CCT presents ‘Mary Poppins’

CRESCO - Cresco Community Theatre Productions brings a popular children’s book series-turned Disney movie to life this week as it presents ‘Mary Poppins: The Broadway Musical.’

Show times are Thursday, July 13, Friday, July 14 and Saturday, July 15 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 16 at 2 p.m. at the Cresco Theatre and Opera House. Doors open one hour before the show. Seating is general admission. Tickets are on sale for $10 and are available at the Cresco Chamber Office, Cresco Bank & Trust and CUSB Bank.

Schuyler Bieber, director of CCT Productions’ performance of 'Mary Poppins', credits a large cast and many behind-the-scenes volunteers for bringing the show to life.

“We have a large and diverse cast that helps make the magic happen,” he said. 

“There are a lot of magic tricks happening onstage; kids get flown up from the chimney, and there are people working behind the scenes,” he explained.

Bieber credits locals Paul Jensen, technical director, Jayne Jensen, assistant director, Dave Gosch, who built the props, and Tanya Riehle an art teacher at Crestwood High School, who, along with high school students, painted the sets and drops for the production.

He also notes Kelli Gosch along with Sabrina Schmitt from Expressions Dance provided choreography for the show, and Reagan Barta is accompanist. Lee Lindstrom printed the programs.

Additional assistance for the play came from contacts outside of Cresco. Bieber stated the flying scenes are made possible by the same company responsible for providing the flying harnesses for the movie ‘Titanic.’

“It shows that anything can be done if you make contact with the right people,” he said.

The show also features color LED lights.

“This is the first time we’ve used color lights in a very long time,” Bieber said.

As for the cast, the character of Mary Poppins is performed by Meg Herold, a Florida native who now lives in Cresco. Bieber notes Herold has a degree in musical theater performance and has performed in theater productions across the country.

The role of Bert comes to life through Dawson Gosch of Cresco.

Bieber said the Banks children, Jane and Michael, are performed by Lilly Pagel and Dorian Gosch, respectively. “They almost steal the show,” he volunteered.

The director revealed audiences should expect something different than the classic Disney movie rendering of the P.L. Travers series.

“It’s very different from the movie,” he said. “You won’t see any penguins, and there are some characters added to Act II.”

He added audiences can still expect to see Mary Poppins aloft, umbrella in hand, but that the theme of the musical centers on family.

“Our families might not be perfect, but if we put in the work, we can be a better family,” he remarked.

Tickets are currently on sale for ‘Mary Poppins,’ and while any leftover tickets will be available at the door the nights of the shows, Bieber advises purchasing tickets from the Cresco Chamber Office, Cresco Bank & Trust or CUSB Bank, because “they are going fast.”