By Heidi Bosk, DCPA employee

 

My first Broadway show was Phantom of the Opera. I was probably no more than 10 or 11 years old and I went with my dad who remains to be my theatre “date” after more than a decade later. Coming down to the Denver Performing Arts Complex was a REALLY big deal for me as a little patron, which is why Kids Night on Broadway is such a fantastic program.

 

Let me introduce myself. My name is Heidi and, in addition to other activities I coordinate around The Denver Center, I plan our local efforts for Kids Night on Broadway (aka KNOB). One of the best parts of my job hands down!  So what is KNOB? It is a national audience development program of The Broadway League that basically excites little patrons (kids under 18 years old) and brings families together at the theatre. On a local level here in Denver we take the family friendly touring shows and create a one night event with activities and discounts.  It just so happens we have two coming up!

 

You may already know but the world’s most famous nanny is here in Denver and, with the help of KOSI 101, we are having Kids Night On Broadway for the March 10 performance of Mary Poppins. People that purchase a full price adult ticket can get a child’s ticket for free. There will be activities in the Buell lobby from 6-7:30pm including autograph signing by the actors playing Jane and Michael Banks from 6-6:20pm, coloring, photos by McBoat Photography with official Mary Poppins umbrellas, Hammond’s Candies and official Kids Night On Broadway giveaways. Plus you can take your ticket into Rock Bottom downtown where kids eat free with the purchase of an entrée.

 

The other KNOB evening is  April 1 for Cirque Dreams Illumination where kids will have the opportunity to meet members of the Broadway tour, learn and participate in skills, costumes, tricks, activities and some of the fun acrobatic antics for which Cirque Dreams is world renowned.

 

These events give families an opportunity to have fun at the theatre at an affordable price, which in turn takes those little patrons into lifelong theatre fans. Much like the spirit of Mary Poppins, it gets families out and doing activities together at the theatre. And that is why it is one of the best parts of my job. 

 

Oh, and if you are wondering how to get in on these events… for Mary Poppins you can use the promo code KNOB and for Cirque Dreams Illumination you can use the code KNOBDREAMS. Now I am off to the show, with my family of course. Hope to see you there!

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Mary Poppins is here!  In preparation for the first performance tonight, we thought we’d share some pictures from the load-in on Wednesday:

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It’s Texas Independence Day AND the first Tuesday of March, which means it’s time for a new episode of “10 Minutes to Curtain”!

 

This month, go behind-the-scenes with the creators of the world premiere musical Mama Hated Diesels, learn about how costumes are designed and created for the upcoming production of Shakespeare’s Othello, catch up with 11-year-old local Bryce Baldwin before he joined the national Broadway tour of Mary Poppins, and don’t miss highlights from Charlie’s Colorado New Play Summit video blogs.

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By Jeff Rummer, DCPA employee

 

This morning I read the Mary Poppins article in The Denver Post and noted the ending quote from Gavin Lee the actor who plays Bert, the chimney sweep:

 

“I believe Mary Poppins, of all the Disney shows, has a bit more meat to it because this is a real story about a family that just cannot connect.  I always say it’s not a show about a flying nanny. It’s a show about this family that needs something or someone to come along and fix them, and put them back together,” Lee said. “And 40 years on, how relevant is it that today, when we have kids doing terrible things at the schools with guns, or, less important, who sit at home and watch videos all day?  This about a dad who is about to lose his job at the bank, and how cool it is that they all go out for the day together and fly a kite.”

 

For me this quote brings into focus the reason why I love Mary Poppins…there is joy in life (if you look for it) and things can be fixed.  This might seem a little too philosophical.  Especially when I think we all fell in love with the story because of the songs and the magic of a flying nanny and might not have ever thought about the deeper moral message.  That depth of message though is why MP is still relevant to me today as an adult.  You have to love Mary’s ability to be lighthearted in the face of troubles, and balance responsibility with an easy going attitude and a spoonful of sugar.

