Magic is in store for Geauga Lyric Theater as it presents Mary Poppins as its holiday show. Running Dec. 4-20, directed by John Krol, this classic musical is already bringing joy to its cast.
Ryan Peterson, last seen on the GLTG stage as part of the barbershop quartet in The Music Man, will be playing Bert, the dancing chimney sweep. “Mary Poppins was one of my favorite movies as a child, and remains a favorite as an adult,” explains Peterson. “The opportunity to be a part of the magic, sing and dance to all the classic songs, and to introduce my two young boys to the story as Bert himself was just too good to pass up.”
Jill Zeszut, who portrays Mary Poppins, found out about auditions just in time to get there as the director was leaving for the night. They felt as if “The wind blew her in!” and were attracted by her “sparkle.” Jill also loves this story. She states, “There is so much heart. At its core, beneath all the magic and fun, it is a story about how a family is brought back together.”
Both Ryan and Jill agree that the experience of developing their characters has been a labor of love, and that the people they are working with at GLTG have added to that positive experience. Ryan says, “I look forward to rehearsal every day because of the group of people that I get to work with. We have a very diverse cast in terms of age and experience, yet everyone gets along so well. This is a cast that builds up instead of tears down, and we are all better performers (and people) because of it!
Don’t miss your chance to see this wonderful holiday production. Geauga Lyric Theater is located at 101 Water Street on historic Chardon Square. The show will run Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., from Dec. 4-20.
Tickets can be obtained online, or by calling the box office at 440-286-2255.
Special thanks to our Marquee Sponsor for Mary Poppins: Chardon Smile Center!
Photo detail: Mary Poppins (Jill Zezut), Michael Banks (Jake Spencer), Jane Banks (Brynna Wright) and Bert (Ryan Peterson)
This article is brought to you by Geauga Lyric Theater Guild
