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Book, Music and Book by Lionel Bart
The Story
The curtain opens on the sinister interior of the workhouse with a bare dining
table, center stage, where the boys will sit. These pale-faced wretches can be
seen peering through the bars of a door at the back. Looming above two curving
stairways glows the legend "God Is Love" in rough letters. The door is opened and
the boys file to the table and sing Food, Glorious Food. At the end of the song,
the Widow Corney, who runs the workhouse and Mr. Bumble, the parish beadle, enter
and a thin gruel is served. Wolfing the meagre fare, the boys hopelessly stack
their bowls, but the hapless Oliver approaches Bumble with the entreaty,
"Please sir, I want some more." He is instantly subdued. Oliver is locked behind
the barred door as the rest of the boys exit upstairs.
Oliver is brought forward, bag and baggage, and is led off by Bumble who
sings the haunting Boy for Sale. Walking through the streets of London,
they arrive at Mr. Sowerberry's, the undertaker. Oliver is "sold" to the
undertaker. Alone and frightened and surrounded by coffins on stage, he sings
the plaintive Where Is Love?
Oliver runs away the very next morning, and is picked up hungry and
tired in the streets by the Artful Dodger who cheers him up with Consider
Yourself. The Dodger leads him through crowded streets to Fagin's kitchen.
The boys come in and Fagin himself appears and, with a mock solemn welcome
to Oliver, sings the fantastic You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two. Nancy,
Bill Sikes' girl and Bet arrive. The two of them, accompanied by the boys
and Fagin, celebrate their way of life in It's a Fine Life. The action moves
to the next morning when Fagin sends the boys off on a pocket-picking expedition,
Oliver among them. The stage now displays a city scene and we witness the capture
of Oliver, not for picking pockets, but for simply looking guilty.
In the second act the curtain rises on the "Three Cripples"-an underworld
tavern-where Nancy is being encouraged to sing a music hall number, Oom-Pah-Pah.
Fagin's boys pour down the stairs telling of Oliver's apprehension by the police,
at the same time revealing that his innocence has been established and that he is
presently ensconced in the home of a rich old gentleman. Fearful lest he give away
their set-up, Fagin and Sikes dispatch Nancy to get Oliver back.
Meanwhile, at the home of his new-found benefactor, the erstwhile ragged
Oliver has become a well-tailored, well-cared for little lad. Looking out of
his bedroom window he observes some passing street vendors crying their wares;
he sings Who Will Buy? A plea that his good luck and new situation in life will
be permanent. However, the moment he sets foot outside his benefactor's house,
Oliver is seized and dragged off by Nancy to Fagin's.
In the next scene Fagin occupies the empty stage and considers going straight
in Reviewing the Situation. Subsequently, Bumble and Mrs. Corney, now uncomfortably
married, discover that Oliver is the scion of a rich family. Their scheme to get
him back fails and Nancy, regretting her part in the capture of Oliver, plans to
return him to his benefactor at night on London Bridge. Fearful of Sikes, she
reprises As Long as He Needs Me. Sikes stalks her and kills her. He grabs Oliver
and, after a chase, is himself shot dead. Oliver is restored to his benefactor
and Fagin, now without boys, home and money, reprises Reviewing the Situation.
The Cast
| Mr. Bumble | Bob Gibb |
| Widow Corney | Lorene Moore |
| Oliver Twist | Mark Bossi |
| Mr Sowerberry | Dave Yearout |
| Mrs Sowerberry | Phyllis Parmenter |
| Charlotte | Jan Cox |
| Noah Claypole | Brian Biggs |
| Artful Dodger | Blake Orr |
| Charley | Donna Wilson |
| Fagin | Larry Goodwin |
| Nancy | Joan Calder |
| Bet | Teresa Thomas |
| Mr Brownley | Richard Gibson |
| Mrs Bedwin | Sue Welch |
| Rose Seller | Kathryn Rogers |
| Milkmaid | Kim Cherveny |
| Strawberry Seller | Rita Conners |
| Knife Grinder | Greg White |
| Long Song Seller | Mark Bonham |
| Bill Sikes | Bob Conners |
| Workhouse Boys | Marla Almassy, Goeff Bohling, Chris Bohling, Mark Bossi, Brian Boucher, Dana Brocon, Karla Cherveny, Dana Dixon, Jennifer Galway, Jenny Gibson, Jenny Herlocker, Lucy Herlocker, Julie Horsch, Kathy Kaufman, Pat Kaufman, Joe Kent, Karla McCollum, Margo Moore, Murray Moore, Jeni Nahnson, Ricky Newbeeker, Brent Orr, Cindy Piel, Skip Renshaw, Chris Rogers, Tanny Salenka, Margart Schwartz, Linda Sherrard, Beau Luatt, Tom Wilson |
| Ladies and Gentleman of London | Chris Bohling, Geoff Bohling, Mark Bonham, Kim Cherveny, Rita Conners, Ricki Estes, Judy Gentry, Mark Harris, Jane Lamb, Lorene Moore, Steve Piel, Eleanor Richardson, Katheryn Rogers, Jennie Taylor, Greg White, Dave Yearout |
| Fagin's Boys | Brian Boucher, Karla Cherveny, Dana Dixon, Jenny Herlocker, Lucy Herlocker, Julie Horsch, Kathy Kaufman, Pat Kaufman, Joe Kent, Maryann McNeish, Jenni Nahnsen, Brent Orr, Cindy Piel, Tammy Saleska, Linda Sherrard |
Production Staff
| Director | Roxy Callison |
| Assistant Director | Roger Moon |
| Production Managers | Wayne Cherveny, Jane Cherveny |
| Sets | Tom Bossi, Don Wilson, Dick Davies, Tom Herlocker, Wayne Priest, Nancy Priest, Worrell Clift, Wayne Cherveny, Teresa Yearout |
| Costumes | Patsy Steedham, Betty Sherrard, Judy Gentry, Jean Warren, Dorothy Hoesch, Dale Davies, Marilyn McNeish, and Workhouse Mothers |
| Props | Gennie Thomas, Margaret Archer, Marilyn Albright, Sharon Bonewell, Norma Bossi, Anne Davies, Carolyn Davis, Jane Cook, Claire Graham, Dorothy Dobbs, Joan Kaufman, Marilyn McNeish, Nancy Priest, Betty Wilson |
| Make-Up | Jane Lamb, Ricki Etes |
| Lights | Roger Moon, Rick Daner |
| Publicity | Judy White, Virgina Boyd, Carole Nahnson, Millie Meyer |
| House | Marilyn Taylor, Pam Biggs, Lester and Maurine Hogue, Don and Judy Gibson, Francis Platt, Bill and Sandy Ellis, Patrick and Jody Streck, Dan and Wendy Freeman |
| Concessions | Susan and Dave Hill, Katherine and Larry Schuster, Steve Turner |
Musicians
| Director | Robbie Banks |
| Rehersal Accompanist | Veda Rogers |
| Flute | Sherry Stuart, Mararet Rogers |
| Oboe | George McNeish |
| Clarinet | J.J. Banks |
| Baritone Sax | Diane Gordon |
| French Horn | Brian White |
| Trombone | Becky Powell, Stan Helmer |
| Violin | Kathy Nida, Debbie Elrod |
| Viola | Helen Green |
| Bass | Dan Thomas |
