Step in time

IN THE MOST DELIGHTFUL WAY: Howard Durnin, 14, as George Banks, Mira Blacklaws, 9, as Jane Banks, Francesca Valing as Mary Poppins (with the famous parrot-handled umbrella) and in her debut as producer / director, Sydney Spenst.

The new Beanstalk Theatre Company reinvents a muchmissed qathet tradition – ambitious junior musicals – for the next generation.

BY PIETA WOOLLEY

When she was 10 years old, Sydney Spenst stepped on to the stage for the first time, playing the Queen of Hearts in a local production of Alice in Wonderland, and she was hooked.

It drew her out of her comfort zone. It was so much fun.

Through her teens, you may have seen her in The Little Mermaid, the Wizard of Oz, her favourite production: the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, or many others.

Now 24, Sydney teaches Musical Theatre at Laszlo Tamasik Dance Academy, and in the fall, she started her own business: Beanstalk Theatre Company, which is producing Mary Poppins.

“It’s been my dream ever since I was these kids’ age to do this,” she said on a break from rehearsals at the Evergreen Theatre mid-January. “I had no aspirations to go off and win a Tony Award. Theatre changed my life. I just wanted to grow up and give this to other kids.”

George Banks (Howard Durnin) appreciates the efficency and predictability of the workers at his bank.

And, she is. 23 of them, in fact. You can see them on stage February 16 to 18, in Mary Poppins Jr. It’s an ambitious debut, featuring favourite numbers from the original musical and a very talented cast of triple-threat children and youth.

“We just have to be like swans – calm on top and feet going like crazy,” she said, of the last weeks of rehearsals. “That’s my job – to do all the crazy. Live theatre always, always comes together.”

In the role of Mary Poppins is Francesca “Fran” Valing, a 16-year-old student at Brooks. She has been in choirs and performing in church productions for nearly a decade. Her first major role was as Annie in Burnaby – although the live performance was cancelled due to COVID

Fran was in the ensemble in Brooks production of Mamma Mia last year. The future lawyer or paralegal sings in Paul Cummings’ Jazz and Chamber choirs, too.

Mary Poppins (Francesca Valing) helps everyone remember the magic in every day life – often through song.

“I sing all the time – when I’m playing piano, when I’m washing the dishes,” she said. “But I do no dancing at all.”

As Mary, her favourite part is the accent.

Perhaps the biggest story arc in the musical belongs to George Banks, the father and banker, played by 14-yearold Howard Durnin. An accomplished musician, Howard plays bass, piano, clarinet, trombone, flute, drums, and trumpet.

He sings in choirs, and tap dances too. This is his first time acting, though.

“I love that I get this window into someone else’s life,” said Howard, who is homeschooled. “It’s like I can leave my own life far away and become someone else for a while – like I have less responsibility,” said the future software developer and musician.

Mira Blacklaws, 9, plays Jane – the eldest Banks child and Mary Poppins’ charge. She dances with Laszlo Tamasik Dance Academy, and sings in the choir at Westview Elementary.

When she first learned about auditions for the play, Mira was at a swim meet. “I just started jumping up and down,” Mira remembers. “And this is really fun.”

As much as Sydney is loving her first solo production, she is also extremely busy. This month, her Laszlo students are on stage at the Festival of Performing Arts under the eye of adjudicators. She is missing her usual work as resident choreographer with the Brooks Theatre Department, but it was time to start Beanstalk, she said.

I just felt ready to jump in,” Sydney said. “A lot of this feels like second nature, but I am keeping a list of things I want to do differently next year. The business side of this has been a real learning curve of responsibilities and tedious jobs. But leading this group of fabulous kids feels very very easy.”

“But I’m busy. So busy. I need to find a cave during Spring Break and sleep for two weeks.”

|| pieta@prliving.ca