Every now and again, even us plain ol’ country folk get dressed up and venture into society for a bit of culture. Yes, I can leave the flannel shirts and camo pants at home and squeeze myself into a pair of tights and a dress. I draw the line at heels, though, unless they are boots. A gal’s got to have her standards.
It’s nice we don’t have to drive far for the arts.
“Those who think Mansfield has nothing to offer are living with blinders on,” said a friend of mine. He was simply gushing over the recent Mid-Ohio Opera. “You’d never know you were in Mansfield.”
That’s a sentiment echoed by my daughter after “Mary Poppins” on opening night at the Renaissance Theatre. “You would never know you were in Mansfield,” she said. And it’s true.
After the show, I fully expected to step out of the theater onto the streets of New York (please hold the muggings). The show was just that good.
“Mary Poppins” was a favorite of my youngest, probably until she was 18. She was a little hesitant to see a local production of it. “You just can’t top Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke,” she said.
After the show, the magic still sparkling in her eyes, she sighed wistfully, “Ah. Childhood.”
Mary Poppins teaches many lessons to her charges, but most importantly, she teaches Mr. Banks, as well as the audience, that life needs a little fun and adventure, and isn’t always about work.
It’s a lesson we all need to take to heart.
It’s hard, though, when so many of us are focused on making a name for ourselves in our chosen field, or maybe just paying the bills, to take time out and remember what life is about.
Even in the country, we can get caught up in the rhythm of nature, knowing we only have a limited amount of time to get the garden planted, or to preserve the harvest. Mix in “real” jobs on top of that, and it can be a challenge to make time for fun.
Of course, we can take a lesson from Mary Poppins and make our work fun. You know, “a spoonful of sugar,” and all that. But, no matter how many times you tell yourself that hauling firewood up the hill in the wheelbarrow is just one big party, no amount of sugar is going to make that medicine go down.
For some of us, it takes a health scare to make us realize that life is short; to wake up to the fact that we are here for a limited amount of time, and things can change quickly.
Each hour we spend at work is an hour our children grow older. Each night we are too tired to read bedtime stories is a night closer to the little ones outgrowing them. Each time we skip that call to a parent or loved one is a chance that we may never hear their voice again. Life is unpredictable and time passes quickly.
We have to learn to make time for our families, and even for ourselves. Work, though important, is not the reason we are here. Just listen to Bert’s advice:
Sometimes it takes a chimney sweep to point out the obvious.
Life lessons aside, allow me to give the show a plug: it was amazeballs, swimming in a sea of awesomesauce.
There was dancing on the rooftops of London, complete with fog, and Mary Poppins’ bag was full of surprises. Mary Poppins took to the air, just like in the movie, leaving everyone in the audience breathless.
The “Step in Time” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” numbers were beyond words, with children and adults bouncing in their seats.
The standing ovation at the end was well earned, but no amount of applause said “success” as well as that sparkle of childhood magic in my totally-grown-up daughter’s eyes.
If it’s any consolation, “Mary Poppins” is showing for another weekend at the Ren. Squeeze into your tights, load up the kids, and go. It’s supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
