Norcross High School Brings Mary Poppins to the Stage

On April 25, theatre arts students at Norcross High School (NHS) will feel opening night excitement as they present Mary Poppins The Broadway Musical at the high school auditorium. And there are bound to be some butterflies in stomachs when characters actually fly!

“The NHS Drama Boosters Club is paying for an elaborate flying rig that will enable Mary Poppins to fly onstage, with her umbrella, of course,” said Jason Bernardo, NHS High School Drama Booster Club. The Bert character will also get the benefit of the rig as he walks up the wall and dances on the ceiling.

The actors have no reason to be nervous about their performances, however. Norcross High School won the Region 7AAAAAAA One Act Play Competition two years in a row (2016 and 2017), and several of the award winners are in the Mary Poppins cast, including Best Actress Cat Keeton and Best Actor Calvin Bernardo.

Furthermore, NHS Drama teacher Gina Parrish is in her 30th year of teaching. Her talents are well-known, and she has been inducted into three halls of fame — the Hall of Fame, the Georgia Thespian Hall of Fame and the Norcross High School Foundation for Excellence Hall of Fame.

“Ms. Parrish is famous for her elaborate sets, having won Best Set Design at the One Act Play competitions,” Bernardo said. He added that the students build all their own sets and sew most of their costumes.