In every job that must be done there is an element of fun! And what job could be more fun then getting to be Jane and Michael Banks in Mary Poppins? TheatreBloom was given the exclusive chance to sit down and chat with Miss Bella Comotto and Mr. Elijah Tsakalos, currently playing Jane & Michael Banks (respectively) in the upcoming production of the St. Demetrios’ Suburban Players’ Mary Poppins. And they were both thrilled and excited to share their experience with the production so far.
Thank you both so much for sitting down with me today. The readers cannot wait to hear what you have to say about Mary Poppins. Why don’t we start with a quick introduction?
Bella Comotto: I’m Bella Comotto and I play Jane Banks in Mary Poppins.
Elijah Tsakalos: My name is Elijah Tsakalos and I play Michael Banks.
You guys are playing brother and sister characters, right? That’s really cool. Is this both of your first times being a part of Mary Poppins?
Bella: Yes. I think when there was an opportunity for me to be a part of it before, I wasn’t old enough— I was nine. And now I’m 15.
Elijah: Yes! And I’m 12!
That’s awesome. So what is it about Mary Poppins that made you want to be a part of it?
Bella: I have loved this story ever since I was a tiny little girl. It was my favorite movie growing up and I loved the musical so much. So I’ve wanted to be a part of it for so long and now I finally have the chance.
Elijah: I like the movie. I’ve watched it a couple of times and my mom loves the movie too so she wanted me to audition. In school, I’ve recently been taking drama class and I find it interesting so I thought this would be interesting and it is.
What is your favorite part about getting to do Mary Poppins live?
Elijah: It’s fun to meet all of the characters and how they have different personalities from the people who play them. Everyone here is really nice and kind but sometimes their character in Mary Poppins is mean so it’s fun to see them be different. Ms. Andrew gets really mad at me and towers over me and it’s wild but the person playing her is really nice and it’s fun.
Bella: I think Mary Poppins is such a beautiful story and I think at its core it’s about family and what family means. It’s such a classic story, I feel like everyone knows Mary Poppins. The musical is so fun and loud and bright and entertaining. I think audiences are really going to love it.
Now do you both have siblings at home in real life?
Elijah: Yes. I have a brother and a sister. My brother is older and my sister is younger.
Bella: I have a brother who is like Elijah’s age.
What has it been like playing these sibling characters? Bella we now know that you are the oldest at home, but Elijah you’re the youngest here playing Michael but you’re the middle child at home. What has that been like?
Elijah: In some of the play I’m teasing Bella. And I’ve experienced that. I’ve experienced that both ways! I’ve been teased by my brother and I tease my sister! It’s been a really fun experience to be the younger sibling.
Bella: We definitely do a lot of bickering! I think there’s a big difference between the Banks’ children in the movie and here in the musical. Because in the movie, they’re so sweet and loving and we love them. But in the musical they’re really bratty at first. Overtime they become less bratty but only because Mary Poppins helps to change them. That’s an element of the movie that’s sort of different. But playing off of Elijah is just so fun, I think he’s really great and just wonderful to work with.
Elijah: Thank you! Bella’s really good too.
What would you say has been your biggest challenge?
Elijah: Well this is my first play, actually.
Bella: And he’s been fantastic!
Wow, congratulations Elijah, that’s very impressive!
Elijah: Thank you. I’m learning a lot. When should I practice, when do I need to memorize the script, I’m learning where I need to move on the stage, where do I go, and all of that. That’s been a challenge and then knowing the music and stuff is also a challenge.
Bella: I think Jane and Michael change a lot over the show and it’s hard to find where those moments are because, like I said, they can be bratty but they can also be so vulnerable. Their absent father really affects them. They have a lot of growth and it’s hard to find where that growth happens.
Do you have a favorite musical number that either you’re a part of or that you like to watch in Mary Poppins?
Elijah: Oh mine is “Brimstone and Treacle!” It’s when Ms. Andrew comes in. That’s mine, definitely! That number is just fun because everyone is scared of Ms. Andrew. They think it’s going to be Mary coming back to the house but then it’s not— it’s Ms. Andrew. And my favorite part is when she towers over me and I’m cowering below her, shaking and thinking “oh my God!”
Bella: I really love that number too and for the same reasons as him. But I also love “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” because everyone knows that song! It’s so fun. And it is so energetic and it’s really catchy. Learning all the letters, doing all the moves, it’s really colorful and I think people are going to love it.
Have either of you ever had experiences with having a nanny or if not a nanny, maybe a babysitter at home? Were they like Ms. Andrew? Or hopefully more like Mary Poppins?
