Mary Poppins was "practically perfect in every way!"
Congratulations to the Kimball Area Theater program on an incredible Fall Musical weekend on Nov. 14-16. Over one thousand guests attended the four performances in the Cafetorium.
Led by director Kenzie Traurig, the Kimball cast featured 46 students in grades 4-12, while the stage crew consisted of nine students behind the scenes.
“It was such a joy to share Mary Poppins with the community,” said Traurig. “Watching community members go up to the theater students and tell them how great they did is a lot of fun because I know they are amazing and talented students. Now they get to share those gifts with their community members!”
Junior Roslyn Stang and sophomore Jamison Zoller starred as Mary Poppins and Bert as the dynamic duo in the musical based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney film.
"After several rounds of brainstorming, we struggled to find a production that suited our mostly female heavy talent pool and offered both strong music and a compelling storyline," said technical director Rachel Kuebelbeck. "Then, during our final meeting, I suggested Mary Poppins, and we all looked at each other and instantly agreed: “Yes.”
This proved to be a successful decision.
Aurora Kuebelbeck-Voigt and Jude Willner, both sophomores at the high school, captivated the crowd in their roles as Mr. George Banks and Mrs. Winifred Banks. The Banks family was rounded out by freshman Dean Durga as Michael Banks and 7th graders Carrine Stang and Brynn Eiynk, who split the role as Jane Banks.
“My biggest joy is seeing the students turn into their characters,” exclaimed music director Erin Durga. “This is such a dedicated, passionate, and talented group of students that we have the privilege of working with. There are times of great chaos and we directors wonder if it will all work out as we envision the show, but in the end the students commit to putting in the work to make the musical a magical experience.”
Senior theater students Ella Myers and Bryant Truenow performed in their last fall musicals on the Kimball stage. Myers entertained the audience as Mrs. Ellen Brill, the housekeeper, and Truenow was perfectly casted as Admiral Boom. Freshman actress Sophia Kuebelbeck-Voigt played the signature Bird Woman role to perfection.
“It was such a joy to watch everything come together for each of the performances,” said volunteer dance choreographer, Erin Donnay. “Another highlight of the weekend was hearing the audience's reaction to the show.”
One of the many highlights of the weekend was showcasing the new and improved sound and light systems in the Cafetorium. Voices could be heard, lighting effects portrayed a “wow factor” and each lead actor and actress could utilize their own microphone.
“My favorite thing about the new lights and sound is not having to worry!” expressed Traurig. “Many times during past productions, lights would go out during the show, or the sound would cut in and out so the audience couldn’t hear.”
The new speaker system has been an improvement for all involved at the performances.
“The music hasn't been too loud or too quiet, which were past problems that we dealt with. We also have enough mics for everyone with lines or solos. Our students don't have to panic when switching their mics with other actors backstage because they all have their own mics now.” said Traurig.
“The difference between the old and new lighting and sound systems is like night and day,” said the technical assistant, Isabelle Miller. “With the old system, we had what seemed like miles of cords, lights that barely worked, and a broom stick designated for hitting lights when they malfunctioned. We now have a whole spectrum of colored lights, automated spotlights, 40 quality mics, an improved sound system, and beautiful new boards to control it all…with no sticks required! The students behind the lights and sound have so much more freedom to explore and be creative. We are so grateful!”
Junior Rhone Durga has welcomed the challenge of learning the new lighting system while sophomore Mason Lesnau enjoyed operating the new sound system.
“Rhone is loving the ability to do effects with the lights,” said his mother, Erin Durga. “We saw mood lighting, moving spotlights, lights used as windows, and effects like a storm. All of these things were hard or impossible with our old system. Rhone only has two shows under his belt since August with this new system, but he is happy with how user-friendly it is, while at the same time having all the features he could hope for.”
“My favorite highlight from the weekend was watching the cast become so emotional and supportive of one another during the last show,” added Miller. “Our students become so attached to each show they perform and the parts they play. It's always a bittersweet moment when performance weekend comes to an end, but it really highlights the connections that are made through the theater program.”
Kimball Area Theater will now shift gears in preparation for their spring musical, Little Women, in March of 2026.
“Little Women is such a great production because it's a smaller cast and it showcases a lot of female leads. We have so many talented young ladies who will get a chance to showcase their talent for this show.” added Traurig.
The spring musical will involve 7th-12th grade students. Keep an eye out for auditions in January of 2026.
“My biggest joy of leading theater productions will always be watching the students grow, both on and off stage, throughout each production. Our students put in a lot of hard work and it's great to see their hard work pay off in the end.”
Thank you to our Kimball Area Theater sponsors who help make these productions possible: Land O’ Lakes, A.M. Maus & Son, Coborns, Harvest Bank, Kimball Area Fire Department, Arnold’s, Kuechle Underground, Diva’s Salon and Spa, Rise & Grind, Kimball Lions and Keystone Insurance.
Our goal with collecting donations is to help with the purchase of show rights, set pieces, props and costumes. If you are interested in contributing to our goals, please email kimball.theater@kimball.k12.mn.us.
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