Mary Poppins: The Extracalifragilistic Experience

My son and I went to the second, and final, youth theater performance of Mary Poppins last night at the Fulton. Wow! Just, wow! Those kids were fantastic! So much so that it was easy to forget that they were kids and just get lost in enjoying the show.

So many of the actors were spot-on: Emily Homburger as Mary, Jonathan Eaton as Bert, and Jose Mangual as George. Jessica Reynolds' gorgeous voice soared from the Bird Woman's rags, and Jeremy Beveridge stole his scenes as the servant Robertson Ay. I heard rumor that the casting process was arduous and the rehearsal schedule grueling, but the work paid off.

The teens--something like 70 of them--ran the entire performance, including all of the behind-the-scenes work, with the help of the Fulton staff and mentors from the recent adult production. We saw the Main Stage version two weeks ago (and saw the original on Broadway), so we knew what they were up against--and they nailed it. They hit the notes, made the cues, and embodied the characters. They even dealt with a couple of on-stage costume issues with absolute professionalism. This is the first time Disney, which owns the rights to the show, has allowed a youth production, and I very much hope a representative was in the house to see that their trust was upheld by the Fulton and the entire cast and crew.

We went in large part because four of our teen friends were participating behind the scenes, but we enjoyed it because it was nothing short of supercalifragilisticexpialadocious! Kudos to the Fulton for taking a risk on the production, and a huge congratulations to all of the young professionals who participated!

Avalanche Express: So. Much. Fun.

For winter fun despite the warmest temps on record, head over to Avalanche Express snow tubing in York. So. Much. Fun. You can slide alone or in groups, on your butt or on your belly. The hill gets slicker as the sun goes down, so we had some super-fast runs toward the end of the day. The staff starts limiting the number of people who can tobaggan down together, and after almost overshooting the end of the slope once, I can see why. (Physics hint: When you're forming a chain, put the lightest person in front and the heaviest person in the back. You will FLY down the hill.)

One price gets you in for the day, and you can ride as many times as you can haul yourself and your tube up the hill. And you don't even have to walk up--just plop down in your tube and let one of two "lifts" drag you up the slope. At the top you'll find four runs, with employees there to help you get situated, tell you when it's safe to slide, and push you off. It's a little disorganized at the top because there aren't any distinct lines for the four runs, but people were polite and patient the day I was there, and waits were short. 

Wear snow gear; you are outside in the winter, after all, and you will get damp from trudging around; even artificial snow is cold and wet. When you inevitably get chilled, there are big fire pits burning right on the sidewalk, and snack foods and cocoa available for purchase. You could also tailgate; the parking lot is right there, so you can come and go as you please during the day. 

Ice skating is also available, plus a tiny tubing slope for little kids.

At $30 per person, this is an expensive day out, so plan to stay awhile. We had a little trouble finding the directions from Avalanche's website; click over to Heritage Hills for clear directions (http://www.heritagehillsresort.com/directions). Go past the Heritage Hills sign and turn left into Avalanche when you see the huge slope. www.avalanchexpress.com

McCleary's

My new favorite place in Lancaster isn't in Lancaster--it's in Marietta. I've been to McCleary's Pub a couple of times to see bands. They have a good-sized bar area, a stage in the dining area, and a bonus enclosed deck area that's heated so it's a viable choice in the winter. They have a house sound system and a guy to run it, so the music sounds good (and it's even piped into the bathrooms). Food is typical bar fair, good quality and reasonably priced, and they have plenty of Irish beer on tap. http://www.mcclearyspub.com/

Lancaster Brewing Co.

I am not a huge craft beer enthusiast, but I really like Lancaster Brewing Co. The atmosphere is warm and the food is delicious. It's bar fair with a twist; for example, the french fries with truffle oil and parmesan were fantastic. I have also had terrific burgers (served sans bun with nary a raised eyebrow) and steak.

Beer enthusiasts will find many types and flavors to enjoy. My friends and I ordered a sampler of beer and worked our way through it. Honestly, we aren't dark beer drinkers, so all I can tell you is that they range from chewy and bitter to smooth and bitter, with some hints of chocolate and coffee along the way. The lighter beers also have a wide range of flavors and styles, and after sipping here and there, we all found something to enjoy. 

