Making Merry With ‘Mary Poppins’

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The 1964 Walt Disney classic “Mary Poppins” comes back to the big screen in a whole new way, beginning tonight at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. For this special monthlong engagement, a restored 35-millimeter Dolby Stereo print of the family musical has been customized with on-screen lyrics of the Robert and Richard Sherman songs--including the Oscar-winning “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “A Spoonful of Sugar” and “Feed the Birds”--so that audiences can sing along.

Nominated for 13 Oscars and a winner of five, “Mary Poppins” is considered the crown jewel in Walt Disney’s film career. Julie Andrews, who won an Oscar for her performance as Mary Poppins, stars along with Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson, Glynis Johns, Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber.

Audience members are asked to dress as their favorite character--practically perfect British nanny Mary Poppins, magical chimney sweep Bert, no-nonsense Mr. Banks, his suffragette wife or one of their two children, Jane and Michael.

On opening night, the Sherman Brothers will sing some of the songs. The night also will feature appearances by some cast and crew members. There will be eight 10 a.m. performances and three midnight showings during August.

Lylle Breier, senior vice president of special events for Disney and a dyed-in-the-wool “Mary Poppins” fan, talked about this unique screening.

Question: Was the sing-along your idea?

Answer: We have a whole group of us at the El Capitan who get together regularly to come up with fun programming ideas. So it was a group effort.

Q: Why “Mary Poppins”?

A: “Mary Poppins” is a classic. We ran “Mary Poppins” for a week last year with a restored print, and the reaction was incredible. I wasn’t around when it played in 1964, but I imagine it played exactly the same today. It was phenomenally popular and successful, and we always knew we were going to bring it back. We had heard what they were doing with “The Sound of Music” [sing-along] in London. When you watch “Mary Poppins,” it’s hard not to sing out loud. We thought it would be a fun new thing to do at the theater.

Q: So the lyrics will appear on screen?

A: Exactly. When the talking parts are going on, it will be regular. But when the songs come up, the words will appear on screen. Our show director has been working for the last three weeks to get the timing just right, so it is a true sing-along. We actually practiced last week--it’s so much fun.

We are working with a company called DTS, Digital Theatrical Systems. We have built time code into the film. The words are going to be projected synchronized as the songs are going.

Mary Poppins herself [an actress at the theater] is going to introduce the movie at every performance and explain to everybody what they should do. Also, really to add to the fun, we are hoping that people will come dressed in costume.

Q: Will there be any special guests on the first night?

A: The Sherman Brothers are scheduled, and they will perform a little program. And probably there are some other folks from the movie as well.

Q: Other folks like Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke?

A: We are still in the process [of finding out]. We don’t have anybody who is ready to talk about it.

Q: Since you are requesting fans to dress for the screening, will there be a costume contest?

A: Exactly. Before the movie starts, we will choose the five or six or seven best from the audience, and we’ll bring them up and let the audience decide.

Q: I would imagine you expect mostly kids and their parents at the 10 a.m. show.

A: It certainly appears the way it’s programmed that the 10 a.m. show is for the kids. But the last time we had a 10 a.m. screening of “Mary Poppins,” there were plenty of adults.

Q: I would imagine the midnight shows will be pretty colorful.

A: Our theater is in Hollywood. We think it will be all kinds of fun. We are up for it. They always say the wonderful thing about “Mary Poppins” is it’s for ages from 2 to 102 and every sort of walk of life.

Q: Are you a big fan of the movie?

A: I love the movie. I have seen it so many times. I love musicals. I think as a musical, it’s wonderful. I think Julie Andrews is incredible, and I always just loved it. It is just fun the whole way through, and that is what I look for in a movie. The whole two hours is just fun and you leave with a smile on your face.

Q: Do you think you’ll tour this edition of “Mary Poppins”?

A: We made it specifically for the El Captain. The theater is made for an experience like this.

Q: If this version does well, would you think about doing other Disney classics as sing-alongs?

A: We will certainly start to think of it, but this is the perfect one.

BE THERE

“Mary Poppins” sing-along takes place tonight at 7, then at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sunday, Aug. 10, 12, 17, 19, 26 and 31; and midnight on Aug. 11, 18 and Sept. 1 at the El Capitan Theatre, 6838 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. $9 for adults; $5.75 for children 3 to 11 and seniors over 60. Tickets at the box office. Also (800) DISNEY-6 or https://www.elcapitantickets.com