‘Oliver!’ a stage feast toasting Dickens
From the Farm
I have an extra fond affinity for the stage musical “Oliver!”
The last time I saw a production was with my parents for Mother’s Day in 2013 at Drury Lane Theatre in Oak Brook.
But my first encounter with the charming and heartwarming stage musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic novel “Oliver Twist” was in March
1984, when I starred in a production of “Oliver!” while I was in the eighth grade at North Judson-San Pierre Junior High School.
Old even long before my age, I was only 13 when cast as wealthy, elderly Mr. Brownlow, who welcomes orphan Oliver to stay at his manor.
The title role was played by Rodney Yost, son of our small town’s Postmaster, while R.J. Howard, the son of the town florist, played greedy Mr. Bumble opposite Milly Kellam, whose mom ran our town’s only daycare center, playing his calculating counterpart, the Widow Corney. Cassey Pixey, daughter of the choir director at our church, was cast as tough-as-nails Nancy. The role of pickpocket leader Fagin was played by our music teacher, Mr. John Archer, since none of the students were able to learn so many lines, songs and dance steps.
The Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Dr. in Lincolnshire, has once again brought the Victorian streets of London described by Dickens to life, with a new and not-to-be missed production of Lionel Bart’s “Oliver!, playing now through Dec. 29. The Tony Award-winning musical is directed by eight-time Jeff Award winning director Nick Bowling, with musical direction by Jeff Award winner Ryan T. Nelson and choreography by Jeff Award winner Brenda Didier, who teamed up to wrangle the largest cast ever assembled on the Marriott Theatre stage.
Set in the 1800s, the story follows Oliver — played by two talented rotating young actors, Kai Edgar and Kayden Koshelev
— from his workhouse days to his dour duties as the apprentice of an undertaker and his sallowfaced wife, as brilliantly played by Jason Grimm and Caron Buinis.
The famed ringleader of the gang of street boy pickpockets is William Brown as crafty Fagin. Comedy relief comes from any scene with Matthew R. Jones as Mr. Bumble opposite Bethany Thomas as the Widow Corney. Nancy is played with impressive pipes from Lucy Godinez, and sinister, angry Bill Sikes is a foreboding turn by Dan Waller. Tickets are $50 to $60 at www.MarriottTheatre.com or (847) 634-0200.
The favored score of catchy songs are just one of the reasons “Oliver!” is always an audience favorite for tunes like “Consider Yourself (at Home),” “Food, Glorious Food” and the drinking ditty “Oom-Pah-Pah.”
I’ve always marveled at all of Dickens’ works, from “A Christmas Carol” and “A Tale of Two Cities” to “Oliver Twist.” Years ago, I purchased a framed bank draft check from the 1800s that includes Dickens’ signature, which proudly hangs on a wall in my dining room.
Like all of his literary works, Dickens includes plenty of references to food and drinking in his story about orphan Oliver and the odd lot of characters he encounters.
Dickens personal life was as unhappy as his professional life was promising.
He was favorite fodder for all the English newspapers that chronicled his comings and goings, often printing rumors of his affair with a young actress, Ellen Ternan, which led to him to separate from his wife in 1858, ending a marriage that produced 10 children.
Despite his amazing literary success, he was always financially pinched. During his final years, Dickens toured performing a one-man reading and re-creation of “A Christmas Carol,” with the author impersonating 23 of the featured characters. Dickens suffered a fatal stroke on June 7, 1870, and was buried in Westminster Abbey five days later.
Over the years, readers have requested easier versions of the popular holiday drinks of the Dickens and Victorian era, such as the “Hot Toddy” and “Hot Buttered Rum.” They are usually quite involved without much taste satisfaction, despite the holiday novelty factor.
Finally, I stumbled on one that is “a keeper,” given to me by mixologist Susie Hoyt of The Silver Dollar, a whiskey bar in Louisville. Rather than using rum, her “hot buttered” holiday drink is bourbon based using Four Roses Bourbon and a simplified yet deliciously easy “spiced butter and sugar” non-cooked base ingredient. It’s a perfect “hot” holiday cocktail to toast Dickens and the chilly winter months ahead.
Philip Potempa has published three cookbooks and is the director of marketing at Theatre at the Center. Mail questions to: From the Farm, P.O. Box 68, San Pierre, IN 46374.