Mandell JCC Presents “Star-Studded” Youth Theater Production of Oliver!, December 1, 2, 8 & 9, 2012

Grab a seat and move to the music at the Mandell JCC youth theater production of Oliver!, on Saturday, December 1, 2012 at 7:00 p.m., Sunday, December 2, 2012 at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, December 8, 2012 at 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, December 9, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at the Mandell JCC’s Herbert Gilman Theater, Zachs Campus, 335 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT. The show will feature a cast of more than sixty young actors from grades 3-8 and memorable tunes, such as “Food Glorious Food” and “Consider Yourself.” There will also be a collection of canned food items for the Food Glorious Food Drive, the proceeds of which will be donated to Jewish Family Services.

The Mandell JCC Youth Theater Production of Oliver! is sponsored by Rosenberg Orthodonics, and directed by Carolyn Mostel Weiser, with musical direction by Frank P. Jackson.

Oliver! tells the story of a young boy, Oliver Twist (Sarah DeSanto), who makes the mistake of asking for seconds at the workhouse. After being forced out into labor, he runs away into the big city of London, where he is befriended by the Artful Dodger (Olivia Rotter), and meets Fagin (Gregory Stefanko) and Nancy (Sydney Weiser). Through a series of events, Oliver finds himself befriending a man (Benjamin Wolf) whose story presents an unexpected, but very special, twist. The show also features the talents of: Eva Astrachan, Abby Azia, Gia Curran-Lopera, Jonah Gershon, Zachary Goldberg, Miriam Holsbeke, Lucia Katz, Marissa Kaufmann, Shannon Murphy, Kitana Park, Sarah Rosenfeld, Katelyn Seidman, Gabi Silver, Maxx Smith-Rapaport, Samm Smith-Rapaport, Annie Tilden, Sophie Tulchinsky, Charlie Uthgenaant, Jake Zweifler.

The “star-studded” cast includes female lead, Sydney Weiser, who recently sang a duet with television and Broadway star, Idina Menzel, at the Bushnell when she appeared in concert on September 30, 2012, and cast member Grace Donovan, who has been in several local PSAs and television and print ads.

Tickets for the show are on sale now, and are $9 for students and $11 for adults. For tickets and more information call the Member Services Center, 860-236-4571 or visit www.mandelljcc.org.

Music, lyrics, and book are by Lionel Bart, and the production is licensed by an arrangement with Oliver Productions, Ltd., and Oliver Promotions, Ltd. by special arrangement with the Tams Witmark Musical Library. The Mandell Jewish Community Center is open to everyone and supported by funds raised by the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, a recipient of funding from the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford, and a member of the JCC Association of North America. For updates, follow the Mandell JCC on Facebook and Twitter. All dates and programs subject to change.