The Footlight Players will open their 4th show of the 73rd season with the family musical, OLIVER!
Director, Laura Meyer, her A.D., Nikki Anthony, and Musical Director, Jennifer Keeley have gathered a 35 person cast that includes some of faces you've enjoyed before along with many bright new ones.
This classic Charles Dickens tale transports us to London, opening in a Workhouse run by Mr. Bumble (Tom LeDonne) and Widow Corney (Kathy Chase). Conditions are bleak as we witness the orphans (Isaac Bitter, Olivia, Selah, and Silas Branco, Jude Gowan, Annabelle, Hannah, and Jerry Kilbourne, Delaney, Foster, and Knowles McMeen, Faith Minich, Addison Moore, and Katelyn West) eating their meager meal of gruel. The young Oliver Twist (Eli Gowan) has the audacity to ask for more. He is then sold to Mr. and Mrs Sowerberry (Noel Carlson, Al Dines), the local undertaker and his wife. He is bullied by their daughter, Charlotte (Lexi Passmore) and clerk, Noah (Brandon Branco). He runs away to the streets of London and meets The Artful Dodger (Erika Frye) who takes him to the cantankerous Fagin (Robert Richter) and his gang. In this den of iniquity, we meet the evil Bill Sykes (Alexander Bonner), Nancy (Adrianna LeDonne) and Bet (Ella Rucinski). They all show Oliver how to earn his keep by "picking a pocket or two". The next morning Oliver tries his first attempt at this new craft on Mr. Brownlow (Thom Nelson) but is seized by the police (Christopher West/Adam Wogomon).
Brownlow, however, takes pity on the poor lad and brings him home to be tended by Mrs. Bedwin (Rhonda Brennan), While doing a task for his kind-hearted host, Oliver gets stolen off the streets by Sykes and Nancy and returns to Fagin's Den. Don't worry there's always a happy ending in musicals.
Other castmates are Rick Henderson, Ericka Kilbourne, Susie Richter, and Lara West. Producer, Bobby Komendera, heads an award-winning crew. The innovative set designer is Wogomon, the lighting's designed by Jim Milcarek, over 50 costumes are designed by Sharon Kienitz, the hair and make-up for the cast is done by Kalie Winebrenner, and the scenic artist is Bill Wild.
The show is staged at the Footlight Players Theater. 1705 Franklin Street in downtown Michigan City. Show dates are the first 3 weekends in March. (3-5, 10-12, and 17-19) Ticket prices are $17.00 with a $12.00 charge for children 12 or younger. Sellout crowds are expected, so it is highly recommended to make reservations ASAP. You can do so by phoning the box-office at (219) 874-4035 or at www.footlightplayers.org/reservations. A footlight representative will confirm your reservation.
There are no assigned seats so it's best to get there early. Reservations are held 15 minutes prior to curtain times unless secured by full payment in advance. Curtain times are Friday and Saturday 7:30 and Sunday 2:00. The doors of the theater are opened 45 minutes prior to these times.
Footlight’s closing production for their 73rd season will be Murdered to Death, a hilarious spoof based on all your favorite ‘whodunnit’ stereotypes, by Peter Gordon. It will be directed by Dee Piotrowski May 5-7 & 11-14. Auditions for 5 adult males and 5 adult females will be March 5th & 6th at 6PM inside Footlight Theatre.
