Mary Poppins. a Wheelock Family Theatre Study Guide prepared by Patrick Brady & Lloyd Woodcock

Transcription

1 Mary Poppins a Wheelock Family Theatre Study Guide prepared by Patrick Brady & Lloyd Woodcock thanks and applause to The Yawkey Foundation sponsor of the student matinee series 200 The Riverway Boston, MA box office: Wheelock Family Theatre 1

2 ABOUT THE MUSICAL The story of Mary Poppins comes from the series of children books of P. L. Travers ( ), a British novelist. Born with the name Helen Lyndon Goff, she was an actress who used the stage name Pamela Lyndon Travers. She decided to publish her writing under a shortened version of the name - P. L. Travers possibly so her gender would not affect the book s chance of being published. The first book, Mary Poppins, illustrated by Mary Shepard, was a successful endeavor. From 1935 to 1998, Travers published seven more books about the lovable English nanny and her various adventures with the Banks family. American film and television producer Walt Disney expressed an interest in making Mary Poppins into a feature film, but he encountered resistance from Travers every step of the way. The movie opened in cinemas in 1964, had animation, music, and special effects and was extremely popular. The cast of the Disney movie included many well-known actors, including Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins and Dick Van Dyke as Bert. According to Travers, her Mary Poppins was tart and sharp, rude, plain and vain, and nothing like the Mary Poppins played by Julie Andrews in the 1964 movie version. Travers granted British theatrical producer Cameron Mackintosh permission for her stories to be adapted into a stage musical with the condition that British songwriters be brought in to compose new material. The musical differs from the movie in several ways. In the film, Mrs. Banks is a suffragette (women advocating for the right to vote) but in the stage version she is a former actress. In the show (and the film), the Banks family has two children, not four as in the books. The original Broadway cast of the musical included actor Katherine Doherty as Jane Banks. Katherine performed in many Wheelock Family Theatre productions before and after her Broadway debut! 2016 Wheelock Family Theatre 2

3 CHARACTERS Mary Poppins. Jane and Michael Banks new nanny. Mary is special for her magical qualities and her overwhelming kindness. Mr. George Banks. Father of Jane and Michael and a mid-level manager at a London bank; George works very hard and rarely opens up to his wife or children. Mrs. Winifred Banks. Mother of Jane and Michael; she used to be an actress. Jane and Michael Banks. The Banks children, who crave attention from their parents, and whom no nanny can seem to manage. Mrs. Brill. The no-nonsense cook employed by the Banks family. Robertson Ay. The Banks clumsy footman. Bert. A charming chimney sweep and artist, Bert is a good friend of Mary Poppins. Katie Nanna. The children s nanny before Mary Poppins arrives; she quits at the beginning of the story. Mrs. Corry. Owner of the Talking Shop where conversations and letters can be purchased. The Bird Woman. This old woman asks passersby to Feed the birds by buying her bags of crumbs. Miss Andrew. George s strict nanny from his childhood. She is nicknamed the Holy Terror Von Hussler. A scheming German businessman who asks George Banks for a loan. Northbrook. An honest English factory owner looking for a loan Wheelock Family Theatre 3

