Geneva, NY, sits at the northern end of Seneca Lake, one of the Finger Lakes. It’s home to the Hobart William and Smith Colleges, many vineyards and some beautiful nineteenth century buildings.
I was there because my granddaughter, a HWS alumnae, has spent her summer running the Geneva Theater Guild Youth program. She produced Mary Poppins with a large cast of kids aged ten to eighteen. The play, which ran for three packed performances, was staged in the Smith Opera House which opened October 29, 1894. The building was restored in the 1990s returning the original 1894 façade and the interior to its 1931 eclectic art deco opulence. The theater’s ceiling was also restored featuring twinkling stars in blue sky.
Mary Poppins had a live orchestra, lovely sets with some rented painted backdrops and well-done choreography. The performers were terrific especially the kids playing Mary P. and Bert, the chimney sweep,
(Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyck in the original movie.)
Just Us, a bunch of good old boys who play various gigs in Geneva
Getting from New York City to Geneva takes a little work. I flew to Rochester, NY and took an incredibly pricey Uber from the airport to Geneva’s Hilton Inn. Arriving Friday evening I walked next door to an adorable bar that had once been a gas station where a terrific country and western ban, Just Us, was playing. Much whooping, hollering and dancing.
Saturday I walked all over downtown first stopping at Stomping Grounds which sounds more like a coffee place than the old bookstore it is. Working Class Coffee provided a blueberry scone the size of my head. Sitting at the lake was lovely as was the Saturday Farmer’s Market where I bought flowers from a Menonite 
family to give to my granddaughter post-show. My always-painful neck enjoyed a massage at a local spa before another night at the Hilton where my bed had all the stability of a bouncy castle.
The Saturday evening performance was a rousing success. Very early Sunday morning we managed to fit in breakfast with the producer whose plans included helping strike the set returning props and other production duties. (When not involved with theater she teaches elementary school.)
The whole weekend was great: the musical, the cute town (population 12,500) and the family time.
In keeping with the Mary Poppins theme, the recipe builds on Just a Spoonful of Sugar Makes the Medicine Go Down. Here’s a recipe for easy sugar cookies:
Sugar Cookies recipe from Amber Brady at Dessert Now, Dinner Later
- 2 ¾ cups (344 g) all-purpose flour, (stir, spoon & level)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Optional
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar for a top coating)
If you feel like putting in extra effort sprinkle the sugar over the cookies. If you don’t just pass them. Points added if you know the Mary Poppins score and sing it while passing and eating. Points deleted if your audience asks that you stop singing. Spit spot and toast P.L. Travers who wrote the original book.