May 13, 2015

Poppins People Post
Emi Hensel
Choreographer

As soon as I first heard that MHT was doing Mary Poppins, I was thrilled – I knew I wanted to be a part of it right away! I grew up watching Mary and Bert usher Jane and Michael through all of their whimsical adventures. To be able to bring those adventures to life through choreography is truly an honor. This is my third musical to choreograph for Market House, and each experience is always a blast. This show in particular has grown and stretched me as an artist in ways that I haven’t been before. Translating an idea into real-life movement is so much more than figuring out fancy footwork and cool tricks. I’ve really had to step back and look at every musical number as a transformation into a different world; whether that be a magical stroll in a seemingly gloomy park, a supercalifragilistic store front, or up on the rooftops of London.


Every scene brings something different, and because of that, we have to create a unique kind of movement and picture in each scene. Director Michael Cochran has helped me tremendously teaching me how to not only use my dance vocabulary, but to also create that over-all picture that brings it all together seamlessly. The final product is going to be stunning! Of course one of the biggest honors (and the most fun) is working with all of the amazing talent the cast brings to the table. I hope I have helped them grow and stretch as artists as well. They have been up for everything I’ve thrown at them so far! When asked to do something outside of their comfort zone, they always give it their best shot and practice until they get it. A choreographer couldn’t ask anything more out of her performers and I couldn’t be more proud of everything we have achieved so far.

One of my favorite parts of setting choreography is when we run a number with music for the first time after the cast learns the choreography. The song begins, and then all of the sudden, the room is filled with these beautiful harmonies sung by the cast. It takes me by surprise every time that these people cannot only dance but are incredible vocalists as well! As a dancer, we usually leave the vocals to somebody else while performing but musical theatre is a whole different animal! It takes true talent to dance and sound that good at the same time.
The end product is worth every ounce of energy, every hour spent up in the skylight classroom before rehearsals moving invisible people around on an imaginary set, and every run through and re-run through. Sitting in the back of the theatre, watching and listening to the audience cheer and applaud something that I had a hand in creating will always make me come back for more. The show is so much fun to watch already, and we’re still in basic skeleton form. Add in lights, set, costumes, and more musicians?  We’ll all be transported to the world of Mary and Bert and usher Jane and Michael through their adventures right along with them. It’s truly going to be magic.