Mary Poppins at the Ahmanson Theatre

Simply the most creative and inventive set design and production I have ever seen, it was like the movie, a musical, and a magic show in one.

A must see take the kids.

When I saw this show coming to town I knew that this would be the perfect gift for my mom for her Birthday. Mary Poppins has long been one of her favorites (if not THE favorite) Disney movies since she was a kid. I myself although I have seen it a half dozen times or more, am not a huge Mary Poppins fan. With that said however, seeing the musical version live was a completely different story. The Ahmanson Theatre was a great venue for this show (my first time there). The seating here is setup perfectly to accommodate these kinds of shows and the production was fantastic. The transition between scenes was seamless and the music was definitely on par with that of the film.
All of the actors did an amazing job replicating the film onto the stage from the smallest part to the main stars. I don’t know the name of the main actress who portrayed Mary Poppins but I am sure she made Julie Andrews proud. The fact that my mom seemed to also have a very good time at the show made it all the more worth it. The special effects they used for pulling various large items out of a small bag was great as was the ending scene with Mary Poppins floating away with her umbrella into the ceiling of the Ahmanson. This was a spectacle I was not expecting and was greatly surprised.
All of your favorite songs were accounted for from Chim-​Chiminy, Spoon Full of Sugar to the ever popular Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. The show definitely lived up to the buzz it was getting in the press. I can’t wait to see what the creators of the show have in store for us next. I would recommend this show to anyone who is a fan of the movie or simply wants to see a fantastical tale brought to life on stage.

Amazing show! I’ve always been a Disney fan and I grew up watching Mary Poppins when I was a little girl.
I loved all the sets. And singing was great!
Thank you Katie B and Unilocal for the free tickets! :)

This review is a little bit overdue but I want to make sure that I give this musical the 5 stars it deserves.
I got tickets from Katie B and didn’t expect much at first. I was pleasantly surprised with the show quality. I have been to several musicals on broadway when I visit my sister in NY and this production definitely did not disappoint.
First of all, the theater itself is beautiful. The staff was efficient and professional. There were many themes concession stands and souvenir shops inside.
The musical was great. The set was amazing. Each scene change was seamless.
The best part was the cast. What a group of talented performers! The children were so cute and their voices were amazing. The woman who played Mary Poppins sound so much like Julie Andrews.
I definitely recommend this musical to everyone.

One word for this musical: magical!!!
This was surprisingly my first Unilocal elite event ever that I was lucky enough to attend. It was a special evening for my bf since it was his first musical ever and what a great musical to start with!
I don’t know any other musical where you can laugh, gasp, cheer, and sing along all through the night! I’ve watched three other musicals at the ahmanson and didn’t really enjoy my experiences. My last show here was Sweeney Todd which had no set changes but wow, Mary Poppins was a 180! Breathtakingly beautiful scenery and props. Magic tricks to delight the young and the old. Nostalgic childhood tunes. My favorite parts were Bert and Mary on wires (don’t want to spoil it for those that didn’t see it)
The actors playing Michael and jane were so talented! There were a lot of children in the theater and I felt like I was sitting at the edge of my seat all giddy and excited along with them ;)
This has got to be one of my favorite musicals of all time. Thanks Katie B., Unilocal,and CTG for an amazingly magical evening!
Tip 1: $ 9 parking at Ahmanson
Tip 2: Amazing fountain right across the street to visit after the show!

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Okay can you feel my excitement… I am a sucker for all things musical. so when I had the wonderful opportunity to see Mary Poppins I couldn’t contain my excitement, and I think I was actually more excited then the children we where seated around (thanks Unilocal for the Orchestra seating) I was in a daze for the entire play, signing along, feeling all the emotions of the actors and basically had a smile on my face from start to finish. I highly recommend Mary Poppins for children 5 and up since the younger ones seem to get bored quickly…
Pardon me while I Chim chim-​in-​ey, chim chim-​in-​ey chim chim cher-​ee!

