Mary Poppins Tour Stops In Detroit {review}

The hubster and I had the distinct pleasure of attending a performance of Mary Poppins at the Detroit Opera House last night. We arrived just before the curtain went up and were escorted to our seats by the usher. As I stared at the curtain which said "Mary Poppins", I felt the anticipation rise up inside of me. I knew I was about to witness something magical.

Mary Poppins {the stage production} is taken from the script and score of the ever popular Disney movie mixed with the series of Mary Poppins books written by P.L. Traverse. The process of creating such a tremendous production was a time consuming one, but Cameron Mackintosh believed in the idea and wanted to see it through to fruition. He did this so very well and the production itself is a "knock your socks off" result of that effort.

As each song was performed in this musical play, I was awed by the talent on the stage. The vocals and choreography were astonishing on their own. Add to those, the magical and beautiful set of each scene, and I found myself drawn into the story in a way that a child is drawn into imaginative play. The performances were pristine and I felt as each one was good enough to be a grand finale. In short, I was wowed.

Let's chat about the show's star, Caroline Sheen {Mary Poppins} for a moment. She has some pretty big shoes to fill {Julie Andrews, anyone?} but she wears them so well. When I pondered what I thought of her performance compared to the character I loved in the Disney film, I concluded that Caroline must be a blood relative of the original Mary Poppins. Her performance was so on point and I loved her just as much as I love the character I grew up with. She was more than believable, she was entrancing.

The magic of this show is more than a song and dance. It's the lessons shared that warm the heart and allow viewers to take a bit of Mary Poppins home with them. There is something for everyone with a focus on the heart of the family and seeing the hearts of those we see every day while appreciating their beauty. As I tapped my toes to each tune and enjoyed every dance routine, my heart was touched and I was moved to tears as I watched the characters learn why Mary Poppins chose to come to their home.

Engaging, delightful, captivating, moving; these are the words I use to describe this amazing event.

If you get the chance, you must see this play. Take your family and friends and enjoy their company, but open your heart as the curtain rises. You won't regret it.

Here's a look at the tour's stop in Detroit, MI at the Detroit Opera House.

December 16, 2010 - January 02, 2011

Tuesday - Saturday at 7:30pm
Sunday Evenings at 6:30pm
Saturday Dec. 18 Matinee at 2:00pm
Sunday Matinees at 1:00pm
Weekday Matinees on 12/16, 12/22, 12/23, 12/29, 12/30 at 2:00pm
New Years Eve at 6:30pm.

Hop over to Tickmaster to get your tickets today!

P.S. This is an amazing way to introduce little ones to theater arts.

**Thanks to the PR firm who provided complimentary tickets to view the show in exchange for me sharing a press release and my review following the show. I received no other compensation. The thoughts and opinions shared are mine and mine alone. Others may disagree.**


If you missed my initial post about this, you can read it here.