4 MEET THE DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER: RUSSELL GARRETT What about Mary Poppins inspired you to want to direct the show? I have always loved the movie MARY POPPINS. Like millions of people, I grew up with this movie and these songs. So, this material is very close to my heart. When I was younger I always wished that there was a stage version of it because I wanted to play Bert! So this is a dream come true. But what really intrigues me about directing this show is getting to the heart of the Banks family and what they are going through. The creators of the stage production of MARY POPPINS have deepened the conflict and fractured nature of the family. The story takes place in London in 1910, and the parents rely on a nanny and are not themselves active participants in raising them. The children feel unloved, the parents, particularly the father, are very removed and aren t giving them the love and attention they need. So, it s very interesting to explore this with the actors and work on how this family is put back together and made whole with the help of Mary Poppins and her ally, Bert. You re also choreographing the show, how hard is it plan for a show as both the director and choreographer? It can be quite difficult to do both jobs. Often when working on a big musical it is helpful to have two rehearsals going on at the same time in two different locations. Logistically, it is not possible to be in two places at once so I am only able to do one or the other at any given time! And it takes more thought, time, and energy for me to create dance steps and think about patterns and nice pictures in a dance routine than it does to plan on scene work and directing actors. But a real bonus to doing both jobs is that you have the potential to create something that feels seamless. Sometimes when two people are directing and choreographing, their styles and approach may be different and the show suffers. When there is one approach from the same mind it can work to the betterment of the show. What do you want the audience feel when they walk out the doors when the show is over? I hope that when the audience walks out the door that they will be exhilarated and thrilled by all the magic, flying, singing and dancing of the show! It should lift people up and give them joy. But truly my main hope is that they are moved by the journey of the Banks family. If we can touch their hearts with that story and demonstrate how important it is for a family to love and care for each other then that will be the biggest accomplishment we can hope for. Which character do you like the best and why? I have to admit that Bert is and always will be my favorite character. A lot of that has to do with my fondness for the movie and my huge love and appreciation for Dick Van Dyke who I consider a genius. I grew up watching endless reruns of his sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show as well as this and other movies of his. His physical comedy, timing, and go-for-broke dancing have always inspired me. I love how different Bert is from all the other characters. He doesn't mind that he hasn't a lot of money, status, or position in society. He is very happy to be the person he is, regardless of his circumstances. He makes the most of everything and enjoys it. And he loves the freedom of going from job to job. He loves what each job brings and the people with whom it brings him into contact. He's a sincere and joyful character and I think that s why I've always liked him. What has been the biggest challenge when working on this show? 2016 Wheelock Family Theatre 4

5 Probably the enormity of the show itself has been the biggest challenge. I've worked on a lot of big musicals that had several dance numbers and huge scenes and stories to tell so that is nothing new. But the difference in this show is that we have to do all those things and in many locations AND we have to have magic and special effects happening throughout the story. So a big show becomes an even bigger challenge because the demands of this particular story are much heavier than most. Tell us a little bit about how you collaborated with your designers. The first big challenge for this show is to figure out how to physically put it on the stage you are working with. The requirements of the show, its many locations and magic and flying, dictate a lot of what you need to pull off in order to tell a clear story for the audience. Because of some of the physical limitations of the stage and backstage, the set designer and I decided to create a 'unit' set that would be a permanent, two-level structure on stage and not a lot of large pieces coming and going with each scene. The challenge then becomes how to make clear to the audience that the same set they see throughout the show changes into different locations depending on how we use it and what smaller items we add or subtract from each area to change it up a bit. She was inspired by simple line drawings in books as well as pop-up books so we went with an almost all-white set. The lighting designer plays a big role in bringing in color and creating the locations and mood of the scene. The costume designer also has an important role. She not only has to design costumes that look appropriate for the place and time period of the story but color becomes an important element - dark colors for scenes where people feel drab and vibrant color when Mary Poppins uses her magic. Have there been any surprises for you in the process of working on the production? I am constantly amazed at the children we have playing Jane and Michael Banks. We have doublecast them so that we have two sets of children simultaneously rehearsing and learning the show. This is an enormous show for the children - they have more stage time than even Mary Poppins and Bert and have to carry a great deal of the show on their shoulders. So I am always surprised and thrilled with their enthusiasm and how much thought and work they have done on their own. They make great choices and are really smart about what they are doing. And they don't get as much actual time on their feet in rehearsal because they have to share the time with the other pair. So I'm always delighted when they really watch and take notes while we're working with one set of kids and then the other set gets up and nails it! This show absolutely would not work if we didn't have good children to play these roles and we are very lucky to have them Wheelock Family Theatre 5

