'Mary Poppins,' 'Birdie' set for Argyle Theatre's new season

The Argyle Theatre in Babylon announced its 2023-24 season on Thursday, one that will get off to a "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" start.

Four musicals are on tap for the new season, starting with "Mary Poppins," the beloved story of a mystical nanny who works her magic on a London household. The show, which will run from Nov. 9 through Dec. 31, is based on P.L. Travers' classic children's book and the 1964 Oscar-winning Disney movie. It features such timeless tunes as "Chim Chim Cher-ee," "A Spoonful of Sugar" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious."

That show's lineup of dancing chimney sweeps will be followed by "A Chorus Line," which will take over the Argyle stage from Feb. 1 to March 24. The Tony-winning musical, which originally ran on Broadway from July 1975 through April 1990, takes place at an audition and follows a group of theatrical hopefuls anxious to get their big break.

Next on the bill will be "A Bronx Tale" from April 25 to June 16, the 1960s-set saga of a Bronx lad who idolizes a mob boss. The show features a book by Chazz Palminteri, who played the gangster in the 1993 movie that inspired the musical and penned the screenplay.

Rounding out the season will be the crowd-pleaser "Bye Bye Birdie" from July 11 to Sept. 1, 2024. Set in the 1950s, the musical focuses on an Ohio teenage girl who gets the chance to give rocker and heartthrob Conrad Birdie (think Elvis Presley) one last kiss on national television before he joins the U.S. Army. "Put on a Happy Face," "Kids" and "A Lot of Livin' to Do" are among the snappy tunes.

"As we continue to listen to our patrons, we are confident that our upcoming season will be another record year and offer something for everyone," said The Argyle's owners Mark and Dylan Perlman in a statement.

A season ticket package for all four shows stars at $250. To purchase, call 631-230-3500 or go to argyletheatre.com.