SUPERcalifragilisticexpialidocious!!!
My first time at the Ahmason Theatre and I can’t think of a better venue to see Mary Poppins! We adored the musical and a thousand standing ovations for the casts, especially the two adorable talented kids. The entire casts can sing, act, dance, they are true entertainers. As we enjoyed the play, we also enjoyed the live orchestra that was playing.
The productions was amazing! They took over the stage as it changes from different scenes to scenes. The settings were just surreal! Every scenes was filled with bright vivid colors! My favorite was how they changed the back of the house to their kitchen! Bravo!
The choreography to the song supercalifragilisticexpialidocious was just too amazing to find the right words to right now. How the heck do they dance and sing like that and as the melody picks up faster and faster, they have to remember all those words and phrases and those steps to the choreography. Must take years of training!
My favorite part was
–When Mary Poppins took out all the big items from her darling red bag. how did she do that? haha
–When Mary Poppins flew up with her Umbrella and over the audience
— the SUPERcalifragilisticexpialidocious chicken dance. haha
— The kitchen scene with A spoonful of sugar will make the medicine go down.
–OMG! How about the part where Bert walked up and down, left and right on the walls! How cool was that??!
A Spoonful of Sugar definitely will make all our medicine go down with Mary Poppins!
The entire show was so exciting that we never missed a beat.
BRAVO!
Thank you so much to Unilocal and Brittany for giving my guest and I the opportunity to see this Incredible play!

Super cute. I definitely need to watch the movie again. But like ‘Pete S.’ said «No Penguins!»
A bit disappointing because my favorite scene is the penguins, and their red/​white stripe outfits which were used by background dancers :(But it was still a pretty awesome show.
I mean what show do you get everyone in the whole audience clapping and actively involved? The stage crew did such an awesome job, the set looked great! The kids were super awesome — do I hear superstars in near future?
Parking: $ 9 Structure parking, Valet is alot more expensive. Possible $ 6 off Olive/​2^nd Street on a Hill but its like a 2 block walk to the Theatre.
The Ahmanson Theatre is in the Music Center which includes a taco place, and cute outdoor eatery. Plenty of public patio tables to picnic at so bring your own food and drinks to dine before the show.
Ahmanson Theatre was pretty nice. Lots of supportive staff, very informative and friendly. Also, DSLR cameras are allowed (no pictures during show of course), food and drinks allowed inside but of course you can’t eat or drink it inside.
The Theatre has like two bars, a couple snack bars and one candy bar. $ 10 well drinks.

Thanks to Unilocal,I had the opportunity to watch Mary Poppins with my bro at the Ahmanson!
Absolutely LOVED the musical! So vibrant, colorful, and exciting! I was super impressed and enjoyed every minute of it! Everyone did a fantastic job, and the 2 kids were so adorable!
They have a live orchestra that was amazing and never missed a beat.
Sat in center of the the Mezz section and had a great view. I think most seats in the house offer a good view.
Street parking ($ 4/​hr), lot parking ($ 9), or take the metro! :)

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
It was brilliant, fabulous, magical, and an all around great time.
I loved every moment of it. The children were adorable. The set was cool. Loved the magic tricks.
That’s all folks! Don’t forget a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.
Thank you Katie B, may I have another!

I am luckier scoring these tickets being a Unilocal Elite than a Cast Member of the Walt Disney Company!
Thank you so much to Katie B., Unilocal!,and Ahmanson Theater/​Center Theater Group for giving me this opportunity to spectate such a world class production at the price of free ninety-​nine!
This musical made me feel so nostalgic of my childhood years, when the only forms of indoor entertainment were Disney movies on VHS and talking to friends via home phones. I haven’t watched this movie in years, so besides the popular songs, I have forgotten a good portion of the plotline. Watching this movie now as a young adult, I appreciate that the story is teaching the whole family: that family comes before money and parents need to be there emotionally for their kids.
The cast onstage was spectacular, and I was just as impressed with the musicians who performed a flawless show from the pit. The kid actors are incredibly talented, and if they aren’t native British residents, they nailed the accent! The sets were magnificent and detailed, the rooms were built almost to scale, and smooth transitions between scenes.
I doubt there are any bad seats in the house. We were assigned great seats in Balcony 6 seats from the left isle, but had an almost center view of the stage. The rows are built with a steep incline, so it was pleasant not having to move my head much to get a clearer view of the stage.
Maybe it was my hunger, but the play seemed like it was longer than the movie. I didn’t mind, though, I was singing along the entire time.

