Mary Poppins interview with Rachel Wallace

Rachel Wallace as Mary Poppins

This summer, Rachel Wallace will be flying in, literally, as the original supernanny, Mary Poppins. Practically perfect in every way, she will be starring in the upcoming stage adaptation of the timeless 1964 Disney classic.

The role of Mary came quite naturally to Rachel, having been a babysitter many times. She describes her interactions with kids who visit the theatre, some for their very first time, and introducing them to the magic of stage.

Rachel also provides some insight on what she thinks might be in Mary Poppin's purse. And Rachel also tells us which food she wished she had spoonfuls of sugar for as a kid (but can now eat as an adult).

MARY POPPINS the MUSICAL
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
July 17 - 22
Tickets via [Ticketmaster]

Rachel Wallace

F: Did you ever have a nanny growing up? Who did you base your Mary Poppins on?

R: Growing up, I didn’t really have nannies. My mom was a stay-at-home mom and had a lot of family around me. I babysat quite a bit. So I definitely have that experience of just being around kids and being both their friend and their companion. But definitely being the authority figure.

I found that there was a lot about [Mary Poppins] that reminded me of my grandmother. You know, from just the way she speaks. Her dignity, her wit, her patience, her huge heart. I didn’t necessarily add my grandmother, I just found that Mary reminded me a lot of her.

F: What three things would you find in Mary’s purse that you don’t see in the film?

R: Oooh! Let’s see… I’ve never been asked that before.

Well, I think she definitely has some fabulous nightgown that she sleeps in. I think she’s probably got some sort of pocket watch that tells the time of every single place on Earth. If Santa Claus has got a watch that tells the time everywhere, she’s got one too. And I think a hairbrush. She has to have some fabulous hairbrush, otherwise her hair wouldn’t always look good.

It's A Jolly Holiday
[Photo by Deen Van Meer]

F: Was there anything that you had to eat as a kid that you had to eat spoonfuls of sugar for?

R: I was pretty lucky. I was willing to eat just about everything and my parents never made me eat anything I didn’t like. But I definitely remember as a kid just thinking, “Why would anyone ever eat mushrooms? This is the grossest thing I have ever, ever  tasted. It’s just like eating little dirty pillows. Why would you eat this?” Now I love mushrooms. But I remember as a kid, thinking “Blech!”

Chim Chim Cher-ee
[Photo by Deen Van Meer]

F: Mary Poppins has dancing chimney sweeps, bankers, and a lady who feeds the birds. If you had to pick one other career besides magical nanny, which one would you pick?

R: I would be in the healing profession one way or another. I would love to be in psychiatry or social work or maybe be an OB/GYN and be around when babies are born. I think something where you’re dealing with people and brought to your wit’s end thinking, “How can I help?” That’s what makes me feel most alive.

F: Did you ever pursue that path?

R: I didn’t pursue acting straight away out of high school. I went to another school for a year taking all sorts of Liberal Arts courses. Cause being an actress can be really hard. I certainly found a number of things that interested me but I just felt like I had to be pursuing this. What do they say, the average adult changes careers three times in their lifetime? So it might still be in my future but for now this is what I absolutely love doing.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
[Photo by Deen Van Meer]

F: I know there’s a lot of kids who see the show. Was there any particularly memorable interaction with the kids that you’ve had as Mary?

R: You know what’s funny is that a lot of the kids who come to the stage door after the show with their parents, especially the younger ones. They don’t get it.  And then they don’t like it that I’m Mary. Cause I just come out in my jeans and my t-shirt, maybe a hat. And they’re sort of covering behind their parents like, “No that’s not, wait a minute, no… no.” I’m hyper aware of that. I show them my real hair and I crouch down low and I say, “See, my name’s Rachel but yes, Mary has different hair doesn’t she?” “Where’s your umbrella?” “Well, Mary’s umbrella…”

So it’s a lot of acclimating to the real world for these kids who think Mary’s just gonna walk out of the theatre and fly away. But you know, it’s good. Part of having a first theatre experience is understanding that it’s real people like you and me that are making this happen. You can do this too someday if you want to. There’s that kind of a thing.

Rachel Wallace and Case Dillard
[Photo by Deen Van Meer]

F: What’s something you’ve done onstage that you’ve never ever though you’d have to do.

R: Tap dance. [Laughs] When my agent sent me out for this, I was told there would be tap in the audition. And I just sort of went, “Alright, fake it til you make it.” And then I got cast. So it was like, “Alright, I better figure out how to tap dance before I’m in rehearsals.” There’s nothing like time constraints to light a fire under you and your skill.

Posted by Filipina Colada