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OGDEN, Utah — Staging a Broadway musical in a high school auditorium has never been easy. But one school has discovered a unique way to do it. Ogden's Bonneville High School is teaming students up with professionals to stage "Mary Poppins."
An elaborate fly system carries the star of "Mary Poppins" up and over the chimneys of London as Bert sings "Chim Chim Cher-ee." The English nannie played by Bonneville High School senior Leah Merrill is ready to take off.
"This is a show that … it's such a big production," says Merrill.
It's a production with rooftops to soar over and park scapes to fly kites through, and it's all designed by a professional artist.
John Cook, resident scenic artist for the Utah Opera, explains why he got involved in working with Bonneville High performing arts. "I do it because I didn't have this opportunity as a young man. I think it's rather fun to work with high school kids," says Cook.
Junior Tommy Morgan is performing in "Mary Poppins" and helping to create the magnificent sets that will bring the show to life. "Instead of having someone else's work up there, it's really everyone's," Morgan says.
Students have taken every design sketched by Cook and "the kids have built the set and now we're detailing painting and I have students that are beginning to open up as painters," says Cook.
In fact, some students like Morgan are taking the time to learn new skills in the Utah Opera's scenic workshop. "The most interesting part so far of this is watching all of the pieces of the production come together," says Morgan.
It's all coming together under the creative direction of theater arts and film teacher Alane Schultz. "The arts are, it's the life, it's what gives passion and makes you human," she says.
When Schultz came to Bonneville almost two decades ago, she brought a passion for the arts, but "fresh out of college, all I had was heart and no resources," Schultz says.
Over time, Schultz discovered and cultivated those resources. She built up a network of professionals willing to help her, her students, and even their parents bring productions like "Poppins" to the Bonneville stage.
"You just realize that you need the resources to get better quality. You need the resources to give the kids a better education," says Schultz.
Merrill is performing in her final show under Schultz' direction and says, "I know the relationship she has outside of work with all of these incredible professionals that when she puts them all together we make something special."
Utah Opera's Cook has connected with the kids and their parents. He has a group of moms constantly working with him who are affectionately called the Drama Mamas.
Natalie Turner is one of those moms. She describes the experience, "You'd never dream, you'd never dream, and it just comes to life on stage."
The Drama Mamas are inspired to create unique sets. "We've turned foam into bricks … lots and lots of bricks," says Turner.
And the moms support a program that has influenced the course of their kids' lives. "He's (her son) been able to do things he never dreamed of doing," adds Turner.
Turner's son, Mason, plays Bert in "Mary Poppins." It's one of a number of roles that has changed him over the course of his high school career. "It's truly made a difference in the trajectory of his life," says Turner.
It's also made a difference for so many young artists working behind the scenes. Senior Abby Getters is stage manager for "Mary Poppins" and says, "It's so much fun and it's so important to everything and to the world."
Morgan agrees, saying of the final product, "It's going to take so much time and all of our effort but it's really just going to be our everything."
Bonneville High School's production of "Mary Poppins" opens this Friday at 7 p.m. The show runs through Monday, April 25, but there will be no Sunday or Wednesday performances. You can check out the school's website at www.Bonneville.wsd.net for all times, dates and ticket information. Email: solney@ksl.com
