Join the Fine Arts Department of Spartanburg High School and Spartanburg School District 7 as they serve up spoonfuls of sugar in a most delightful way.
They will present Mary Poppins on May 28, 29, 30 and 31, 2015 live on stage at Chapman Cultural Center. Students from every school in the district will capture the magic of this classic Disney production. The production will feature the talents of more than 90 students onstage and behind the scenes.
Disney released Mary Poppins on August 27, 1964, to universal acclaim, receiving a total of thirteen Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture—an unsurpassed record for any other film released by the Walt Disney Studios—and won five; Best Actress for Andrews, Best Film Editing, Best Original Music Score, Best Visual Effects, and Best Original Song for “Chim Chim Cher-ee.” In 2013, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” It is a story about an umbrella-flying nanny in Edwardian London who uses magic and personal charm to help a father understand the importance of enjoying his children before it is too late.
Mary Thalassinos will star as Mary Poppins with Max Lefebvre as Bert. The headline cast will also feature Sam Mathis as George Banks, Taylor Moody as Winifred Banks, and in the role of the children, Jane and Michael Banks, Laney Voyles and Harper Keihl.
Rounding out the cast are Aaron Cauthen, Lauren Dixon, Christopher Durham, Ethan Durham, Harlem Farr, India Foster, Noah Goodwin, Carson Hardigree, Whit Harper, Perrin Hines, Lydia Irvin, Erin Jones, Isaiah Jordon, Jake Keim, Emma Kendrick, Natalie Krell, Cymone Littlejohn, Angel Martinez, Xavier Parks, Emilie Parsons, Alex Poole, Faith Pruett, and Nora Grace Smith.
The student ensemble includes Abigail Britton, Katie Edge, Eleanor Fetiman, Nic Glover, Molly Holder, Lillian Hood, Emily Liddell, Tamara Littlejohn, Sydney McDowell, Kreason McDowell, Aries Melendez, Caitlin Merritt, Miranda Powell, Jacob Ramirez, Michaela Scott, Destiny Smith, and Sheren Sumagmi.
Deputy Superintendent Dr. Terry Pruitt will direct. He has an extensive background in the arts having served as a band director, choral director, drama teacher, and church choir director. Dr. Pruitt has also directed many community and school theatre productions and directed last year’s highly successful production of Grease. Musical direction will be led by Dr. John Moody, Music Department Chairman and Director of Choral Activities for District Seven. Susan Woodham, dance teacher at Pine Street Elementary and Outreach Director for Ballet Spartanburg, and Caroline Pruitt, behavioral specialist at District 7’s Brookwood Academy and and dance instructor for Ballet Spartanburg, will serve as choreographers.
The play will open on Thursday, May 28, at Chapman Cultural Center at 7 p.m., with other performances on Friday, May 29, at 7 p.m., Saturday, May 30, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, May 31, at 3 p.m. Tickets may be purchased by calling Chapman Cultural Center at (864) 542-ARTS, ordered online, or by going by the box office. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for senior citizens, and $10 for students. All seats are reserved. And please preorder your “A Spoonful of Seven” Cookbook. They are $20 with all proceeds supporting the musical theatre department. For information please contact Lori Humphries at [email protected]. Cookbooks will also be on sale during all four productions.