Malcolm Gets, Ann Harada, et al. Join OLIVER! Benefit, 6/11

Off-Broadway's acclaimed Irish Repertory Theatre presents its 2012 Annual Benefit Gala, a concert performance on Broadway of Lionel Bart's OLIVER! – a glorious, Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of the classic Dickens tale of 1850's London in the time of the Industrial Revolution – on Monday, June 11 at The Shubert Theatre (225 West 44th Street) in Manhattan. Charlotte Moore, who directed last year's concert staging of CAMELOT on Broadway and the Irish Repertory's recent revival of Brian Friel's DANCING AT LUGHNASA, will direct.

In OLIVER!, an innocent orphan boy escapes the cruel workhouse and joins a gang of roving pickpocket street urchins who report to the cunning master pickpocket himself, the wily Fagin, who rules the filthy streets under London Bridge with a slippery hand. Nancy, the beautiful graduate of Fagin's "Academy," and her lover, Bill Sykes, an iconic villain in his prime, fight over the boy, with awful consequences.

The ingenious and moving score includes such favorites as "Food, Glorious Food," "As Long As He Needs Me," "Consider Yourself at Home," and "I'd Do Anything for You."

Brian Stokes Mitchell, a Tony Award-winner for KISS ME, KATE and recent guest star on "Glee," is set to portray Fagin. James Barbour, who starred on Broadway in A TALE OF TWO CITIES, and Tony-nominee Melissa Errico (AMOUR), who appeared at the Irish Repertory Theatre in its revival of CANDIDA, respectively portray Bill Sykes and Nancy.

Making its Broadway debut with OLIVER! is Philadelphia's Keystone State Boychoir, recognized as one of the finest community-based boychoir programs in the world. Under the direction of Music Director Joseph P. Fitzmartin and Associate Music Director Steven M. Fisher, Keystone State Boychoir consists of more than 160 young men between the ages of eight and eighteen. Keystone State Boychoir has performed at the White House, and is the only choir to have sung on every continent, including Antarctica.

Completing The cast are Lance Chantiles-Wertz (MIRACLE WORKER) as the Artful Dodger and Zachary Maitlin (Billy Elliot) as Oliver, with Nancy Anderson (WONDERFUL TOWN), Zac Ballard, Jim Brochu (ZERO HOUR), Jack Broderick, Dewey Caddell, Madeleine Doherty (SISTER ACT), John Treacy
Egan (THE LITTLE MERMAID), Luce Ennis, Kathy Fitzgerald (9 to 5), Malcolm Gets (THE STORY OF MY LIFE), and Ann Harada (AVENUE Q), AJ Irvin, Donna Kane, Daniel Katz, Patrick Staples, Neil McCaffrey, Charlotte Moore, Ciaran O'Reilly, Georgia Osborne, Michael Reccia,
Alexander Scheitlinger, Shanna Sharp, and Ted Sutherland, accompanied by a full orchestra.

OLIVER! has musical direction by Mark Hartman (BRIGADOON, AVENUE Q).

Irish Repertory's 2012 Annual Benefit Gala featuring this concert version of OLIVER!, one of the most glorious musicals of all time, will be followed by dinner with The cast at Sardi's, the Theatre's legendary celebrity restaurant (234 West 44th Street).

Kathleen Begala is 2012 Gala Chair.

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