Patuxent High School will be bringing the magical world of Mary Poppins to Southern Maryland for two short weekends. Over 80 people have worked for almost five months to bring together the production that will finally take the stage April 17.
“We were hit with a lot of delays,” said Director Allen Price. “With all of the snow days things kept getting pushed back, but the kids just kept working harder and harder. They really wanted it.”
Price said this is his second year directing the musical for Patuxent.
“We have an awesome team of directors,” said Price. “[Marisa] Jacobson [vocal director] did a really great job getting the kids to a high caliber very quickly. The pit director [Andy Ritenour] is awesome. The kids really worked for him, they sound very cohesive. We only took two days to put the pit and the cast together.”
Mary Poppins will be junior Ashlie Coon’s first experience on stage.
“I did make up last year but this is my first year as an actor,” she said. “I’m excited and nervous. I think everything is going to be really good though, we’re ahead of schedule right now so I feel good about it.”
The first day of dress rehearsals had cast and crew running around backstage getting together costumes and last minute props.
Price walked past Haileigh Fiske, stage manager and costume designer, and said “You okay?” to which she replied a quick “No.” with a laugh. Laughing, Price said “I know.”
Despite the stress of the five day countdown, Fiske said she was confident in the production.
“I’m really excited,” she said. “We’ve worked hard and it’s nice to watch it all come together.”
In her junior year of high school, this is Fiske’s second show as a part of the Patuxent Drama Department and her second show as stage manager and costume designer.
“Mr. Price was my English teacher last year,” she said. “He said that I should be costume designer for the fall show and I said I would do it, and then they needed a stage manager so I said I would do that too.”
Fiske said she is very happy to be a part of the department and that everyone is nice and fun to be around.
Junior Taylor Jackson agrees with Fiske on the dynamic of the department.
“I really like the camaraderie we all have and the laughs we share,” she said. “We’re all one big family. I used to play basketball and I quit so that I could do the play and I’m so happy I made that decision.”
The bond that is shared between the students may not be much of a surprise, but what is different about this group is that they have accepted an eighth grade student from Mill Creek Middle School as not only one of their own, but as one of their star characters, Bert.
This is Landon Kelln’s first year in Lusby and he seems to be right at home.
“Everyone is really nice,” he said. “I was not expecting to be accepted as well as I was.”
Kelln has acted in community plays previously to this production before moving to Lusby. He said that he has really enjoyed being a part of this production.
“I like the dancing, the acting and the singing,” he said. “I can’t just look at one thing and say it’s my favorite, it’s everything put together that makes it overall amazing.”
You can see the magic of Mary Poppins yourself April 17, 18, 24 and 25 at 7 p.m. and April 19 and 26 at 2 p.m. in the Patuxent High School Auditorium.
Contact Jessica Goodell at news@thebaynet.com
