Skip to main content
2016-2017 Season

Mary Poppins’ Novels, Movie And Musical

IMG_20161119_161303-1024x768.jpg

Whenever you adapt a story from one medium to another, there are going to be changes. In the cast of Mary Poppins, taking the story in the original book to the silver screen and to the stage has resulted in too many changes to count!

A student dramaturg for a different production (Andrew Koenig) made the following chart to reveal some of the changes that have happened to the central characters. I’ve added a fourth column (BYU production) in hopes that you will think about the differences you see on our stage. After you’ve seen the show, I hope that you will come back and leave your insights in the comments below.

NovelsMovie Musical BYU Production
Creator P.L. TraversScreenplay by Bill Walsh
& Don DaGradi
Composition by the Sherman Brothers Directed by Robert Stevenson
Script by Julian Fellowes Music by The Sherman Brothers and George Stiles Directed by Richard EyreBased on Disney Musical. Directed by George D. Nelson. Musical Direction by Gayle Lockwood. Choreographed by Becky Phillips and Jenny Tingey Giauque
Mary Mary is very vain and strict. She frequently stops to stare at her reflection in shop windows.Mary Poppins is firm but kind, she disciplines the children but always maintains a certain warmth in her character.Mary is a quirky blend of fun, aloof and mysterious. She is on a mission to bring the Banks family together.Performed by Cassie Austin and Sariah Hopkin
Bert Bert is a minor character, appearing in only a few chapters as a chalk artist and a Matchman (match salesman) but not a sweep.Bert is Mary Poppins long time friend and something of a sidekick. He is an artist and a chimney sweepBert helps to open the eyes of the children to a social class outside their own and “sweeps” them up in Mary’s adventuresPerformed by Caleb Jensen
Mr. Banks Mr. Banks rarely makes an appearance. He shows up every now and then, frustrated by the children or terrified of Miss Andrew.Mr. Banks cares for his family but is distant from them, focusing instead on his jobMr. Banks is distant from his family because of the distance he felt from his own parents and the discipline he suffered under Miss Andrew.Performed by Nick Summers
Mrs. Banks Mrs. Banks is concerned with the duties of being a housewife in the early 1900’s, hosting parties and generally aiding Mr. Banks.Mrs. Banks is a suffragette fighting for women’s rights while still gently loving her husband and caring very much for her family.Mrs. Banks is an aspiring, yet unsuccessful actress who is struggling to discover what it means to be a good wife for her husband and mother for her children.Performed by Carolyn Keller
The Banks Children There are five Banks children, Jane is the oldest, followed by Michael and then their twin siblings, John and Barbara, and finally the youngest, Annabel.Jane and Michael are the only two Banks children. They are troublemakers, but the behavior stems from a desire to connect to their fatherJane and Michael are the Banks children. They have many preconceived ideas about how the world works that are not necessarily true.Performed by Elise Jones and Connor Phillips
Miss Andrew Miss Andrew is Mr. Banks old nanny who is hired after Mary Poppins leaves. Mary Poppins returns and locks her in a bird cage.Miss Andrew does not make an appearance in the filmMiss Andrew is the anti-Mary Poppins. She is a dictator who is partially responsible for the emotionally distant man that Mr. Banks has become.Performed by Alana Jeffery

Want to learn even more about the history of the theatrical production? Here is a wonderful (and short) clip from Disney Mary Poppins’ educational series: From Literary Inspiration to the Silver Screen.

Related Articles

data-content-type="article"

An Actor's Perspective, Part 2

July 26, 2022 12:00 AM
By Abram Yarbro and Holly Mancuso Microburst Theatre Festival opened last week, and it has been great to have an audience. As Lee Hall explained in an interview, "Whether you are a writer, or an actor, or a stage manager, you are trying to express the complications of life through a shared enterprise. That's what theatre was, always. And live performance shares that with an audience in a specific compact: the play is unfinished unless it has an audience, and they are as important as everyone else."
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection= overrideCardHideByline= overrideCardHideDescription= overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= promoTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"

Tech Week!

