By For the Halloween season, the All American Melodrama Theater presents “Scary Poppins.” It is a performance full of witty songs and jokes that parody classics like “Mary Poppins,” “The Sound of Music” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.”
Scary Poppins, played by Gail Abrahamson, is the ruler of Yoursovania and seeker of the life-preserving jam recipe so she may become rich and take over the world. She looks for help from her sweet, Russian sidekick, Baron, played by Matt Riggle.
Governor Crappoticus Plops (Paul Chambers) is an inventor and father to Jerome and Jill. Governor Plops invents awful inventions, such as a solar-powered flashlight that doesn’t work at night. His fate changes, however, when he comes across life-preserving jam. The jam is the reason Scary Poppins and the heroine, Trudy Light (Carla Jones), come into the family’s life.
When Baron proves incapable of stealing the children for a ransom, Scary Poppins brings in the kid-catcher, smelly uncle Hal — the creepy, geeky and gross character.
When Scary Poppins is admitted as the nanny, instead of singing, “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down,” the whiskey-loving Scary Poppins sings, “A swig full of medicine takes the sugar away.” The naïve and somewhat simple-minded family cannot be fazed by the nanny’s unfriendly sarcasm and dark appearance.
Abrahamson wears a maroon and black dress that resembles the evil stepmother from Disney’s “Cinderella.” She has the famous “Mary Poppins” umbrella with a skull on the end. Her handy carpetbag serves to carry her booze and cleaning supplies for the children.
Set with a simple backdrop, the focus is on the entertainers. In the cozy, 14-table room, one might sit right next to the stage with a craned neck, or behind someone blocking portions of the low stage. However, the farthest seat isn’t more than 12 feet from the stage, close enough for Scary Poppins to stare into eyes of the audience and send shivers down their spines.
Abrahamson’s acting and singing abilities are wickedly magnificent. As the audience boos and hisses, she points her finger as her cold demeanor seems to cut them off with a gulp.
The children, Jerome (Amber Hubbard) and Jill (Amber Luallen), stare wide-eyed with bright smiles as Scary Poppins tells them they are much too sweet and hardly bearable. Hubbard, as the younger brother, is enthusiastic but not believable. Luallen, the sickly sweet sister, delivers a delightful performance.
Chambers, the devoted father and backwards inventor, echoes Johnny Depp’s character in “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” He bears the same wide, toothy smile and kind faraway eyes. He even has the nervous and weird personality to match, and brings the character to life fabulously.
Riggle also plays the charming narrator and chimney sweep, Dirt. His joyful vibe exudes through the crowd, making his cheeks look ready to pinch. Dirt works with Trudy Light as undercover agents set upon stopping Scary Poppins.
Jones hosts the evening without much appeal, but sweeps the audience away with her grandma-like charm as she and Crappoticus Plops fall in love.
The interaction the audience has with the show and performers is a fun, back-in-time experience, complete with an old-western theater atmosphere. Before the show and during the intermissions, the actors host, seat and work the concession stand — including shouting and singing when tipped.
“Scary Poppins” will be performed at the All American Melodrama Theater Sept. 24 to Nov. 21; Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays at 7 p.m. For tickets and information, visit allamericanmelodrama.com
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