Kokomo Curtain Call Theatre for Children will perform "Mary Poppins" this weekend

Jul. 20—Sid and Donna Hayden met in a high school theater production of "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House." They played Jim and Muriel Blandings, a married couple, and ended up falling in love. The show's director was the pastor who married them.

Now that their six children are out of the house and their grandchildren are older, the couple are returning to the limelight. They've got small roles in Kokomo Curtain Call Theatre For Children's production of "Mary Poppins."

One of their grandsons, Eli Copper, is working sound and board for the show. He said he's enjoyed seeing his grandparents play a bank teller and doorman.

"They get to be in the same scenes together. He gets to open the door for her and that's very, very cute," Cooper said.

Jeremy Leazenby Bruce, the show's director, said he loves the show's story. The theater version, he added, focuses more on the relationship between Mr. Banks and his children.

He also knew he could secure a nice pre-built set for the show and incorporate flying scenes for the first time in a KCCTC production.

"I like to add new elements to theater," Leazenby Bruce said.

The director noted "Mary Poppins" is likely the most expensive show KCCTC has ever produced. Its budget ran over $20,000.

Lately, the KCCTC summer musicals have become Curtain Call friends and family shows, bringing in the program's alumni, family members of theater children and community members who enjoy theater. As a result, there are 6-year-olds in the show acting alongside people in their 70s.

"It's really cool to see some families working together on a show like this," Leazenby Bruce said. "I thought 'Mary Poppins' was a good family show to put on in the summer."

Anna Shelton will play Mary Poppins in the KCCTC production. She said it's been one of her all-time favorite roles since childhood.

"I grew up loving her and loving Julie Andrews, too," Shelton said. "It's super cool."

She admitted the role can be a bit intimidating, given how iconic it is. However, Shelton said she's also been excited to meet the role's expectations while putting a personal spin on it.

"It's been more of a challenge playing someone who presents herself as practically perfect in every way, because I'm definitely not," Shelton said. "But I do love order. I love when families can have that bond. And I like helping people with their problems."

Shelton said she's enjoyed the production's flying scenes. Since she isn't afraid, she added, the backstage flight crew that controls her aerial movement has also had fun sending her across the stage without warning.

"It's been super cool," Shelton said. "It's one of those little checklists that I can cross off on my theater bucket list."

Bert, the chimney sweep who sings "Chim Chim Cher-ee," is the only other flying role.

Unlike Shelton, Kaleb Stiffler wasn't incredibly excited to fly on stage.

"I thought I would hate it," Stiffler said, later adding "I have a thing about heights, which is ironic, but it's actually very fun."

Nate Moore compared his character, Mr. Banks, to Stiffler's role as Bert.

He appreciated the challenges of learning dance choreography and how to fly. Moore's challenge, he said, comes from his character's transition from a grumpy wealth-obsessed man into a loving father who recognizes the importance of an enjoyable childhood.

"I want it to be convincing and feel real," Moore said. "And also show this sort of metaphor for this character, that he had this tenderness in his heart all along, but that it was just sort of locked away."

When Moore began researching his role, he said, he understood Mr. Banks wasn't supposed to be a cold, unfeeling character. He tried to put himself in the character's shoes, imagining how his worldview would be different if he were raised on a narrow path of duty, generating wealth and maintaining social status.

"Once I was able to kind of connect with the person that I think Mr. Banks is, right into his soul, that was sort of the place where I could connect with the character," Moore said.

There's a heartfelt moment near the end of the show where Bert reminds Mr. Banks that his children won't always be around and tells him to take advantage of the time he still has with them.

It's one of Stiffler's favorite parts in the production.

"I think there's something so beautiful about live theater, but there's also something so beautiful about just musicals in general that can just take you back to your childhood and make you remember all of the good things in life," Shelton said. "And I think this show's a very heartwarming show because it shows the challenges, but it shows how they can overcome them and how they can grow stronger through them."

James Bennett III can be reached at 765-454-8580 or james.bennett@kokomotribune.com.