Touring Broadway shows have a lot of hype to live up to. Mary Poppins the movie, starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, is a hard act to follow. This performance surpassed the hype, and while it never made me forget Julie Andrews, it left me completely happy in the world it created.

My sister and her family, Rose, David, and I went to Mary Poppins at the Paramount. Let's just start there. Microsoft money doesn't always trickle down, but it did when it comes to the Paramount. Some Microsoft millionaire helped refurbish this grand old theater, and it is stunning. You could just stare for hours at the ceilings alone.

I loved everything about the show--the singing, the dancing, the lighting, the sets, the excellent use of technology. . . My sister pointed out that in this show technology enhanced the story instead of just being flashy extras.

I was absolutely thrilled with the tap dancing on the rooftops scene, but then Burt put on a harness, tap danced up one wall, across the ceiling, stopped and did a number up there including singing, and then tapped back down. It was an incredible amalgam of artistic talent, performance, and technology. That was my favorite number.

David sat on my lap and was engaged for the entire three hour show. Rose adored it and is immediately rereading all the Mary Poppins books.