Oliver!

WRITTEN BY: Lionel Bart
PERFORMED AT: Hendy Avenue Elementary School, Elmira, NY
PERFORMED ON: August 11-12, 1998
STAGE DIRECTOR: Kathy Gill, with choreography by Camcie Bishop
MUSICAL DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Mary Jane Eckel
SPONSORED BY: Elmira City School District
PRINCIPAL CAST:
* OLIVER TWIST- Morgan Conwell
* MR. BUMBLE- John T. Olcott
* WIDOW CORNEY- Bonnie Lindquist
* NOAH CLAYPOLE- John Malcovitch
* MR. SOWERBERRY- Dennis Chapdelaine
* MRS. SOWERBERRY- Mary Curns
* CHAROLETTE- Jenny Schmitt
* THE ARTFUL DODGER- Kevin Thomas
* FAGIN- Gary Yoggy
* NANCY- Terry Picarazzi
* CHARLES BATES- John Reidy
* BET- Dorita Fagin
* BILL SYKES- David Alan Scott Jr.
* MRS. BEDWIN- Clare Reidy
* OLD SALLY- Ann Milliken Reidy
* OLD ANNIE- Colleen Walker
* MR. BROWNLOW/CHARMAN- David Pell
* DR. GRIMWIG- Bill Ogilvie
* SYKES'S DOG- Lady McDuff Conwell ("Duffy")
* BARMAID #1- Nancy Balash
* BARMAID #2- Lois Chorney
* BOW STREET RUNNER #1- John Sentigar
* BOW STREET RUNNER #2- Jordan Wilcox
* WORKHOUSE MAID #1- Louisa Alexander
* WORKHOUSE MAID #2- Jocelyn Casterline
* WORKHOUSE MAID #3- Brandy Keller
* WORKHOUSE MAID #4- Lauren Ogilvie
SELECTED CREW:
* STAGE MANAGER- Thomasine Lubertowicz

PLOT: A runaway orphan falls in with a gang of young thieves. A musical, based on the novel by Charles Dickens

HISTORY: Towards the end of a very play-less four months at home, "Noises Off!" director Kathy Gill had cast me in my first truly major role in a full-length musical. Up to this point, my biggest roles in such musicals were multi-costumed chorus members (i.e. "Bells are Ringing", "Funny Girl"). At last, I was playing a character that got to sing solo numbers in the show.
But not only was it good to have that kind of role, but it was also great to play it in such a good production.
Within four weeks, the summer school kids of Hendy Avenue Elementary School, along with me and other members of the community, had all their rehearsals for this musical production. Actually, since my character didn't appear in the play until Act Two, I didn't have to rehearse during the first two weeks.
But despite my character's absence from the entire first act, it was no bit part. Bill Sykes was a dark, angry, murderous, and intimidating villain, a far cry from nearly all of the characters I had portrayed up to that point (i.e. "Take Five", "Bells are Ringing", and "Noises Off!", to name a few). And somehow, I managed to pull it off, recieving rave reviews from my fellow actors and theare appreciants. So convincing was my character that I scared even those who knew that I was extremely unlike Bill Sykes in real life.
As for the rest of the production, there were great performances from the other actors, including my fellow "Noises Off" co-stars Gary and Jack (each of whom I had been in a few plays with through the years), who had put a lot of time and effort into their roles.
Aside from "Oliver!" being a breakthrough role for me, it was also my last Corning/Elmira-related show before leaving for SUNY Fredonia, where I would go to continue my education (and, hopefully, my acting).

PHOTOS:
* Me as Bill Sykes, after the last rehearsal (photo by John Malkovitch)
* Most of the principal characters, after the final rehearsal (photo by Kathy Gill)
* A drawing I made for the undertaker's scene (photo by David Alan Scott Jr.)