The holiday season may be over, but the cast and crew at Mount de Sales Academy are certainly having a jolly holiday with their recent production of “Mary Poppins!”

Based on both the book and classic Disney film of the same name, “Mary Poppins” follows the Banks family as their life is turned both upside down and set straight by their new nanny, the practically perfect Mary Poppins. The Broadway musical opened in 2004 and quickly became one of Disney’s most popular screen to stage adaptations.

Mount de Sales Academy’s production of “Mary Poppins” contained a great amount of dedication and creativity. By being both resourceful and imaginative, the cast and crew created a successful and magical night of theater. The entire cast, from the leads to the ensemble, was engaged for the duration of the show. This was most evident during the song “Step in Time,” which was full of energetic choreography and strong vocals by the whole cast.

Leading the show as Mary Poppins was Mary Morency. Not only was she vocally talented, but her sharp witty humor and comedic timing kept the audience laughing throughout the performance. Morency’s energy onstage was infectious and carried the production. Also leading the show was Ryan Slattery as Bert, Mary’s friend of many trades. Slattery did an impressive cockney accent which never faltered during the show, even when paired with his extraordinary vocals. He also brought an overall feeling of cheerfulness to the production with his constant stage presence.

But the lead actors were not the only stars on Cherry Tree Lane. Our favorite nanny would be nowhere in sight without the Banks children, Jane and Michael, brilliantly played by Marley Niesz and Rebekah Balick. Both girls shared in great chemistry, and took on childlike mannerisms to overcome the difficulty of playing someone much younger then themselves. Balick also conquered the extra challenge of playing a character of the opposite sex with great ease, giving Michael and fun and boyish attitude. Other notable performances included Bridget Edmondson as the hilarious servant Mrs. Brill and Shannon Moran as Jane and Michael’s mother, Winifred Banks.

The Mount de Sales Academy also took on many of the most difficult challenges that arise when doing a show as whimsical as “Mary Poppins.” From making a large hat stand seemingly come out of Mary Poppins’ bag, to magically cleaning up the Banks’ kitchen, the production staff accomplished many technical hurdles effortlessly. The crew also cleverly avoided the use of a fly rail to say farewell to Mary Poppins by covering one of the auditorium balconies with clouds and the other with chimney shingles so Mary could still hover above the audience. Despite some issues with the sound system, the cast was able to project their voices and still be heard throughout the show.

Be sure to check out the talented cast and crew of “Mary Poppins” before the wind changes!