6 SYNOPSIS ACT ONE London, Bert, the lovable chimney sweep, introduces the story. Living at17 Cherry Tree Lane are George Banks, his wife Winifred, and their children Jane and Michael. The children are mischievous and misbehave and their latest nanny, Katie Nanna, has finally decided to quit. Mr. Banks, who demands absolute precision and order in his household, tells his wife they need to put an advertisement in the newspaper for a nanny. But Jane and Michael are one step ahead of their parents; they have drafted their own advertisement that lists the qualities they would like in a Perfect Nanny. Mr. Banks tosses his children s writing into the fireplace. Mary Poppins appears and agrees to take the job. She meets the children and describes herself as ( Practically Perfect ). Mary takes the children to the park for some fresh air. They run into Bert, who is painting in public. The children doubt that the park will be any fun, but Mary surprises them by revealing the magical qualities the park has to offer. Soon, Jane and Michael are singing and dancing with statues that have come to life ( Jolly Holiday ). Back at No. 17, Mr. Banks is uninterested in hearing about his children s marvelous day; instead, he reminds his wife to invite the fanciest people in London society to her upcoming tea party. Jane and Michael reflect on how much they like Mary Poppins, while Mrs. Banks reveals her struggles with being a housewife ( Let s Hope She Will Stay ). The day of the tea party has come, and the house is in a flurry of excitement. Mrs. Banks is unsure if she can get everything ready in time, so she enlists the help of her servant Robertson Ay. Unfortunately, Robertson Ay makes a big mess in the kitchen, but Mary inspires everyone to quickly clean up the mess ( Spoonful of Sugar ) before the guests arrive. Mary takes Jane and Michael on a visit to the bank where their father works ( Precision and Order ). Mr. Banks is facing a difficult choice: invest the bank s money with the businessman Von Hussler who wants to make money, or Northbrook, who wants to help people. The children learn about Mr. Banks childhood nanny, Miss Andrew. George decides to support Northbrook ( A Man Has Dreams ). On the way home, Mary and the children run into the old Bird Woman dressed in rags who sells bird feed for tuppence a bag. Mary teaches Jane and Michael to look beyond appearances. They all enjoy feeding the birds together ( Feed the Birds ) Wheelock Family Theatre 6

7 Afterward, Mary takes the children to Mrs. Corry s Conversation Shop in the park. Mrs. Corry knew their father when he was a young boy. He used to collect the gingerbread stars. Mary and the children invent a new word using letters they choose: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! Back at home, George tells Mrs. Banks that he has been suspended from his job without salary. When the children return home from their adventures, they are excited, but George becomes irritated with them. Jane and Michael are in a foul mood and break their toy doll, Valentine. Mary teaches them a lesson about treating others with respect ( Playing the Game ). Mary tells Bert she ll be leaving the children since they don t seem to be taking her advice. ACT TWO Some weeks have passed since Mary disappeared. Winifred Banks hires Miss Andrew, George s much-praised childhood nanny. When Miss Andrew appears, George runs away in fear of the Holy Terror! The children are also terrified of their new nanny when she immediately punishes them for misbehaving by feeding them Brimstone and Treacle. They run away to the park, where they meet Bert, who cheers them up in his usual way ( Let s Go Fly a Kite ). The children are overjoyed when Mary suddenly appears and agrees to return as their nanny. Meanwhile, George is wandering around another part of the park, distraught. At home, his wife worries about the family s future ( Good For Nothing/Being Mrs. Banks ). Mary and the children arrive home and free Miss Andrew s caged bird, Caruso. She gets rid of the evil Miss Andrew by giving her a taste of her own medicine ( Brimstone and Treacle Part 2 ). Mr. and Mrs. Banks are pleased to see Mary return, but George confesses that he cannot pay her wages. She is happy to stay the children s nanny, until as she reminds them the chain breaks. The children are swept up the roof, and meet the chimney sweeps ( Step in Time ). George is called to a meeting with the bank chairman and fears the worst. A family heirloom accidentally breaks and George has memories of his childhood. Bert cheers him up [ A Man Has Dreams (Reprise)/Spoonful of Sugar (Reprise)]. Winifred wants to go to the bank and support her husband, but she is discouraged from doing so. Mary and the children remind her that Anything can happen if you let it. They all rush to the bank and learn that his decision was the better one after all. He is promoted, but reminds his boss that, from now on, his family comes first. In a moment of great celebration, Mary Poppins flies with the children up toward the heavens to look at the stars. Jane and Michael discover that Mary has left. The Banks family is sad, but realizes her job is done. Mary has helped the family re-discover what is important, and other families could use her help Wheelock Family Theatre 7

