At Raise the Curtain on November 21, director and drama instructor Michael Place announced Blanchet’s musical for spring of 2016, Mary Poppins, exciting the Blanchet community.

To choose the musical, Place looked at a large variety of shows. He settled on four or five that had themes that he really cared about, before determining that Mary Poppins was the best choice.

“Mary Poppins seemed to be the one that fit this community the best, out of all of them,” said Place. “The themes in this show have to do with family, charity, good decision-making, and the ways that we build our lives. Mary Poppins seemed like an exciting, vibrant, and fun lens to explore all those themes through.”

The version of Mary Poppins that Blanchet will perform was written by Julian Fellowes, who was responsible for Downton Abbey, and is not based on the Disney movie.

“This is a more complicated Mary Poppins than the version you grew up with,” said Place. “It’s based more on the books than the films. We are going to reveal a lot of what people don’t know about the story.”

Place expressed enthusiasm for the show, noting that the song “Step in Time” would be difficult to prepare for.

“‘Step in Time’, on the roof tops, is a very dance heavy number. The performers are really going to have to work hard so that they can sing and dance very aerobically at the same time,” said Place. “That is going to be very challenging. But when we pull it off, it’s going to be gorgeous.”

Place also described the characters that he is most excited to work with and see come to life.

“I’m really most attracted right now to the roles of Michael, the younger boy, and Winifred, the mother,” said Place. “Her point of view is more contemporary in terms of modern feminism, and looks at the societal standards of 1910 and the 1900s…. Her songs I find to be just heartbreaking and beautiful. And Michael starts…. as a pretty angry, neglected kid. Throughout the story he changes a lot and discovers beauty, fun, and joy. I’m really excited for these characters.”

The show will be performed at the Moore Theater in downtown Seattle from May 20-22.

“The Moore is one of the biggest houses I’ve ever worked in,” said Place. “It’s exciting for me professionally and creatively to be working at such a large scale…. I’ve seen ten musicals since I graduated so this is really a culminating moment in this entire community that I feel really close to and very passionate about. I’m very honored to be directing and following in Mo Mershon’s footsteps, and my teacher Jo Vedder’s, before that.”

Rehearsals for Mary Poppins run from February to May. Auditions and crew interviews begin December 14.

“We are very excited to share this rich and complex story with the Blanchet community,” said Place. “It’s a story about imagination, and I’m really excited to tell this story with a production that supports a vivid imagination.”