'Mary Poppins' takes flight

NORWALK — As first teased in a playful Easter Egg hunt last April, Norwalk High School's drama department is ready to welcome audiences to "Mary Poppins." Back then, director Robyn Rogers had her students uncover the title letter-by-letter, hidden inside eggs around the performing arts center. Now, the wait is over. Performances of the beloved Disney musical based off the book by P.L. Travers will run 7 p.m. on Feb. 26, 27 and 28, with a matinee at 2 p.m. on March 1 at the Ernsthausen Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $8 general admission and $15 for VIP seating. The story follows Mary, a magical nanny who finds herself caring for two children in London and their magical adventures. "This is one of my favorites, and it's been more than a decade since we've done Mary Poppins," Rogers said last year, when students excitedly pieced together the letters M-A-R-Y P-O-P-P-I-N-S during an Easter Egg hunt reveal of the production. Now, the cast is set. "Mary Poppins" showcases the considerable dramatic and vocal talents of many students: Abby Upton as Mary Poppins, Declan Hanna as Bert, Jacob Rockwell as Mr. George Banks, Roxy Brummitt as Mrs. Winifred Banks, Ben Rockwell as Michael and Anna Copsey as Jane, and a highly entertaining cast, full of London residents, chimney sweeps and other magical characters," Rogers said. The production will feature favorite numbers like "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," "Let's Go Fly a Kite," "A Spoonful of Sugar," "Step in Time" and the Academy Award-winning "Chim-Chim Cher-ee". Rogers emphasized the scale of this year's show. "We've grown to offer multiple productions each year, and Mary Poppins is one of the biggest yet," she said. "We even have a fly rig for the iconic scenes."