WOW — so glad to see Mary Poppins before it’s run ends tomorrow!!! Thank you Unilocal and Katie B. for the amazing hook up!!!
This was a «practically perfect» event… easy parking in & out for $ 9 directly underground, smooth will call ticket pick-​up and a great venue. The Ahmanson Theatre’s acoustics are great. We were seated in the Mezzanine area, about 10 rows back but we could see and hear wonderfully.
The set design was phenomenal… colorful and creative. The songs and performances were infectious… I couldn’t stop toe tapping and clapping. I loved how the cast danced through Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious… the set just popped out in color, energy and fun! The «magic», especially Bert walking sideways and upside down, and Mary Poppins flying out above the audience were incredible!
I will always hold this event dear to my heart because it was the first musical for my daughter. Thank you, Unilocal and the Ahmanson for hosting such a great event! It’s never too early to introduce a child to the theatre!

Thanks to Katie B. for a GREAT hookup on this one. Absolutely fantastic experience: o)
This was my first time visiting the Ahmanson and the rest of Music Center, and I am definitely excited at the idea of attending more events here in the future. A lovely little area in downtown to discover.
The play itself was an absolute delight. The cast was wonderful, and the sets, lighting, and overall flow of the show was absolutely top notch.
Great time!

No Penguins!
No matter, it was really good! Thanks to Katie B and the CTG (Center Theatre Group)
I haven’t been back to the Ahmanson since my college days. It was a LOOONG time ago! It has changed since then, a LOT. They’ve modernized and I noticed the sound quality is a lot better. I have to say, it feels a lot more intimate, like the Wiltern.
The play was just fun, lots of fun. It almost made me want to jump out of my seat and try to do the Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious dance with them. That could be the new «Macarena»! There were other scenes that made you just want to dance with the cast, like the tap dancing scene.
The Orchestra was just magnificent, I could hear them loud and clear with every bell! Kudos!
The cast was wonderful, everyone did a Superb job. Special props to Rachel Wallace (Mary Poppins) as well as Julianna Rigoglioso (Jane Banks) and Eli Tokash (Michael Banks).
If I had to criticize anything, I would say the segway to the next piece seems a little static. The transition was a bit hard to understand since it was like flipping to chapter 6, then chapter 4, then back to chapter 7, and then chapter 5. The pitch of the sound from the ladies last night was a bit high for me as well in the beginning. Either I got used to it or someone adjusted sound because it was a lot better 30 minutes after the play started.
The parking here wasn’t difficult, but if you did come late, you might’ve been punished because you had to park way on level 8 and wait for everyone else. Wait for will call. It didn’t help being a 3 day weekend traffic. But I knew that in advance, and took off an hour and a half earlier. $ 9 parking for here is well worth it.
Thanks again! SOMEONE please give Katie B a raise?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YESSS! Let’s do this one more time:
S U P E R CALI FRAGI LISTIC EX P ALI DO C I O U S
The play is simply that Supercalifragilisticexpalidocious. After listening to it so many times you may think I have spelled it right, but I have a feeling I may be wrong. Oh well, you get the point.
The day was like a dream, drive to the theatre from Victorville, grab tickets, go inside, grab seat, and had two mintues to spare to just sit and turn off my phone. *Whew* That was close. Then I was whisk away dancing and singing with Mary Poppins until someone walked in front…
ATTENTION LATE COMERS: FYI It is very rude to come late to the theatre, some even 20 minutes late, dang if I can plan to come from Victorville on time so can you.
The staff at Ahmanson was quick (will call window), courteous (ticket checker), and helpful (usher).
The Play was amazing, I loved how they kept the storyline of how I remembered it when I was little. It was cute and funny.
It’s Perfect Perfect Perfect it is.
Thanks Katie!

It’s so good to be an Elite. I love Unilocal oh so much. Thank you Unilocal and CTG for a pair of tickets to Thursday nights showing of our favorite nanny Mary Poppins!
It was our first time at the Ahmanson Theater. What a gorgeous theater! Intimate, beautiful and the area was just so lovely. We walked around outside before going into the theater and some of the buildings are so beautiful. I swear DTLA is underrated. The Dorothy Chandler is next door as well as the Dept of Water and Power. Both spectacular buildings with a nice open area for picnicking and a lovely fountain. I was just thrown back by this whole area.
Now for the show. The every changing sets were amazing!!! Love the house set too! It reminded me of a play house! We sat in the back row of the orchestra level and our view was slightly obscured by the mezzanine but it was just fine. We loved the show and sang along to all our favorite childhood toons!
We love going to theater shows, there’s something so magical about watching live theater as opposed to a movie. Mary Poppins was great but I love the little girl Jane. Her voice was just wonderful and she sang beautifully. Love the costumes and the storyline. I thought it was a beautiful rendition of Mary Poppins.
I would definitely check out another show at the Ahmanson near future! Thank you again CTG for a wonderful night of great entertainment!