Thanks to a couple of gift certificates, I went to LBC twice in one week recently: once for a sit-down meal and once for snacks and drinks in the bar. We had good food and good beer both times, but the service was completely different. Sitting at a table, we had attentive but not distracting service; at the bar, we felt abandoned and not only didn't get refills but had to work to pay the check. So if you go, sit at a table. :) www.lancasterbrewing.com

The Summer In Review

OK, I got busy and fell behind. Here's a quick overview of just a few of the things I've done in the past six months. I'll check my calendar and fill in the blanks over the next few weeks.

- Lancaster Barnstormers: OK, the team isn't great, but the stadium is friendly and affordable and has good food. It's a great summer date, I always see people I know, and I love that the action is close enough to watch the players, not the screen. lancasterbarnstormers.com/

- Ephrata Performing Arts Center's "The Full Monty": They had trouble with the sound, but that didn't kill the spirit of this fun, funny, and timely show. Great, gutsy performances--and yes, they really did it. Saw it twice, loved it both times. www.ephrataplayhouseinthepark.org/

- Fulton's "Spamalot": Saw this one twice, too. They nailed it. I laughed myself silly. The Fulton's version was better than the touring company that performed at Hershey a few years back. (And I saw this show twice on Broadway.) Fantastic. I grin just thinking about it. http://www.thefulton.org/

- Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire: I missed the Celtic Fling, much to my disappointment, but hit the Faire in full costume. It's grown amazingly and wonderfully from the early days of a few buildings and human chess in the grass. My favorite new addition, honestly, is the "wreck room" where you pay to throw glass at a wall. Sooo worth it! And does any meal beat a turkey legge with beer drunk from leathern jack? The shows, the music, the shops, the food, the games... Well worth the price of admission. And if you check their website immediately, there's a sale on 2011 tickets running through 12/31/10. See you at the Faire! www.parenfaire.com/

- Good decks: Annie Bailey's has a great deck in the city, complete with outdoor bar and dining. Unfortunately, like many decks, it's become a smoker's haven. But it's open on Sundays, serves much more than typical bar food, and has surprisingly ample seating. http://www.anniebaileysirishpub.com/

- Good decks: My favorite deck in Lancaster is at The Conestoga. It's waterfront, rarely crowded, has reasonable prices, and serves decent bar food. Don't go there, I don't want it to become crowded. http://www.theconestoga.com/

- Restaurants: Try Fenz. Rarely does food make me moan. www.fenzrestaurant.com/

- The Three Phantoms: Much to my shame and disappointment, I've never seen "Phantom of the Opera." But last spring, at the last minute, I saw The Three Phantoms on tour in Hershey (www.hersheytheatre.com/). Holy magnificence! They were wonderful! Such voices, such presence... Wow. They sing their favorite Broadway show tunes, plus share a few mild insider stories about show biz. If you ever hear that they're near, make the effort. www.3phantomsinconcert.com/

- Hershey Park: Went twice, to make up for missing it a few years in a row. The Great Bear will always be my favorite rollercoaster. It's so smooth, it feels like flying. That ride alone is worth the price of admission. I went early (Mother's Day) and late (Halloween) so can't comment on the waterpark portion. The last time I was there in the summer, the water section--and the park in general--was a crowded un-fun mess. But going off season means I got to ride everything, with minimal waits, and my favorite stuff twice. http://www.hersheypark.com/

- Blue Man Group: I've been wanting to see them, but had no idea what to expect. I knew they were blue, and drums were involved. I like blue and drums. I took my son, who was reluctant, even irritated, to be dragged to this unknown thing. And we loved it. We were in one of the front rows, which was awesome because we were close enough to see the all-important facial expressions underneath the blue paint. (But far enough back not to be spattered.) We felt the drums in our souls. We danced, and were covered in confetti and toilet paper, and tossed around gigantic balls, and laughed ourselves silly. My son said, "I can't believe I ever said anything bad about this!" What a fun night! http://www.blueman.com/

- Cleopatra at The Franklin Institute: I had high hopes for this exhibit, because it's a National Geographic presentation and they always do spectacular work. This one... eh. It was OK. There are some great artifacts, and the fact that they had to pull everything out of the Mediterranean is remarkable. But fundamentally, Cleopatra wasn't a nice person (she married her brothers, had affairs with and children by multiple men, abandoned her troops during a war, and ultimately committed suicide) and they don't know much about her. They made an attempt to make the exhibit interactive, but it just didn't resonate for me. The exhibit is at the Franklin through Jan. 2, 2011. www.fi.edu/cleopatra/
[If you ever have a chance to see National Geo's Real Pirate exhibit, go. It's great. www.nationalgeographic.com/ng-events/exhibits/real-pirates/]
[And it's worth noting that I discovered for the first time that the Franklin has a full-sized, actual, real-life steam locomotive in their basement. You can ride it. OK, it goes about 10 feet, but still. It's pretty cool.]