8 ABOUT THE SETTING AND TIME: EDWARDIAN ENGLAND Mary Poppins takes place in London, England in King Edward VII ruled Great Britain from 1901 to 1910, so this period is known as the Edwardian Era. It was a pleasant decade, a period of growth and prosperity that preceded the horror of the First World War. The Banks family is a middleor perhaps upper-middle-class family that would enjoy the luxuries of the Edwardian age. While they lived a comfortable life, the country was divided by class. Mrs. Banks s tea party fails because she has invited people of a higher class who all decided not to attend. Like other middle-class families, the Banks family employed servants. In general, the more affluent a family was the more servants it employed. An upper-class British home might include some of the following staff: Butler. The head servant in the house; he answered the door whenever the bell rang, and he stood behind the master of the house at every meal. Housekeeper. The head female servant of the house; she oversaw the tidiness and orderliness of the home, and she commanded the female servants below her. Nanny. A nanny took care of the family s children. Valet. The valet attended to the master s personal needs; he helped him get dressed. Footman. A footman prepared the silverware for dinner, set the table, and served food to the family. The footman could also travel with the master of the house during the day. Cook. A live-in house cook, with her staff, planned and prepared every meal for the family. Housemaid. The housemaid answered to the Housekeeper, performing any duties she saw fit, such as cleaning bedrooms and changing sheets. Scullery Maid. These maids were the lowest-status servants, in many ways. They mostly worked for the cook, cleaning dishes and preparing food. Often, they rose very early in the morning to light the fireplace Wheelock Family Theatre 8

9 Jane and Michael Banks were lucky: they will be educated and taught to read at a time when the illiteracy rate was nearly 20%. They will be able to enjoy the cultural delights the city has to offer, such as parks, museums, and theaters. They will be able to pursue many different opportunities in life. As a male, however, Michael enjoys a greater privilege than his sister. In 1910 in Great Britain, only men above age 21 (who owned property valued at least 10/year) could vote in the country s elections. Women above 21 were considered the weaker sex, and were not allowed to vote until Bert is part of the working class. Working class individuals found jobs in factories, mills, mines, and as domestic servants. Bert held many different positions as a musician, artist, and chimney sweep. EXERCISE: Status Walk Around 1. Have participants begin in a circle. 2. Hand out playing cards to each student, making sure that students do not look at the card. Students should immediately put the card on their forehead for other students to see. 3. King is highest status, 2 is lowest status. (For simplicity, do not use Ace cards.) 4. Instruct students to walk around the room and greet each other based on the status of the student they are greeting. Example: A King might be greeted with a high status bow or kneel to the ground, whereas a 2 might be greeted with a low status Servant or dismissive hand wave. 5. Repeat until all students have greeted each other. Discussion with students: What did you notice about the different ways people were greeting each other? How did you feel during this exercise? What are some examples of individuals in current time that have high status and low status? How do you think status informs your everyday life? 2016 Wheelock Family Theatre 9

