By Staff
NILES – Niles High School is ready to present its annual play.
"Oliver," by Lionel Bart and based on Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist," is showing Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in the high school auditorium. Tickets are $7 and $5 for seniors.
"The songs are adorable and if you see the show it's really, really cute," said Lisetta Zahm, artistic director and Niles art teacher. "There's a lot of neat dancing and a lot of music."
"Oliver" is set in 1850 London and begins in a workhouse where boys work for no money and little food. Oliver asks for more gruel from parish beadle Mr. Bumble, and is scolded and then sold to Mr. Sowerberry the undertaker for it.
Oliver runs away the next morning and is picked up by the Artful Dodger, who sends his boys off on a pocket-picking mission. And, Oliver is captured.
The cast of characters for Niles production of "Oliver" includes CarrieAnne Jones (Oliver), Matt Karsten (Artful Dodger), Steve Seitz (Fagin), Kelsey Schoff (Nancy), Nicholas Riggs (Bill Sykes), Julian Freas (Mr. Bumble), Heather Antos (Widow Corney), Alex White (Mr. Sowerberry), Hilary Landgraf (Mrs. Sowerberry), Alison Landgraf (Charlotte), John White (Noah Claypool), Paul Mooney (Charles Bates), Mariette Strauss (Bet/Rose Seller), Dorea Britton (Old Sally/Milk Maid), Annalee Nelson (Strawberry Seller), Jacob Wagner (Knife Grinder/Hussar), Ryan Greene (Long Song Seller), Paul Butler (Mr. Brownlow/Chairman), Jennifer Kennedy (Mrs. Bedwin), Levi Riggenbach (Dr. Grimwig), Chelsey Clements (Old Annie), and Ryan Lingle (Nightwatchman).
The boy chorus includes Jordan Brown, Cody Hadrick, Kathryn Hein, Charli Herman, Courtney Fleeker-Holmes, Lisa Ingle, Cassie O'Toole, Nichol Payne, Joanna Rave, Kayleigh Sabat, Amanda Smith, Bridgette Stone, Enung Mulyawati, Zarah Mumaw, and Tiffany Rogers.
The town chorus includes Erica Bolin, Catie Butler, Skylar Herman, Ashley Holloway, Robyn Kaup, Ashleigh Paolosso, Jessica Reisinger, and Frances Semrinec.