Practically perfect in every way! :)
Thank you to the amazing KatieB and CTG for hooking us Elites up with the most special events.
My son and I had an awesome time at Mary Poppins last night. I couldn’t think of a better way to start off Labor Day weekend than laughing and being entertained at the Music Center, totally worth missing the RNC and Clint’s performance in Tampa ;)
We had seen this musical a few seasons ago and I had already forgotten how fun and entertaining it is. The costumes and sets are colorfully awesome!
This is a great show to take the kids to, and tons of fun for adults as well.
We had never sat upstairs before but it’s always nice to take in a stage play from various areas in the theatre. I knew for this play in particular, it would be exciting to see Mary Poppins fly over the audience and we had a wonderful view of her up close for that.
The strange man who moved into the seat in front of us after intermission made the second half a bit hard to hear and enjoy — I didn’t know if he was performing the sound track to War Horse or what but I wish I would have worn my boots with the spurs to give him a reminder kick to STFU because he was SO rude with his constant sound effects, humming, horse noises and constant moving back and forth with a hair do that damn near reached the ceiling of the Ahmanson. If I weren’t wearing a skirt I would have hopped over a couple rows to try and move into some empty seats away from this guy but we stayed and made the best of it. Besides that little tid bit… This is a musical you will want to come back for each season it is here.
The performance was wonderful and I am most appreciative for having the opportunity to enjoy such a lovely evening.
Thanks again KatieB :)

Lucky Me! I scored tickets to Mary Poppins (8/30/12)…Thanks Unilocal!
Mary Poppins = Fun, Entertaining, overall GREAT show! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! It’s perfect for all ages. Who doesn’t love Mary Poppins? She’s so cool! =) I would come back and watch it again. It’s that good! Everything from the singing, acting, dancing, costumes, set designs, you name it. LOVE LOVE LOVE
They currently have discounted tickets on
. Don’t wait, get your tickets NOW!
I love the Ahmanson. It isn’t as big or «grand» as the other theatres but that’s the only difference. The sound quality is good and the best part, there’s not a bad seat in the house! I sat in Mezz Row K and they were great seats (perfect view of the stage).
Parking is easily accessible (park in the music center structure for $ 9). It beats driving down one way streets in DTLA hoping to find a spot on the curb.

Mary Poppins, you’re a hottie! RAWR. Just a spoonful of your sugar won’t make my medicine go down, if you know what I mean J/​K.
Scored free tickets for primo seats at the Ahmanson Theatre, thanks to Katie B., my favorite CM. I love going to the theatre, and live performance in general. Attaining free tickets for the show the night before my birthday, how could I not go?
Parking was easily accessible. I arrived early and prepaid $ 9 to the attendant and quickly found a spot. I suppose I could’ve found parking on the street, but didn’t want to stress out over that, plus $ 9 wasn’t too bad a price.
The Ahmanson theatre itself isn’t very big, which allows for good viewing practically wherever you’re seated. My seats were towards the back of the mezzinine level, which I think I preferred over the orchestra. Refreshments and souvenirs were available pre/​post-​show & during intermission, however I don’t think food/​drink was allowed in the theatre.
As for the show, I enjoyed it tremendously. The scenes transitioned well, with bright colors & lighting to tittilate the senses. The performers were on their game tonight. I enjoyed listening to the classics — «Feed the Birds», «Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious», «A Spoonful of Sugar» & others. I’m secure with my manhood to say I experienced goosebumps quite a few times during the show. I left feeling warm, fuzzy & ready to give someone a hug.
This has been probably the best birthday month I’ve ever had, as far as I can recall. Thanks again to Katie B. for allowing me the opportunity to see a world-​class production at the impressive Ahmanson Theatre. I must check out the season schedule for more shows. I know I’ll have a good time.
Excelsior