!

“Being cast as Mary in this production of Mary Poppins is literally a dream come true for me,” said Felicity.

“It’s a true full-circle moment. That role as a dancer in the Gosford Musical Society production of Mary Poppins was a turning point for me. I knew it was what I wanted to do, but initially, I was too shy to sing in front of anyone. I practised for many years before having the courage to audition for singing roles, and looking back now when it all feels so natural and easy to me, I’ve forgotten how scary it was to make that leap. It’s nice to look back and realise you’ve come a long way.”

Felicity went on to study for a Diploma of Musical Theatre at NIDA in 2022.

“I gained a lot of knowledge and confidence from my time at NIDA. Before now, the highlight of my career was playing Ariel in The Little Mermaid for Sydney Youth Musical Theatre. I love Disney.

“Playing Disney cartoon characters is a strength of mine. It’s nostalgic and connects me to my childhood and the stuff I grew up with. Mary Poppins is earnest, and the choreography and movements are precise. My dance background enables me to embody my character physically, and Mary Poppins has a distinct posture and iconic mannerisms – I know her already. It’s larger than life but not over the top, and it’s fun to find the balance.”

The cast includes four young Hunter Drama students sharing the roles of Jane and Michael. The role of Jane is performed by Neave Paine (School Of Rock: The Musical, The Jungle Book, Superstars and Starstruck) and Sienna Collins (School Of Rock: The Musical, Billy Elliot, Superstars and Starstruck), both 11 years old.

“I was ecstatic when I found out I won the role of Jane,” said Neave.

“I didn’t expect to even have a chance but thought the experience of auditioning for such a professional production would be amazing. I am especially enjoying learning what it takes to be a professional in this industry.”

The role of Michael is shared between Reilly Mitchison, 11 years old (School of Rock, Finding Nemo Jr, The Jungle Book and Superstars) and Elliot Williams, 12 years old (The Jungle Book, Finding Nemo Jr).

It was a challenging role to cast for, but Max is the right choice. It’s his time. He has that spark that you need, the

charisma and talent," said Daniel Stoddart.

“When I heard that I was cast as Michael Banks in Mary Poppins, I was thrilled,” said Reilly.

“Some of the best parts are walking into my rehearsals and being met by all the kind and supportive cast and crew. I don't know what the future holds, but I know the stage is where I belong.”

According to Daniel, it’s wonderful to have students he’s taught in the show, but he’s also looking forward to seeing one particular performer in the iconic role of the Bird Woman.

“Newcastle local theatre legend Nola Wallace is playing Bird Woman,” said Daniel.

“I revere and respect her so highly. She won the very first CONDA award in 1979 for Excellence by a Leading Actress in a Musical for her work in Man of La Mancha. I’m thrilled to have her as part of the team.”

Nola is 82 years young and has been performing in Newcastle since she was 14 years of age – that’s 68 years of acting. Nola’s career has been long and varied. She’s worked as an English teacher with a penchant for Shakespearean performance, run a speech and drama studio for 20 years and was part of the Hunter Valley Theatre Company, Newcastle’s professional theatre company before it closed in 1997.

“I’m thrilled to be working with both Daniel Stoddart and Dan Wilson again,” said Nola.

“I couldn’t ask for anything better. These are my people. The role of Bird Woman is so tiny but it’s an amazing role. Quite beautiful. There’s so much depth to plunder with the character and an extra magical component to her.”

The people of Newcastle are the lucky recipients of Daniel Stoddart’s vision for world-class theatre and entertainment being produced right here. He’s creating jobs and career pathways for young creatives, providing that stepping stone to becoming professional theatre practitioners. His ambitious plans include producing a fully professional international tour of a West End play showing at 15 venues around Australia and New Zealand in 2025. There will also be another large-scale musical production staged in Newcastle, and interest in a national tour of Dot and the Kangaroo, a play written by Daniel that is now available for licensing.

This year, we still have the magical experience of Mary Poppins to enjoy with the whole family. It’s an irresistible story, with unforgettable songs, breathtaking dance numbers and astonishing stagecraft, where you discover the undeniable magic of childhood and a spellbinding world of infinite possibilities where anything can happen… if you let it. Playing from 5 – 20 October at the Civic Theatre, it’s excellent school holiday entertainment.