Review: I Want Some More, Please, at The Ziegfeld Theater's OLIVER!

OLIVER!, (Book, Music and Lyrics by Lionel Bart), is the story of a young orphan boy trying to find his place in the world, but who manages to fall in line with a mischievous crowd along the way.

The Ziegfeld cast of OLIVER! included a handful of talented youngsters playing orphans and thieves who learn to pick pockets for a living. The young cast members displayed great maturity with their obvious acting chops and vocal range, especially in the number, "You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two."

Under the musical direction of Kyle Lawrence, Oliver! gave several actors in the Salt Lake area a time to shine.

In the role of Oliver, Henry Bell's (double cast as Declan McAlhany), portrayal of the title character was sweet and endearing, and his rendition of "Where is Love?" was perfectly heartbreaking.

Wowing the crowd with her beautiful performance of "As Long As He Needs Me," was Erica Choffel in the role of Nancy. Choffel's voice was dazzling and the audience was captivated during her songs, bursting in applause at the close of her numbers.

The singing was top notch, but the acting was also hard to beat! For instance, when you picture a man with a commanding presence, you might just picture Tyson Allred, who played the role of bad guy Bill Sikes. The entire crowd collectively held their breath every time he was on stage due to his well-executed portrayal of an angry killer who could (and does) snap at any moment!

To break up the general theme of fear and depravity throughout the show, is trusty old Fagin, played by Randy Barton. A quirky, sneaky man who lives a life of thievery and teaches orphans to do the same. Barton was surprisingly amusing and lovable, for playing the part of a scheming thief. His rendition of "Reviewing the Situation" was hysterical!

While I'd recommend this show to most, you may want to leave the small kiddos at home, as a few scenes might be a little scary or confusing for them. That said, the show was very well done, with beautiful acting, singing and choreography. Kudos to the entire cast for their brilliant performances!

Catch the talented cast of Oliver! at the Ziegfeld Theater through September 1.

Call the box office for more information or to purchase tickets: 855-944-2787.

Photo Credit: L-R Henry Bell as Oliver, and Randy Barton as Fagin.

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