The perfect nanny

The E.A. Rawlinson Centre. -- Jason Kerr/Daily Herald

Broadway North goes supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Everyone’s favourite magical nanny is coming to town, just in time for Christmas.

Broadway North announced their 2018 show will be Mary Poppins Junior, with Karen Langlois in the title role and Ian Dickson playing Burt, the chimney sweep.

The announcement comes a week after the youth theatre program announced its staff for the 2018 season, with returning faces Laura Hopper and Roxanne Dicke.

Hopper is the stage manager again, also adding the title of program director. Dicke is retuning as director and drama instructor. Langlois will also serve as music director.

Hopper said the theatre company is excited to be able to put this show on.

“We thought it would be a great year to come in with a bang,” she said.

“Walt Disney is releasing the Mary Poppins remake in December, so we thought we would go with the theme.”

Bringing in adult actors to play some roles isn’t anything new for the theatre company. It helps with the learning and mentorship program. Broadway North, after all, is an educational theatre experience.

“We (bring adults in) as a way of mentorship for our students, as a way of showing this is where you are and this is where you can go with it,” Hopper said.

“It’s a kids theatre company, students learning how to sing and dance, be a triple threat within the theatre world.”

Marry Poppins Junior will be the December presentation of Broadway North, following the fall session of the program. That’s separate from the summer intensive, a one-week crash course in musical theatre.

“They come in for a week and we just teach them a bunch of Broadway,” Hopper said, adding that it’s a way to get kids off of their phones and electronic devices and into a world where they express themselves.

“They learn how to dance, we give them improv to work with, acting, going beyond themselves, quick on the spot. You think on your feet, instead of on your phone.”

Between the staff announcement and the show announcement, Broadway North has been receiving a lot of feedback over the past few weeks. According to Hopper, parents seem excited the company is continuing to operate in Prince Albert.

“We’ve had an amazing reaction, which has been really great to see,” she said.

“People believe in Broadway North, It’s the community’s theatre company. It’s been around for so long. Everyone belongs to Broadway North. It’s so great to be continuing it on.”

Hopper said participants are second or third generation Broadway North cast members. Their parents got involved and wanted their children to follow in their footsteps.

“It’s really become Prince Albert’s theatre company,” she said.

“With how long it’s been running, everyone is excited when they hear the name and what’s going to come out of it.”

 

 

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