Every year, Valley Middle has two performances, a fall play and a spring musical. This year our musical is Mary Poppins. Many students try out in late January but not all of them make the cut. Some get large amounts of lines, while others get smaller parts. “Even if you don’t get a big part every part is special in their own way,” cast member Emma Fischer says. The play/musical is a Valley Middle tradition in a way because there has been a play and musical for as long as Mrs. Mersy can remember.

When the play or musical time comes around the directors spend about $1,000 – $2,000 dollars on the set, props, and costumes but make the majority of it back in tickets, concessions, and donations from parents, students, and cast/crew members. Mrs. Mersy mostly focuses costumes as well as also making sure that students know their schedules and when they have to be at rehearsals. Mrs. Gunn, the other play/musical advisor, deals with the publicity, help with the posters, and getting the star board ready. A star board is a place where you can purchase star shaped sticky notes and write nice messages to the cast and crew. After it is publicized, the cost is around $800 to $1,500 which is accumulated from families donating and concessions.

For those who don’t know, the story of Mary Poppins it is about a nanny who watches two young children by the names of Jane and Michael Banks who can’t seem to get a nanny to stay. Mary Poppins can teach everyone a thing or two, even adults. She says “Anything can happen if you let it.” Mary Poppins is best known for being a major motion picture, but before its release on August 27th of 1964 the story of Mary Poppins was originally a book, published in 1934 by P.L. Travers. Travers’ great Aunt Ellie, whose real name was Morehead, inspired the character of Mary Poppins. Ellie, like Mary poppins, carried around a carpetbag. The original Mary was based off a doll that Travers loved as a boy.

Mary Poppins is a nostalgic, touching story that is sure to capture the hearts of the audience. Don’t forget to be respectful during the performance; many students and teachers have worked hard for this to work out. Be a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious audience because everyone in the play has worked really hard. Performances are Thursday April 11 at 7pm; Friday April 12 at 7pm; and Saturday April 13 at 12pm. See you there!