July 26, 2022 12:00 AM
by Janine Sobeck, dramaturg Tech week is one of the most exciting moments in any show. It's the time when we get to leave our rehearsal room, move onto stage, and add all of the production elements. To help the actors adapt to all the changes we usually make a gradual transition. Pre-tech: While still in the rehearsal room, actors are given certain rehearsal props and costumes to help them in the creation of their characters. In the case of Princess Academy, all the girls were given rehearsal skirts and all the characters were given rehearsal books and and other items (such as the miri flower). We also added all of the instruments used in the show. Tech day 1: The first day of tech included adding the set and sound. One of the biggest changes for our actors is the ramps on our stage. They finally had the opportunity to climb the mountain! Tech day 2: It's time to add the props! In order to support Director Megan Sanborn Jones' vision of the show, prop designer Scott Jackson made all of the props out of paper, letters, and books. Tech days 3-4: This is what we call an "All Tech." The final elements of the show (lights, costumes, and make-up) are added into the mix. Day 3 is spent working through all the cues in act 1 and day 4 is spent working through act 2. Tech days 5-7: The time has come to run the show! These are our dress rehearsals, where the goal is to do the show exactly as if it was a real performance. This means starting at our normal curtain time and trying to never stop. The director, playwright, dramaturgs, and designers sit in the audience making notes about what is working and what still needs to change. At the end of the nights, the actors and designers are given feedback and we rehearse any moments that need some extra attention. Tech day 8: Which is today! Tonight is the time when we finally get to add the final element of the show: the audience! Our final day of tech is known as the "preview performance." Friends, families, and students are invited to see the show before we officially open. While we always reserve the right to stop the show if necessary (it is, after all, still a rehearsal), we hope that everything will go smoothly!
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection= overrideCardHideByline= overrideCardHideDescription= overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= promoTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"

Opening Night of Midsummer Night's Dream!

July 26, 2022 12:00 AM
Last week, A Midsummer Night’s Dream opened in the Nelke Theatre and it was a great success! Eric and I were pleased to be a part of the opening night and celebrate not only the opening night of the production, but also the 40th anniversary of the Brigham Young University Young Company. In order to set the tone of the evening, patrons were encouraged to check out the lobby display that Eric and I had created for the show. We chose to do a puppet making station, aptly named “The Mechanicals Puppet Making Station” where guests and participants could make their own puppet out of a sock or paper bag. Other craft supplies were provided for the participants—allowing them to use their imagination and create a unique puppet that they could take home. Creating such a lobby display, we hoped to provide patrons, and especially children, with an opportunity to use their imagination and create something special, as well as connect with the style of the production before seeing the show. The role of puppetry is crucial to this adaptation of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream—and we wanted to capture this and incorporate it whatever lobby display we chose. The actor’s hard work and rehearsal, as well as that of the production team, paid off—they did a marvelous job in telling the story of these loopy lovers and the adventures that take place in the magical forest. The puppetry skills and acting chops of the actors, the enchanting costumes, simple set design, and energy from the whole cast was thoroughly enjoyed by the very diverse and supportive audience. It was a packed house: if not sold out, very close. And this definitely contributed to the energetic feeling that pervaded the evening. Perhaps it was the presence of so many alumni from the Young Company that had come to support the production and celebrate the 40th anniversary of the formation of Young Company. Among the guests at the premier were Harold Oaks, founder of the BYU Young Company. Following the play, a presentation was made outlining and honoring the history and legacy of Young Company. Young Company has done an outstanding job for the last 40 years in providing quality theatre (adaptations and original works alike) for children that may not be exposed to the performing arts. A wonderful reception followed the presentation and was well enjoyed by cast and crew alike. A Midsummer Night’s Dream closes at BYU this Saturday, the 14th. Make sure to get your tickets soon and catch this unique production while you can! It will then go on tour throughout Northern Utah, presenting its whimsical and humorous message to elementary school children. Following are some images from the Opening Night Gala!
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection= overrideCardHideByline= overrideCardHideDescription= overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= promoTextAlignment=