Consider yourself part of the family as Gateway Theatre presents Lionel Bart’s Oliver! The Musical for its annual holiday production! On the mainstage until January 4, 2025, this epic musical fills the Gateway Theatre with it’s scale. Freely adapted from Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, Lionel Bart created the long running 1960 stage musical and acclaimed 1968 Academy Award Best Picture-winning film, which includes the much familiar songs, “Food, Glorious Food”, “Consider Yourself”, and “I’d Do Anything”
“Reviewing The Situation” Gateway Theatre delivers another holiday classic with Oliver! Under direction by Josh Epstein, the moment the youth cast members quick step on to stage for the opening “Food, Glorious Food” the audience knows its in for big, bold production. With a company of two dozen performers playing even more characters the first act keeps a steady pace as the musical sets up the title character’s story. The powerhouse Rickie Wang leads the talented cast as Oliver Twist, with Lucas Gregory standing out as the charismatic Artful Dodger and Anthony Santiago as the comical ne’er do well, Fagin. Miranda MacDougal provides emotional heart with her Nancy in contrast to Tanner Zerr’s aggressive Bill Sykes. The versatile Daniel Curalli’s characters range from the slightly deranged Noah Claypole to the solid supportive Mr Brownlow. Cecilly Day also displays her range with the caring Mrs Bedwin and the bold and bawdy Widow Corney opposite her comedic foil Victor Hunter as Mr Bumble.
Music Director Sean Bayntun leads the live orchestra, which creates a cacophony of sound when combined with all two dozen performers are on stage but then passionately supports the vocals of the emotive solos in act two. Costume Designer Donnie Tejani’s costumes complete the picture of Dickensian England with the stiff, heavy Victorian wardrobe that allows the cast the flexibility to manage Nicol Spinola’s choreography. With so many on stage at times, Spinola’s skillfully keeps the cast filling every nook, cranny and levels of Ryan Cormack’s creative turntable set that takes us easily from London workhouse, to vagrant hideaway to Bloomsbury sitting room.
Lionel Bart’s Oliver! is on stage at Gateway Theatre, 6500 Gilbert Road. Richmond until January 4, 2025. Visit gatewaytheatre.com for tickets and showtimes.