There's A Great Big Beautiful Yesterday

Sing along with me, "There's a great big beautiful tomorrow, shining at the end of every day..." Those simply wonderful lines from long time Disney songwriters Robert and Richard Sherman convey the optimism and hope of the 1960's Disneyland. Walt Disney knew what he was doing to get these brothers involved in creating memorable tunes for his stellar attractions! 

The Carousel of Progress was one such incredible fan favorite. Found in the brand New Tomorrowland of 1967, the attraction's cast grew the Audio-Animatronic family at Walt's park.  With the Peoplemover and the great Adventures Thru Inner Space, this land of the future just had to be experienced. For those who came shortly before, Pirates of the Caribbean had just debuted and the Haunted Mansion would come in 1969. 

It was a season when the park's expanded because of the love of the art and not the love of the dollar. But the dollars came in quantities unexpected, because Walt respected his guests and treated them well. What today's Disney leadership could learn by looking backwards!

(Photograph copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Practically Perfect in Every Way

Just saw the wonderful Mary Poppins on Saturday night. If you do not want to hear any spoilers, skip the rest of the post, because I'm about to spill some beans!

Let's start backwards: I expected nothing could top Act I as it had most all the popular Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman tunes- Chim Chim Cher-ee, A Spoonful of Sugar, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, Feed the Birds, and my favorite Jolly Holiday. I was wrong. Act II was even better!
Here come the spoilers...

When Gavin Lee as Burt begins his Step in Time dancing while hanging upside down from the ceiling of the theater, it stopped the show. The crowd burst into a thunderous roar. A very well deserved roar. The show may be named after our heroine, but Mr. Lee owned the stage every time he was on it. Charming, confident, and warm, his portrayal of our favorite chimney sweep did Dick Van Dyke proud.

As for the rest of the cast, Wales' Caroline Sheen had the night off from the lead, but no worries- Elizabeth Broadhurst's take on Mary Poppins was just right from every angle! Her voice shines and is as close a clone of Julie Andrews' as you could ask. Her mannerisms perfectly captured our beloved nanny, and the chemistry between the two leads was subtly rich and delightful.

As Mr. Banks, Laird Mackintosh had a thankless job but performed terrifically. Blythe Wilson as the Mrs. was every bit his match- and her voice in lovely form. Rounding out the cast, Rachel Izen played the short tempered but loveable Mrs. Brill, providing some great comic relief as needed.

The sets and special effects were stunning, including Mary's final departure high above the audience with umbrella in hand. It signaled the end of the evening, but I hope I get to see more of Gavin Lee and Elizabeth Broadhurst. They are stars in the making!

Not the End of the "World" As We Know It

The reviews are coming in, but It's Still a Small World After All. Yes, there are characters, and from what I can tell, they are mostly well placed if even a bit up and center. Yes, the United States - not America- is now represented by its own room. It's not as well done as the Disneyland Paris version, but it's about time.

Mary Blair continues to be represented well with her original designs still prominent. In this man's opinion, only the annoying Stitch is out of place. But I won't be a grump about it. Smiles still mean friendship to everyone. The legendary song still plays. It's a Small World After All.