Rooted Gypsy Repertoire production is community theatre at its best

Strongs leads and a synergetic cast bind Mary Poppins into a memorable evening at the historic Rialto Theater in downtown Florence. Presented by Rooted Gypsy Repertoire, the classic musical attracted an enthusiastic full house each performance of its opening weekend. The show runs through Nov. 24.

The production is community theatre at its best. With child actors at the story’s core and a vibrant Brianna Freda-Reed as its title character, Mary Poppins is a delight.

As Poppins, Freda-Reed captures the class and carriage of the novel nanny. A Cañon City native, Freda-Reed embodies the mystical spirit of Poppins with a hint of aloof confidence that shows endearing grace.

The setup: The Banks are an unhappy family in need of intervention. Dismissed as spoiled and entitled, the privileged Banks children have sent many a nanny packing to the dismay of their frustrated parents George and Winifred Banks. Enter Mary Poppins — floating in on an umbrella, of course — to work her magic.

But Poppins is no ordinary nanny as she swiftly connects with her young charges Jane (Maddie Mueller) and Michael (Merrick Hyatt) Banks. Their initial musical trios in the nursery display a bond that grips the audience and grows throughout the play. While still evolving in their skills and confidence—at just 8 and 9 years old respectively– both young actors look poised for bright futures under the stage lights.

The full ensemble of ‘Mary Poppins’

Family affair

Jacob Mueller brings life and wit to the happy-go-lucky chimneysweep Bert. A USAF Academy graduate and 14-year Air Force pilot, Jacob and his wife, Kayla, who directs the show, are co-founders of the Cañon City-based theatre company Rooted Gypsy Repertoire.

But there’s even more to this family affair as daughter Maddie portrays Jane while father-in-law Matt Mueller plays small dual roles in the production. Rounding out this talented troupe of thespians is another daughter Emma Mueller, part of the show’s ensemble along with little sister Rosie Mueller at just 5 years old. What — no role for the family dog?

Three additional families of multi-generational talent take the stage or contribute behind the scenes in the Rialto’s Mary Poppins: the Fradys, the Hyatts and the Donalds. This show gives new meaning to family friendly.

Popularized by the classic 1964 Disney film with Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, the staged story lacks some of the fantastical elements of the screenplay. Instead, the musical delves into the domestic dysfunction of upper-crust Edwardian London while still creating ample playfulness.

Drew Frady is a standout as the stern and stoic patriarch George Banks — and no wonder as his roots lie in Broadway and off-Broadway roles. He takes command of every scene. As his dutiful wife Winifred Banks, Chandra Serfoss is superb. Impeccably dressed, she is the epitome of prim and proper while hiding insecurities in wifedom and motherhood.

A nanny mastermind

Act Two is calamity on multiple fronts, with the nanny’s mastermind in problem-solving working overtime. Like a good Netflix binge, the audience is left to wonder how do they come up with this stuff?

Mary Poppins hosts a sizable cast, several playing dual roles from minor speaking parts to the impressive dance and vocal ensemble that make every good musical worth the watch.

The throwback Victorian costumes are a marvel. Bert is scruffy, while Mr. Banks is crisp. The Banks children are dressed to their station. Street urchins reflect the class distinctions of the era. Never a hair out of place, Mrs. Banks’ clothing is predictably uncomfortable as Mary Poppins is “practically perfect.” That’s a musical number in the production if you’re not familiar.

Lighting, sound, and stagecraft prove a challenge on such a small and limited stage. While some actors managed to fill the space with their voices, most were soft and muted even when singing. Portions of the stage were poorly lit while scene shifts created lulls in the action as amateurish sets transformed with the opening and closing of the big black curtain.

Mary Poppins seems a pop culture icon in the popular genre of family dysfunction. Keeping it simple, she urges common sense with “anything can happen if you let it.” And it does in the most peculiar ways, another classic in the show’s musical numbers. The audience lights up to more Poppins tuneage like “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” and the mind-boggling “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.”

Florence’s Rialto was filled with patrons of every age, showcasing the wide appeal of Mary Poppins as the cheeky, heart-warming story for the ages that it is.