After 20 years, their program just hit an incredible number.
PEARLAND, Texas — A beloved Pearland theater workshop for children is marking a major milestone this weekend as Kids’ Backporch Productions celebrates its 20th anniversary and 100th production with a performance of “Mary Poppins Junior.” The theater program, which serves young performers ages 6 to 16, will present shows this weekend featuring dozens of local singers and dancers.
The anniversary production showcases the program’s impact on generations of Pearland children over two decades. Director Lisa Maxwell says the workshop has provided unique learning opportunities for young people in the community.
“I think personally that we have generations of children who have grown up and who have learned things that they may not learn in other places,” Maxwell said.
Beyond singing and dancing skills, the young performers are developing teamwork abilities through their theatrical training. The current production features Andrew Lim in the role of George Banks, who has been working on perfecting British accents for his character. When asked about the famous Dick Van Dyke accent from the original Mary Poppins film, Lim demonstrated his understanding of different dialect styles.
“Oh yeah, I do,” Lim said when asked if he remembered Van Dyke’s accent. He acknowledged it was “more of a cockney accent” compared to his own interpretation.
The young actors are preparing for their weekend performances, which will include the iconic song “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” complete with choreographed hand movements. The cast members, ranging from elementary to high school age, showed enthusiasm for both classic and contemporary performers when discussing their theatrical inspirations.
The Kids’ Backporch Productions cast is encouraging community members to attend their milestone performances.
“Come to Pearland this Friday. You know the show’s going to be good,” the young performers announced together.
Tickets remain available for the weekend shows. Those interested in attending can visit the Kids Backporch Productions website for more information about showtimes and ticket purchases.