Musical Theatre West Brings OLIVER! To The Carpenter Performing Arts Center

Consider yourself at home at Musical Theatre West's (MTW) production of Lionel Bart's Tony Award-winning musical Oliver! at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center February 8-24. Tickets are on sale now at www.musical.org, by calling (562) 856-1999, or at the MTW Box Office. Tickets start at $20.

Based on Charles Dickens' beloved novel, Oliver Twist, Lionel Bart's Award-winning musical Oliver! takes audiences on a journey through Victorian England as an orphan boy embarks on his quest to find love and family. Along the his journey he meets a colorful cast of characters, from the considerate Artful Dodger, the colorful and roguish leader of the pick-pocketers Fagin, the kindhearted Nancy, and the menacing Bill Sykes. This Tony and Olivier Award-winning show is one of the few musicals to win an Academy Award for Best Picture and is widely hailed as a true theatrical masterpiece, with spirited, timeless songs like As Long as He Needs Me; Food, Glorious Food; Consider Yourself; Where is Love; and Oliver!.

MTW's production boasts an impressive cast of 35 performers and a full orchestra of musicians, whose credits includes Broadway, national tours, and regional credits. Davis Gaines (Fagin) returns to MTW where he won an Ovation Award for Man of La Mancha, earned critical acclaim for his performance as Inspector Javert in Les Mis rables, and as Professor Harold Hill in The Music Man. His credits include more than 2,000 performances as The Phantom and later as Raoul on Broadway and national touring productions of The Phantom of the Opera. His additional credits include the world premiere of Whistle Down the Wind, Hello, Dolly! with Carol Channing and Camelot with Richard Burton, and the Mark Taper Forum's performances of Parade.

Twelve year old Travis Burnett (Oliver) is already a seasoned professional, having starred in MTW's productions of Elf: the Musical as Michael Hobbs and as Michael Banks in Disney's Mary Poppins. He recently appeared as Patrick in Mame with Musical Theatre Guild, as Les in the McCoy Rigby production of Newsies, Winthrop in The Music Man at the Norris Theatre, and as Randolph in Bye Bye Birdie at Glendale Center Theatre. His television credits include the role of Tanner on Disney's Raven's Home, and as Dylan in Dreamworks So Shook. For film he was featured in The Box , now available on Hulu.

Cayman Ilika (Nancy) makes her MTW debut in Oliver! Her credits include the role of Lilli Vanessi/Kate in Kiss Me, Kate at The 5th Avenue Theatre; as Natasha in the world premiere of Beatsville at Asolo Repertory Theatre; Mary Poppins in Disney's Mary Poppins (a role which earned her a Gregory Award nomination) , and as Julie in Show Boat, for which she received the Footlight Award at Village Theatre, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris and Vanities- A New Musical (Kathy) at ACT, and the world premiere of Persuasion (Anne Elliot) at Taproot Theatre Company.

Jason Brewer (Artful Dodger) is thrilled to be making his MTW debut. He most recently appeared as Young Will in Big Fish and as Colin Craven in The Secret Garden at the Chance Theater. Other credits include Asher in The Giver, Dill Harris in To Kill a Mockingbird, and Gavroche in Les Mis rables. He currently studies acting at the Orange County School of the Arts.

Musical Theatre West's production of Oliver is helmed by director James A Rocco, with choreography by Hector Guerrero and music direction by Ryan O'Connell. Scenery designed by Dennis Hassan, and designed and constructed by Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre. This production is made possible thanks to the support of Season Sponsors: Ackerman Family/Evalyn M Bauer Foundation, Ken & Dottie Reiner, Don & Marlene Temple, Kathy Baker Campbell and KC Wilson, and The Port of Long Beach; Associate Producers: Ron & Patti Brunner, Cindy Costello, Jon & Amanda Hall; Youth Performance Underwriters: Dr. Ron & Sylvia Hartman, Larry & Shari Nemirow, and Ed Parker. Paul Garman serves as Executive Producer/Director of Musical Theatre West.

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