10 EDWARDIAN ETIQUETTE The Edwardians had a very strict code of manners, or rules of etiquette. Below are some rules for behaving on the street, adapted from Professor Thomas E. Hill s Essential Handbook, 1890: ETIQUETTE OF THE STREET. A gentleman should give a lady his arm. A gentleman may take two ladies upon his arms, but under no circumstances should the lady take the arms of two gentleman. A gentleman will assist a lady out of a carriage. When service is thus performed, he will raise his hat, and bow. No gentleman will smoke when walking with, or standing in the presence of, a lady. No gentleman should stand on the street corners, and make remarks about ladies passing by. Ladies should avoid walking rapidly upon the street, as it is ungraceful and unbecoming. Staring at people, spitting, looking back after they pass, saluting people across the street, calling out loudly, or laughing at people as they go by are all evidences of ill breeding These codes were strictly for the middle/upper class and they allowed individuals to know who was in a certain social circle or not. The working class did not have the same social/public lives as the middle/upper class, and did not have the same code of etiquette. Other ways to distinguish and divide the classes were accents, vocabulary, grammar, and dress. Discussion: Why do you think it was important to the upper classes to distinguish themselves from working class citizens? What do you notice about how the rules differ for men and women? Why do you think this is so? Does our society still have rules for proper etiquette? If so, why? 2016 Wheelock Family Theatre 10

11 GETTING DRESSED IN 1910 In Edwardian England, middle/upper class individuals wore much more elaborate and formal clothes than they do today. It is true that what you wore often depended on your class and social status, but, no matter who you were, you couldn t be caught in public wearing a T-shirt and jeans! The examples below illustrate the typical garments an upper-middle-class family like the Banks family would wear. Articles of Clothing for an Edwardian Man Undershirt Piqué tuxedo shirt Waistcoat (vest) of piqué or silk (black or white) Wool trousers Wool tuxedo jacket White or black bowtie Black patent leather shoes or opera pumps Pearl or moonstone links and studs for tuxedo shirt Silk hat for a formal evening out White silk scarf Gloves, usually white or black Walking cane piqué = a durable, ribbed, clothing fabric of cotton, rayon, or silk 2016 Wheelock Family Theatre 11

12 Articles of Clothing for an Edwardian Woman Slip Stockings and Garter Chemise Petticoat Corset and Corset Cover Drawers Bust ruffles Brassiere Tailored Dress A large hat with ostrich feathers Pumps, for evening shoes Parasol, for warm weather Cloak, for cold weather Class differences Working class individuals struggled to buy clothes, and often made their own clothing. They were resourceful with their worn-out clothes; a mother would take the good parts of an adult man s jacket and make a smaller child s jacket. Here are some images of working class clothing: 2016 Wheelock Family Theatre 12

13 Exercise: Making Clothing from Edwardian Times Have students create one or two articles of clothing based on dress from Edwardian times. Using brown paper bags or other basic materials, students can create and decorate any of the articles of clothing mentioned above. For example, one student might create a Vest and Top Hat for a Male Character, or Dress and Parasol for a Female Character. Students can choose to create clothing for an Upper class citizen, a Working class citizen, or both. Examples of materials that can be used: brown bags, newspaper, papier mâché, cereal boxes (or other lightweight boxes), construction paper, cardboard, feathers, fabric scraps, and other easily accessible materials. Once clothing items are made, have students put them on and walk around the classroom. Discussion: What does it feel like to wear these items? Can you imagine having to wear these clothes every day? How would that affect the way you lived your life? Compare the formal wear of today with clothing from the Edwardian Era. What are some of the differences? What are some of the similarities? Which one do you like better? Edwardian men s clothing and women s clothing were very distinct. Why do you think this was so? Is this still true of modern formal wear? 2016 Wheelock Family Theatre 13

14 ADDITIONAL EXERCISES THE PARK In the play, Jane and Michael explore the magic of the park when visiting with Mary Poppins. Imagine an extraordinary day on Boston Common, or in the park in your hometown. What magic might you find there? Does anything come to life? What sorts of interesting people might you meet? Draw a picture of your magical day in the park. Write a short story about this magical park. DESIGN THE SET! There are many settings in the play, including the Banks family home, the British Bank, the park, and the rooftops where the chimney sweeps dance. Imagine you are the Set Designer of the play. Pick one of the settings from the play, and draw what you think it could look like on stage. Think about what colors you see, and what adjectives or phrases you would choose to describe the location (e.g. comfortable, sprawling, dark, etc.) As you watch the show, compare your set design to the design that you see on stage. How are the settings different? What elements are the same in each design? How can you put the two designs together to create a whole new design? 2016 Wheelock Family Theatre 14

