LaGrange Park troupe presents “Oliver!”
By Sandy Illian Bosch sbosch@pioneerlocal.com February 21, 2012 5:54PM
Lidija Kutlesa, (center), 12, and Cale Manning,(right), 11, both of North Riverside both play the lead during a rehearsal for "Oliver!" | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media
‘Oliver!’
St. Louise Players, St. Louise de Marillac Parish, 31st and Harrison avenues, LaGrange Park
7 p.m. Feb. 24-25, March 2-3; 2 p.m. Feb. 26 and March 4
$10, $5 children
(708) 352-7388
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Updated: February 22, 2012 3:50PM
Like tulips and robins, the family musical at St. Louise deMarillac church in LaGrange Park has become an annual rite of spring.
“So far we’ve done a family musical every spring,” said Michael Miller of LaGrange Park, producer of this year’s choice — “Oliver!”
Created by Lionel Bart, who based the musical on Charles Dickens’ novel, Oliver Twist, this year’s show will include a cast of 50 and will include such familiar songs as “As Long as He Needs Me,” “Food, Glorious Food,” “You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two,” and of course, “Consider Yourself.”
Even with 30 years of experience in community theater, this production is a first for Barb Molina of Brookfield, who will make her directorial debut.
Cast of all ages
She called “Oliver!” a fun musical with opportunities for performers of every age. In fact, members of the cast of the Louise deMarillac production range in age from 6 to 60.
“We always kind of aim for something we can make intergenerational,” Miller said.
Most of the cast members are also members of the LaGrange Park church, but actors from the community also were invited to audition, Miller said.
“This is the first year we’ve
actually had to turn people
away,” said Miller. He said about
70 people auditioned for the show’s 50 roles.
Of course, it takes more than actors and singers to put on a show. For those behind-the-scenes jobs, Molina has put together what she calls “The Oliver Dream Team.”
“We’ve come up with this incredible team of people,” she said. “We’ve been really blessed.”
Part of that team is Kevin McOlgan, band director at Riverside- Brookfield High School, who will lead the pit orchestra.
Molina said the annual church production is a rare and valuable opportunity for young performers to work with a talented group of experienced adults, and to perform with a live orchestra.
Boy stuff
St. Louise sixth-grader Lydia Kutlesa has had quite a few roles as an actor, but playing a boy is new for her. For her part as Oliver, Lydia had a lot more to learn than lines and song lyrics.
“They taught me how to walk like a boy,” she said.
Like all of the characters, Lydia’s will speak with an British accent.
“I told them to watch ‘Harry Potter,’ ” Molina said. “With a little bit of practice, it starts to come really natural.”
Anna Menendez of LaGrange Park is one of several students from Riverside-Brookfield High School to be cast in the show. She said putting on such a big production has taken a lot of work, but that work has paid off.
“I’m really excited,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun.”
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