STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

It’s the year 1910 at the Sun Valley Community School Theater. But not all is well.

Mr. Banks is busy with work and Mrs. Bank with her suffragette activities. And their two youngers Jane and Michael are left to come up with conniving ways to send their nannies packing.

But—lo!—in steps Mary Poppins, a magical woman who has come to teach the family how to treasure one another again, even as she takes Jane and Michael on memorable adventures.

The beloved musical “Mary Poppins Jr.,” under the direction of Kamie Hobbs Berkey, runs at 2 p.m. today—Thursday, Aug. 13—and at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14 at Sun Valley Community School. Tickets are available at https://www.stthomasplayhouse.org/

Louisa Waycott, who grew up performing in St. Thomas Playhouse productions and now sings in professional opera productions, is offering the musical direction to the 4- to 13-year-olds. Ida Belle Gorby, who also grew up in St. Thomas Playhouse and is now studying theater at college, is directing the choreography.

The play features a whopping 107 kids, give or take one or two.

“It’s a moment of delight seeing what happens when so many people come together to give their best effort,” said Berkey. “And the play—it contains so many lessons about what’s important, about how we should treat each other.”

Louisa Waycott notes that this play features more classical music, composed by Richard and Robert Sherman, as opposed to the pop music of “Shrek Jr.,” which St. Thomas Playhouse Company B campers presented earlier this summer.

“It’s good for kids to experience both,” she said, “And all the songs in this musical are so positive.”

The musical is one of the longest that Company B has ever done, coming in at 90 minutes instead of the standard 60, noted Wyatt root.

“But, hey! It’s ‘Mary Poppins!’ What more do you need to know!?”

THE CAST:

Riley Meyer plays Mary Poppins and Hiram Johnson, Bert. Darlene Bridwell plays Jane Banks and Cole Meyer, Michael Banks.

Nolan Jackson plays their father George Banks and Mykala McCann, his wife Winifred Banks. Casey Rolf plays the housekeeper Mrs. Brill and Thomas Roberts, Robertson Ay.

Jed Schmidt plays the chairman of the Bank and Georgie Payne, the Bird Woman, and Olivia Safley, Katie Nana.

Park Strollers and statues include Emiko Dutcher, Leah Vitoria Lopez, Ashlyn Zelaya, Knox Leah, Signe Asbjornsen, Sophia Simon, Simone Spachman, Jasper McCollum, Grace Darley-Emerson, Jessie Marie Garcia and Sam Slonim.

Bank customers include Eleanor Hopeman, Ennis Wawner, JP Weston, Kingsley Bruun, Khloe Rios, Matias Lima, Remy Vanbragt, Sophia Torres, Teagan Armas, Sophia Fosburg, Bromin Feldstein, Justin Armas and Aelexa Fowler.

London Street vagrants, buskers and passersby include Van Flandro, Arabella Freeman, Brayan Povis, Carlos Arenas, Cassidy Carlson, Hailey Blas, Hazel Keffer, Hazel Schmidt, Ian Vidalon and John Franco Garcia.

Chimney sweeps and kite flyers are comprised of Patrick Chambers, Moraya Gavin, Hazel Wright, Cecily Jacobs, Charlie Pittsley, Hadley Gouley, Heidi Lees, Kyle Brujun, Lala Payne and Wren Simmons.

Pre-Kindergarten honeybees are Thomas Hammond, Vincent Laggis, Silas Lima, Clementine “Minnie” Payne, Jada Roman, Yamilat Salaman, River Schubert and Hudson Stumpner.

Kindergarten kite children include Sylvie Hayashi, Gus Hopeman, Evie Loufek, Dimitri Neely, Rell Riley, Jude Schubert, Atticus Stankek, Oskar Stevenson, Lulu Swanson and Jade Vanbragt.

First-grade customers are Eleanor Gilligan, Wyeth Hume, Charlie Madaras, Melody Mayne, Aurelia McCollum, Lisha Povis, Ivy Simons, Murphy Ward and Doc Wawner.

And the second-grade Chimney Sweeps are Dorothy Bridwell, Felix Chamberss, Addison Hopean, Harland Hustis, Kaius Kashino, Sloane Kassatly, Juniper Kesselman, Kiran Kumar, Poppy Lees, Skyler Mamedov, Eleanor O’Grady, Dagny Stanek, Rooney Stevenson and Harlow Stumpner.

THE CAST:

Riley Meyer plays Mary Poppins and Hiram Johnson, her beau Bert. Darlene Bridwell plays Jane Banks and Cole Meyer, Michael Banks.

Nolan Jackson plays their father George Banks and Mykala McCann, his wife Winifred Banks. Casey Rolf plays the housekeeper Mrs. Brill and Thomas Roberts, Robertson Ay.

Jed Schmidt plays the chairman of the Bank and Georgie Payne, the Bird Woman, and Olivia Safley, Katie Nana.

Park Strollers and statues include Emiko Dutcher, Leah Vitoria Lopez, Ashlyn Zelaya, Knox Leah, Signe Asbjornsen, Sophia Simon, Simone Spachman, Jasper McCollum, Grace Darley-Emerson, Jessie Marie Garcia and Sam Slonim.

Bank customers include Eleanor Hopeman, Ennis Wawner, JP Weston, Kingsley Bruun, Khloe Rios, Matias Lima, Remy Vanbragt, Sophia Torres, Teagan Armas, Sophia Fosburg, Bromin Feldstein, Justin Armas and Aelexa Fowler.

London Street vagrants, buskers and passersby include Van Flandro, Arabella Freeman, Brayan Povis, Carlos Arenas, Cassidy Carlson, Hailey Blas, Hazel Keffer, Hazel Schmidt, Ian Vidalon and John Franco Garcia.

Chimney sweeps and kite flyers are comprised of Patrick Chambers, Moraya Gavin, Hazel Wright, Cecily Jacobs, Charlie Pittsley, Hadley Gouley, Heidi Lees, Kyle Brujun, Lala Payne and Wren Simmons.

Pre-Kindergarten honeybees are Thomas Hammond, Vincent Laggis, Silas Lima, Clementine “Minnie” Payne, Jada Roman, Yamilat Salaman, River Schubert and Hudson Stumpner.

Kindergarten kite children include Sylvie Hayashi, Gus Hopeman, Evie Loufek, Dimitri Neely, Rell Riley, Jude Schubert, Atticus Stankek, Oskar Stevenson, Lulu Swanson and Jade Vanbragt.

First-grade customers are Eleanor Gilligan, Wyeth Hume, Charlie Madaras, Melody Mayne, Aurelia McCollum, Lisha Povis, Ivy Simons, Murphy Ward and Doc Wawner.

And the second-grade Chimney Sweeps are Dorothy Bridwell, Felix Chamberss, Addison Hopean, Harland Hustis, Kaius Kashino, Sloane Kassatly, Juniper Kesselman, Kiran Kumar, Poppy Lees, Skyler Mamedov, Eleanor O’Grady, Dagny Stanek, Rooney Stevenson and Harlow Stumpner.