REVIEWS

Phelps County Focus

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Winifred Banks, portrayed by Mary Baron, had always been to me a sort of caricature - the ditzy socialite who wants desperately to matter to her husband, her family, her culture - and Glynis Johns’ rendition always left me a bit “ho-hum” about the role. Not so with Ms. Baron’s Winifred. Her first soprano notes were indeed lovely, but with each appearance on the stage, it became apparent that her part of the tale was much greater than I could have expected. Winifred’s song, “Being Mrs. Banks” speaks to the pull all women in this day and age contend with - career and children, home and work, as well as value and identity. The character’s poignance surprised me, and Mary Baron’s portrayal found her not overshadowed by the powerful Mary Poppins. Each strong woman - one settled and one yet becoming - had space to be herself.