 

We are all painfully aware of the recent school shooting at Deer Creek Middle School, which just reminds us of the other troubles in our lives: broken families, unemployment and economic realities.  I think we might all secretly wish for the spring breeze blow a magical nanny into our schools, families, jobs and Washington, DC to mend all the messes and make things whole.  But the interesting thing about Mary Poppins is that she doesn’t just fix things…she teaches and empowers the Banks family, and us, to take responsibility for our own lives and to see the magic in the ordinary.

 

The world can be a better place and we have the power to make it so.  I hope that we can all rediscover the wonder of Mary Poppins and be reminded of the magic and joy of sidewalk chalk and kites.

 

Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/ci_14464675#ixzz0gfCKxT0M

 

P.S.  For those who need a little Mary Poppins in their lives, tickets are 30% off for select seats and performances.  Just enter code CHIMNEYSWEEP when ordering online  or by calling 303.893.4100.  Hurry – this offer won’t last.

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Bryce Baldwin, age 11, normally lives in Thornton, Colorado on a small farm, complete with sheep, goats, llamas, a dog and a hamster. But a few months ago he left his home to tour the country as “Michael Banks” in the national tour Mary Poppins, headed for The Buell Theatre March 4-April 4. Bryce is an immensely talented young actor who appeared on the Denver Center stage as one of the young princes in Richard III in 2009. We caught up with him while the tour was in Los Angeles.

 

 

Have you enjoyed traveling on tour? Where are you right now?

 

Yes, I love the tour. It is so much fun to see the new cities. I am in sunny Los Angeles, California…feeling a little guilty being warm when everyone at home is freezing this winter.

 

 

What is your favorite place you’ve visited so far?

 

I am not sure that I have a favorite. Every city has something special about it. The theatres are all different and have their own history of how old they are and who has performed in them. Some have murals backstage that the performers have made. Some of them are even haunted, which is especially interesting to me…we even found a coffin in the Fox Theatre in St. Louis. The cities are all different too and it is fun to see what is important to each area. I have gotten to meet a lot of famous people here in LA, so this place has definitely been fun!

 

 

Who from your family is on tour with you right now?

 

My Mom travels with me and I would do terribly without her help and support. Ashlee (my sister) and my Dad have been to every city except Houston. My grandparents came to Houston so my Mom could go home for awhile, so I had a lot of fun seeing them. It is always nice when my family comes because I really miss them. There isn’t an opportunity for me to go home because of the schedule – that’s hard because I miss all my friends and I have a lot of animals and I miss being able to see them too. I travel with my hamster, Bubbles, and I started a pet watching service for the cast called “Baldwin Buddies,” so that helps get me my animal fix.

 

 

Now that you have been on the show for awhile, do you have a favorite song or dance that you enjoy performing most right now?

 

I don’t think I have a favorite because the whole show is magical and fun to perform. My favorite is just being able to do it all. The story is so good and it is fun to bring it to the audience.

 

 

Tell us about your schedule.

 

We feel like we are in a time warp on tour. I am in school 4 – 5 hours a day Tuesday – Friday (sometimes on Saturday too). It kind of depends on the laws in the states we are in on how many hours we can do or what days we can have school. There are 8 shows a week and I do 4 of them but for the shows I don’t do, I still need to be at the theatre on stand-by. I have Mondays off from both school and work and that is our day to explore.

 

 

What will you tell your fellow castmates they must do when they are in Denver?

 

Every Sunday they should eat brunch at either the Armadillo or Cinzetti’s. The mountains are a must for a drive or skiing, but we have to be careful not to get broken. Estes Park is nice and also Casa Bonita is a big tourist site. The company housing choices are close to the 16^th Street Mall, which has everything. There are so many wonderful things to do in Denver and around there. And of course, they all need to make at least one visit to Baldwin Acres to see my animals.

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