Young cast presents classic musical 'Oliver!'
Accents, orphan costumes and musicians are all featured in the Butler Summer Dramatics production of the classic musical “Oliver!”
The show full of young people will be staged at the Succop Theater at Butler County Community College starting Aug. 2.
Playing the title character, Oliver Twist, is Sophia Cornetti of Butler Township. She is going into the sixth grade at Butler Middle School.
“I'm having a great time in the show! I have met new people and made many new friends, and I get to sing and dance which is so much fun,” the 11-year-old said.
“My favorite song to sing is “Where Is Love” because it is emotional. My favorite song overall is “Who Will Buy” because there are many different solo parts,” Sophia added.
She said the challenge of the role isn't about the singing for her.
“Oliver Twist is a boy and I am a girl! I have to learn how to walk, talk and look like a boy,” she said of having to master some serious acting skills.
Sophia has aspirations of being an actor on Broadway.
Another girl who is tackling the role of a boy in this show is Reilly Martin, 13, of Hilliards who is playing the Artful Dodger, a pickpocket who befriends Oliver.
“Dodger is spirited, as he is a young boy, but also must be sly to pick pockets and live on the streets,” said Reilly of her character.
Mastering the cockney accent is quite laborious for Reilly, but that is not the most difficult aspect of the role.
“Having to portray a boy was a learning experience. I have to move in a very heavy tail coat jacket as well as sit, walk and interact with others as a boy,” she noted. “Our director, Gordon, would say 'Reilly, stand like a boy!' and I would have to look at fellow male castmates to see how boys actually stand.”
The mentor of Dodger, Oliver and the other London orphans is Fagin, being portrayed by Draven Stuart, 21, of Butler Township.
Stuart describes his character as a sly, older man who teaches the orphans “to thieve for his own personal gain.”
He said his favorite song his character has is “Reviewing the Situation.”
“It's a comedic song that goes back and forth through his thought process about his life,” Stuart said. “It offers audiences more of a vulnerable glimpse into his mind you don't get through the other songs he sings.”
Stuart has been involved with Summer Dramatics in the past and was in the 2008 production of “Oliver!” with Sing Hosanna!
The female lead role of Nancy is being portrayed by Ruby Shearer, 21, of Winfield Township.
“She is in love with Bill Sykes, who is seen as the villain in the show,” said Shearer who works at a sports restaurant in Sarver.
“The biggest challenge I have found is playing a character who I think is very strong and smart except for when it comes to loving an evil man,” explained Shearer.
“She sometimes voices her opinion against Sykes, but most of the time she lets her loyalty to him prevail. She allows him to mistreat her,” she added.Shearer is no stranger to the stage or to this show in particular, having appeared in the same musical with Sing Hosanna!“I wanted to do the show because I haven't done a musical since I graduated high school. However, my biggest reason for auditioning was to share the stage again with my two younger sisters, Dori Shearer, 18, playing Mrs. Sowerberry, and Sadi Shearer, 14, portraying Mrs. Bedwin,” said Shearer.In the role of Shearer's love interest is Jarrod Hull of Slippery Rock, who works by day as a clinical manager at George Junior Republic.Hull, 24, said his character, Bill Sykes, “is very dark and mysterious.”“You never truly know what Bill Sykes is going to do or say,” Hull said. “Some days it's interesting getting into character.”Because Hull is an easygoing fellow, he said channeling the dark side for his character can be difficult.His favorite songs from the show are “As Long as He Needs Me” and “Who Will Buy?”“Ruby honestly brings me to tears every single time she sings 'As Long as He Needs Me.' The way she carries herself through the song is amazing,” Hull noted.Tyler Snodgrass, 20, of Butler, a full-time student at Westminster College who also works for NexTier Bank, is serving as the musical director for the show, handling vocals and the instrumental side.“This show is a fun twist on the classic novel by Charles Dickens that uses unique and illustrious characters to tell the story,” Snodgrass said.“These kids have worked unbelievably hard to make these characters their own and truly portray what Lionel Bart (music and lyrics) was trying to convey,” he said.With copious musical selections in this production, Snodgrass has his hands full with the cast and the orchestra. He has picked out a favorite song, though.“'Consider Yourself' is one of the big numbers in the show and includes almost everyone in the cast. It is fantastic to hear all of the voices come together and create such beautiful music,” he said.
WHO: Butler Summer DramaticsWHAT: “Oliver!”WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 2 and 3 and 2 p.m. Aug. 4WHERE: Succop Theater at Butler County Community CollegeTICKETS: $15 for center seating and $12 for seating on the sides. All seats are reserved. Tickets are available at May's Music Shoppe or at the door when available.
