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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%"><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Mercury Theatre Company’s ‘Mary
Poppins’ is practically perfect </FONT></FONT></SPAN></B><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: "></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: "><FONT face=Arial><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: ; COLOR: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Bob Abelman</FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: ; COLOR: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Cleveland Jewish News, The News Herald,
The Morning Journal</FONT></FONT></SPAN></I><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: ; COLOR: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: ; COLOR: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Member, International Association of
Theatre Critics</FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 1.0in 5.25in"><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: ; COLOR: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%; COLOR: "><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%; COLOR: "><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Here’s the thing:<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Screen-to-stage Disney musicals are a
mixed blessing.</FONT><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> </FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%; COLOR: "><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%; COLOR: "><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">When endearing fictitious characters
and their extraordinary celluloid worlds become fully fleshed and
three-dimensional, the experience is exhilarating.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But this emotion too often dissipates
when stagecraft ultimately fails to match the memory of indelible cinematic
images created by Disney Studio’s top storytellers.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%; COLOR: "><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: "><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Take “Mary Poppins.”</FONT><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">
</FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: "><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: "><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Based on the books by P.L. Travers, the
1964 film tells the tale of the Banks family and how the lives of its members
change when a magical nanny arrives at 17 Cherry Tree Lane.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%"><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">The score boasts of Academy Award-winning music and
lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, the story is bolstered by
Academy Award-winning Disney animation and film editing, and its cast members
have cement footprints embedded for eternity in the walkway of <SPAN
class=apple-converted-space>Hollywood Blvd.</SPAN></FONT><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">
</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%; COLOR: "><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%"><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">In order to bring the film to life on
stage and attempt to capture some of its magic, Walt Disney Theatrical spent
</FONT><SPAN style="COLOR: "><FONT color=#252525><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">$18 million on elaborate special effects developed by
Las Vegas illusionists and Disney theme park specialists.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And, for the most part, it
worked.</FONT><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> </FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%; COLOR: "><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"
color=#252525></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%; COLOR: "><FONT
color=#252525><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">The Banks’ home was
</FONT></FONT></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: "><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">a
two-story tall structure that opened like a children’s dollhouse.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A dreary city park mutated into a
color-saturated fantasy land.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Bert
the chimney sweep tap danced around the proscenium arch and, in the final scene,
Mary flew over the heads of the audience and out the back of the balcony.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%; COLOR: "><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"
color=#252525> </FONT></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%; COLOR: "><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"
color=#252525></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%; COLOR: "><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">The stage production, which opened on Broadway in 2006
and came to Playhouse Square on tour in 2009, also incorporated elements from
the books that had been side-stepped in the film, such as Mr. and Mrs. Banks’
back stories, and added some new songs by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A few popular </FONT></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%"><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">scenes, like the tea party on the ceiling, have been
removed while others have been rearranged.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%; COLOR: "><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"
color=#252525></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%; COLOR: "><FONT
color=#252525><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Local</FONT></FONT></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%; COLOR: "><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> theaters attempting to stage “Mary Poppins” acquire the
score and script but, with their limited budgets and no balcony, are left to
fend for themselves when it comes to finding their own form of
magic.</FONT><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> </FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%; COLOR: "><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%; COLOR: "><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Which the Mercury Theatre Company does
in its current production.</FONT><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> </FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; BACKGROUND-ATTACHMENT: scroll; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0% 0%; COLOR: "><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: ; COLOR: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'><FONT
face=Arial><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Arial><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: ; COLOR: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">For the rest of this review, go to </FONT></SPAN><SPAN
style='FONT-FAMILY: ; COLOR: ; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"'><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"
color=#0000ff>www.clevelandjewishnews.com/columnists/</FONT></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>