Elijah: Well I don’t have a nanny. Sometimes I have babysitters but mostly it’s my grandma because she lives across the street from me. And she’s really nice. She’s definitely more like Mary Poppins.
Bella: So my grandmother, like him, was my main caretaker my entire life, and she loved this movie, she adored this movie and this musical. I definitely see a lot of Mary Poppins in her, even though Mary Poppins can be a little ‘spit-spot’ and my grandmother wasn’t like that. But Mary Poppins is a safe place for the kids and that’s where I see my grandmother in her.
What have you learned about yourself by being a part of this show? Elijah, I know you must be learning all kinds of things because you said this was your first show.
Elijah: I’ve learned how to work together with other people. I’ve also learned how to act better. This is also one of those shows where I’m learning how to express the monologue that I’m reading and I really love it.
And what about you, Miss Bella? Anyone who has had their eye on Children’s Playhouse of Maryland recently knows that you have quite a few stage credits to your name, so what have you learned by doing this particular production?
Bella: I’ve done a lot of comedic things and while this show can be comedic, there are points of really deep emotion for these kids. They go on this emotional roller coaster. Lauren’s (director Lauren Spencer-Harris) direction really is so brilliant. She really helps us through all of roller coast moments, but that was really different for me, the emotional aspect of it. Doing emotional acting is a new skill this show has taught me.
What does the word Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious mean to you?
Elijah: I mean… it’s just a nonsense word. So it means to be funny and have fun. I don’t know how to explain that but it’s just a word to express being funny or having fun.
Bella: I think “Supercal” is like letting loose and being free and not caring what others think. Like he said, it’s a kind of nonsense word and it’s a really fun number. I love that number.
How are we finding the dancing in this show? What has it been like?
Elijah: The dancing is not too hard.
Bella: Not for us anyway!
Elijah: Yeah, not for us. We don’t have to big jumps or spins. But we still spin around sometimes. In “Jolly Holiday” we’re feeding the horses in the carriage. And it’s fun.
Bella: With us, we gradually become a part of the story so I think that’s why our dancing is a little scaled back. For the most part, Jane and Michael are just watching and then we become involved because Mary Poppins involves us. But we’re definitely very busy during the show. We practically never leave stage. So it’s really hard on a kid, it can be really tiring, but we are definitely having a lot of fun.
We all know Mary Poppins has a lot of magic in the story. What’s your favorite magic moment in the show?
Elijah: I think it’s the creepy “Playing The Game” moment where all the toys come to life! They come out and the toys start bullying us instead of us bullying them.
Bella: I have to with Elijah. But also I think “Spoonful of Sugar” is a great magic moment. The table breaks in half and then Mary Poppins restores everything to its former glory, it’s pretty great.
What do you think people will take away from seeing Mary Poppins?
Elijah: Well it’s not like other stories where its just trying to get a laugh out of you. It’s kind of teaching you a lesson. I think it’s teaching you about family. The dad realizes at the end that he has to learn to put family first. And the kids learn that they can’t always be mischievous.
Bella: I think people will connect with this show. They will see themselves in these characters because there are lot relatable aspects in these characters. Mrs. Banks, the kids, even George… I think it’s what Elijah said too, it’s all about family. And it’s a really beautiful story.
Do kids still fly kites these days? Have you both flown kites before?
Elijah: I’ve flown a kite before. It didn’t go too well. There were trees. But I’ve tried.
Bella: I’ve flown a kite. In Ocean City. When I was really little. It was very windy.
If you had to sum up your Mary Poppins experience in just one word, what word would you use?
Elijah: A change. Or changing. Changing. Moving. I think it’s going to move people in the crowd emotionally. And I think we change and everyone changes. Change!
Bella: One word? Hmm. Like I said, family is a big word and really important to this show? But I think the word I want to use is charming. It charms everyone. Mary Poppins has this spell over everyone. And Lauren has added a lot of extra special magic moments, so its almost as if Mary Poppins hypnotizes people.
Elijah: Like with Ms. Andrew!
Bella: Yeah, it’s almost like Mary Poppins possesses Ms. Andrew. And there’s a lot of those magic, hypnotic moments. But she’s a good hypnotic and magic, so charming!
Mary Poppins plays February 10th through February 19th 2023 with the Suburban Players housed at the Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in the Hermes Rafailides Center— 2504 Cub Hill Road in Carney, MD. For tickets please call (443) 390-2981 or email Suburbanplayers2504@gmail.com
