OLIVER! To Play at Unity Beginning 5/1

In a 19th-century London marked by the grime of early industrialization, the workhouse orphans devour their meager dinner of gruel. Then one small boy holds out his empty bowl and requests the unthinkable: "Please sir, I want some more!" So begins OLIVER!, one of the best loved family musicals of all time.

Servings will be bountiful as Kelrik presents its all new, fully staged production of OLIVER!, running weekends only from May 1 - 16 at Unity in San Luis Obispo. Directed by Erik Austin, with musical direction by Stephen Tosh, the show features a talented local cast of thirty-one in a heart-warming story that will captivate children and adults alike. The sparkling Lionel Bart score includes such perennial audience favorites as "Consider Yourself," "Food, Glorious Food," "Where Is Love," "As Long As He Needs Me," and "Who Will Buy."

Kelrik's production stars Spencer Doyle as the orphan Oliver who must move through the darkest corners of London, from workhouse to mortuary to thieves' den, before finally finding a happy home with his maternal grandfather. Along the way, he contends with a colorful cast of characters including the streetwise Artful Dodger (Keisha Freyaldenhoven), the slippery Fagin (Larry Baldwin), the cutthroat Bill Sykes (Randy Pound), and the passionate barmaid Nancy (Heather Malcolm).

According to Austin, "Kelrik is always proud to showcase the immense talent in our community. Because Oliver, the Artful Dodger and the kids in Fagin's gang are at the heart of the play, OLIVER! is a particularly good showcase for younger performers. We were thrilled to be able to cast so many talented young people in featured roles and in the ensemble. It's gratifying to be able to offer such a great performance opportunity to up and coming local talent."

Based on Charles Dickens's 1838 novel "Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress," OLIVER! brings to the stage some of Dickens's most unforgettable characters. With book, lyrics, and music by Lionel Bart, the musical won three Tony awards when it premiered in 1963. The Broadway premiere was followed by a 1968 feature film which won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. There have since been numerous revivals.

OLIVER! will perform at Unity, 1490 Southwood in San Luis Obispo, from May 1 - 16. Please note the family-friendly performance schedule: Saturday and Sunday afternoons at 2PM and Saturday evenings at 7PM. Ticket prices are $12 for Children and $16 for Adults and may be charged by phone at (805) 543-PLAY.

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