15 MOVEMENT EXERCISE Learn/create choreography to Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious In the original Broadway production, choreographer Stephen Mear created a series of moves to spell out Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Inspired by his partner who is Deaf, Mear used signing in the choreography for the song, except made the gestures bigger for the audience to see on stage. As part of the ASL interpretation team, Jessica Winiecki, Kristen Johnson, and Elbert Joseph created ASL signs for the song for their interpretation efforts for Broadway Across America s MARY POPPINS Production in Boston. This same song interpretation will be used in Wheelock Family Theatre s production of MARY POPPINS as well. Using this idea as inspiration, have students create their own word that can be used when you have nothing to say. After this word is created, begin to add movements that spell it out. After this has been completed, create a new word the same length as Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and create your own original movement pattern. Does having movements make it easier or harder to spell out the word? What does your new word mean? Come up with a definition! How would you use it in a sentence? 2016 Wheelock Family Theatre 15

16 GLOSSARY FOR MARY POPPINS ACT ONE Blighter An unpleasant, rude person. I doff my cap To take off one s hat as a gesture of respect. Paragon Stalwart Cross In the mess Castor oil Barley water Spectacles Tommy rot Spit-spot Screever The perfect example of a certain quality. The paragon of virtue, for instance. A loyal, reliable, and dedicated person. Upset or irritated. For example, She was cross with us when we were late. A mess is a place where soldiers eat their meals. A yellow oil obtained from castor beans, which was often used as a laxative. A drink of hot water and barley grain, sometimes enjoyed with lemon/sugar. Antiquated term for eyeglasses. Nonsense or rubbish. A Mary Poppins catchphrase, meaning hurry up! One who draws pictures on sidewalks, and receives charity from passersby. Your blood is blue! A blue-blooded person is one of noble birth. Promenade Plinth Busker Impertinent Tuppence Shilling The drawing room Lexicon Precocious Hieroglyph Rocococious Monolith Halitotious A leisurely public walk. The base supporting a statue. One who performs in a public place, with the hope of receiving donations. Rude and disrespectful. Short for Twopence or two British pennies. Twelve pence, or one-twentieth of a British pound sterling. A large room in a home, meant for entertaining guests. Another word for a dictionary; place to look up words. Exhibiting mature qualities at an unusually early age. A written character that looks like a picture. A play on the 18th-century Rococo art movement, which was characterized by fanciful curved forms and elaborate ornamentation. A single great stone often in the form of an obelisk or column. A made-up word, meant to describe the condition Halitosis: a medical problem of having very bad-smelling breath Wheelock Family Theatre 16

17 ACT TWO Brimstone Treacle Molly-coddle Carbolic soap Tincture Charge Highfalutin A motley crew Esquire Epitaph Recompense Another word for sulphur, a yellow chemical used in making paper, gunpowder, and medicine; it has a strong, unpleasant odor when burned. A blend of molasses, sugar, and corn syrup; also called golden syrup. To treat with an excessive or absurd degree of indulgence and attention. A mildly antiseptic soap containing carbolic acid that smells like tar. A medicine that is made of a drug mixed with alcohol. A nanny s charges are the children she is meant to take care of. Pompous or pretentious. Composed of diverse, often incongruous elements. General courtesy title for any man in a formal setting, used after his name. Something written or said in memory of a dead person; especially, words written on a gravestone. Something that is given to or done to thank or reward someone, or to pay someone for loss or suffering. Sources: Merriam-Webster Dictionary; New Oxford American Dictionary Wheelock Family Theatre 17