When it comes to live theater, the students at Donegal High School are taking things to new heights - literally. Several cast members will fly on stage when the school presents "Mary Poppins" at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 11, and Saturday, March 12, with additional performances at 2 p.m. on March 12 and Sunday, March 13.

The students are training with technical director John Coleman Jr., along with an outside company, to learn how to make magic on stage as the characters in "Mary Poppins" take flight. That's just one example of the special effects audiences will see in the show, said senior Aubree Jones, who portrays Mary.

"This really is a magical show," she said. "You can expect to see a lot of fun things happening on stage."

"Mary Poppins" tells the story of the title character, a nanny who helps the members of the Banks family learn to appreciate one another. Audiences may be familiar with the show because of the Disney movie of the same name, but the stage show varies from the film, said Ryan Bedi, a senior who plays chimney sweep Bert.

"This show really dives into the Banks family and their lives a lot more than the movie does," he stated. "It introduces new characters and gets more into the characters than the movie does."

"Mary Poppins" features a cast of 42, including younger students who portray the Banks children. Fifth-graders Julia Slobozien and Seth Manning are cast as Jane and Michael Banks, respectively.

Gerson Malave, a senior who portrays Neleus in the show, said having a cast that includes students from the intermediate school has enriched his experience. "There is a lot of collaboration in this show," he remarked. "It's been cool to see everyone from different grades coming together to put on a really great show."

Gerson, who is also a technical dancer and a member of the ensemble, said audiences can expect to see some impressive dance moves on stage. "The choreography in this show is very difficult," he stated. "We're doing the same choreography they did on Broadway. It's very complicated."

For Ryan, that choreography necessitated learning to tap dance. "I had never tapped before, so that has been a challenge, but it's been really fun to learn," he said, adding that the time and effort the cast has put into the show will pay off in the performances. "The level of talent you're going to see in this show is amazing. You're really going to see the work we've put into this reflected on stage."

"Mary Poppins" will be performed in the auditorium of Donegal High School, 1025 Koser Road, Mount Joy. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.dpa.donegalsd.org.