The Fine Arts Center’s lavish Mary Poppins dazzles with joyful performances, big dance numbers and stunning stagecraft.

The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College has pulled out all the stops for its holiday production of Mary Poppins, transforming its Mainstage into a world of swirling magic, meticulous design and buoyant musical theatre energy. It’s a sweeping, full-hearted staging that, like Mary Poppins herself, is “practically perfect in every way.”

The story follows the Banks family — an uptight father, an unfulfilled mother and two spirited children whose behavior has chased off every nanny in town — until the mysterious Mary Poppins floats into their lives, determined to restore harmony. As Mary leads Jane and Michael on astonishing adventures and gently pushes Mr. and Mrs. Banks to reckon with their own unhappiness, the family rediscovers connection and the importance of valuing people over profit.

With a cast of 22, a nine-piece orchestra and a seemingly endless parade of theatrical magic, the show is a joyful celebration of family and imagination sure to impress audience members both older and young.

From left, Timothy Ryan, Haley Ballard, Liza Piccoli and Josh Franklin in ‘Mary Poppins.’ | Photo: Isaiah Downing/Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College

London comes to life

What ultimately propels this production is the clear, confident vision of director Kelly Van Oosbree, whose name carries real weight in the Colorado theatre scene and for good reason. Van Oosbree handles Mary Poppins with the precision of someone who understands the sheer engineering required to make a musical of this scale feel effortless.

Van Oosbree’s staging is fluid, tightly cued and deeply character-driven, grounding the magic in the emotional stakes of the Banks family while unleashing spectacle at all the right moments. That vision is supported by an exceptional creative team.

Matthew S. Crane’s scenic design immediately immerses the audience in a richly textured London: a glowing skyline silhouette, multi-story pieces of the Banks home that move seamlessly in and out and additional pieces dropped in using the theater’s fly system. Crane’s quick-change forest — drab one moment and blooming with color the next to kick off “Jolly Holiday” — is the kind of old-school theatrical surprise that made the audience audibly gasp.

Keith A. Truax’s lighting moves between cozy domestic warmth, colorful musical numbers and star-filled rooftop vistas with cinematic clarity, while Travis Wright’s sound design, after a few first-act microphone hiccups, balances vocals and orchestra with crisp detail. Under Christy Vest’s music direction, the nine-piece band is vibrant and full without overwhelming the cast.

Visual storytelling gets an additional boost from costume designers Lex Liang and Sera Bourgeau, whose work gives the show much of its personality. Mary’s iconic navy coat and bright red ensemble pop against the muted palette of Edwardian London, the Banks are appropriately pose looking and the ensemble’s many transformations from statues to toys to fantastical creatures to bankers to chimney sweeps are polished and consistently delightful.

Van Oosbree then hands the stage over to choreographer Jeffry Denman, whose work turns Crane’s scenic playground into a kinetic feast. His large-ensemble numbers crackle with precision and fun. “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” erupts into a whirlwind of bodies spelling out letters mid-choreo, while “Step in Time” unleashes a tap-driven spectacle that feels ripped from a Broadway stage. These are not easy sequences, but Denman and the cast make them look that way.

Photo: Isaiah Downing/Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College

A cast that brings magic and meaning

Before diving into individual performances, it’s worth noting that this stage adaptation is not simply the Disney film transplanted to the stage. Drawing from P.L. Travers’ original books, the musical includes additional characters, such as the tyrannical Miss Andrew who raised Mr. Banks, and other darker thematic undercurrents that complicate the story, which the team handles well.

As Mary Poppins, Liza Piccoli strikes a near-ideal balance of warmth, wit and steel. Her voice is bright and expressive, capable of both crystalline belting and tender stillness. She sells the role’s magical requirements, including the bag tricks and the flying, with effortless charm.

John T. Wolfe’s Bert is an immensely likable guide through the show’s many worlds. A few lyrics get lost in the mix (perhaps as a nod to Dick Van Dyke’s kooky accent in the Disney film?), but his physicality, tap skills and rapport with the Banks children and Mary Poppins carry the performance.

The emotional core of the production, though, belongs to Josh Franklin as George Banks. Franklin charts the character’s transformation from a rigid, fear-driven disciplinarian to a father capable of vulnerability with subtlety and heart. His late-act transformation in which he begins to open up to his family is truly moving.

Lauren Alice Smith, as Winifred Banks, complements him with a warm, thoughtful performance, clearly navigating Winifred’s frustrations and ambitions. The children — Haley Ballard as Jane and Timothy Ryan as Michael — are delightful. Both performers are focused, funny, expressive and never cloying. Ballard and Ryan’s professionalism really helps to anchor the story’s stakes.

Among the supporting cast, Megan Van De Hey is a standout in two starkly different roles. As the mystical Mrs. Corry, she injects playfulness and comic fizz into “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” while as Miss Andrew, she terrifyingly embodies discipline without compassion. Her transformations are so complete that audiences unfamiliar with the performer would likely never guess the roles share an actor.

Andrea Rutherford gives a lovely, restrained performance of “Feed the Birds” as the Bird Woman, though her portrayal of the cooker, Mrs. Brill, is a bit broader. The production’s only major misfire is Colton Pratt’s Robertson Ay, whose exaggerated clowning as the houseboy feels ripped from a panto rather than a disciplined London household. Pratt’s performance clashes tonally with the rest of the production and distracts from otherwise seamless scene work.

Rounding out the production is a remarkably cohesive ensemble that elevates every musical number and scene transition. Whether forming the bustle of London streets, animating the park statues in “Jolly Holiday” or tapping across the rooftops during “Step in Time,” the group works with tight precision and infectious enthusiasm. Their crisp harmonies, sharp movement and sheer commitment make the show’s biggest set pieces land with full force.

A standout holiday production in a crowded field

Mary Poppins at the Fine Arts Center brings together an impressive blend of artistry, craft and care that few regional productions manage to achieve. The show’s sweeping visual design, tightly executed choreography and thoughtful performances work together to create a theatrical experience that feels truly invigorating.

What stands out most is the sense of purpose behind every choice. From the subdued tenderness of “Chim Chim Cher-ee” to the explosive joy of “A Spoonful of Sugar,” Van Oosbree and her team craft each moment with precision and purpose.

This was my first visit to the Fine Arts Center, and it left me deeply impressed. The sheer scale, craftsmanship and heart poured into this Mary Poppins make it one of the most affecting holiday productions you’ll find anywhere along the Front Range.