- Titanic at Whitaker Center: OK, I'm a Titanic junky. I've seen the exhibit four times. I'd like to see the one in New York, because I've heard they have the most artifacts. I think the one I saw at the Cleveland Science Center was the best, but it was also my first. The exhibit is interactive and immediate and tells the story through images, feelings, sounds, even temperature. I love getting my ticket with a passenger's name and finding out at the end if my passenger lived or died. I love seeing pictures of the artifacts under water, and then seeing them in front of me, sometimes displayed as they were found. And every time, I wish like crazy that the ship hadn't sunk. www.titanictix.com/ and http://www.whitakercenter.org/

- Lancaster Science Factory: For a fun afternoon out with kids of any age, hit the Science Factory. It's a small but really good example of a hands-on science museum. The interactive exhibits are easy to understand without reading the cards, but the captions are actually interesting and informative. And the activities are fun, even for adults! www.lancastersciencefactory.org/

The Fulton Is Alive With The Sound Of Music

The gush: The Fulton's "Sound of Music" is wonderful. The actors, sets, costumes, and music are tremendous. Really. From the first song by the nuns to the last full-cast rendition of "Climb Every Mountain," this is a memorable and magnificent show. 

The critic: There were a few songs that, let's say, furthered the plot without furthering my musical enjoyment-- "How Can Love Survive" and "No Way To Stop It." And I thought Randall Frizado, whom I usually enjoy in comedic roles, was weak as Max Detweiler. But really, that's nit-picking. There are no problems with this Maria.

Because it's a great cast, moving through gorgeous sets, singing beautifully. The nuns were amazing. The children were spot-on. Even my 13-year-old son enjoyed seeing the captain best the Nazis with a song. And as a bonus, the songs are in a slightly different order than the movie, so there's an element of surprise.

There are only a few performances left; buy a ticket and go. You will leave singing. "Doe, a deer, a female deer..."

"The Sound of Music" runs through December 31. Find tickets and more info at http://www.thefulton.org/.

Phantom at the Fulton

So when a theater aficionado thinks of "Phantom," he or she unavoidably thinks of Andrew Lloyd Weber and "Music of the Night." This is not that "Phantom." And, frankly, that's a problem.

I love the Fulton. I'm a season ticket holder, I take friends to the shows, and I recommend it far and wide. I feel very fortunate to have such high quality theater in Lancaster. And tonight's show did not change my opinion. I think they did a very good job, given the material. But that last bit is an important caveat.

Kopit and Yeston's "Phantom" is kind of like Disney-does-Phantom, at least for the first act. (The second act was more reminiscent of Lifetime for women.) The characters are stereotypes, with an odd dash of humor, and exaggerated acting. Christine is your basic ingenue -- young, innocent, fresh-off-the-farm-in-the-big-city (in this case, Paris). She is Cinderella -- costume girl turned leading lady via Phantom fairy godmother -- while the Phantom is a murderous Beast without the redeeming rose. Susan Moniz as La Carlotta reminded me of every Disney villain ever drawn -- but she would make a terrific Lady of the Lake in the upcoming "Spamalot." Having seen Ted Neeley in "Jesus Christ Superstar," I hold death scenes to admittedly high standards, but I felt Phantom and Gerard's deathbed confessions fell completely flat. (In contrast, I wept through the last half hour of last summer's "Les Miserables.") The songs throughout are nice, but not memorable.

On the plus side, the orchestra was magnificent. The costumes are lovely, the sets masterful, and the lighting evocative. Casting was appropriate and the actors gave it all they had, but the parts didn't do justice to the production.

Knowing that this wasn't ALW's "Phantom," I did not read advance reviews because I didn't want to prejudice my reaction. I will go back and read them now. I'd especially like to know why the Fulton chose this version of the story. I know we like to do shows "only in Lancaster," but in this case, I would have much preferred the traditional and beloved Broadway version.

"Phantom" runs through July 3 at the Fulton (http://www.thefulton.org/). Plus, tickets are currently available for next season's shows. I'm particularly looking forward to "Spamalot," "The Sound of Music," and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang."