That simple plea is one of the most iconic lines in the Lionel Bart musical, "Oliver!" It's also a sentiment those behind the Mercyhurst College production hope the community will embrace as they work to revitalize the theater program.
After this show, they hope you'll want some more.
"We're pretty excited to get theater going again at Mercyhurst," said first-time director Nicole Zeak. "What we're trying to do this year is get a core group of people together and really get this program going."
"We've always had a student-run musical that has come out of the music department. But I really thought it was important to include the whole college," added Louisa Jonason, the D'Angelo Department of Music Chair, who plans to eventually create a theater minor.
The 40-member cast includes students from a mix of majors, as well as children and older adults. The prospect of casting children in the show was one of the reasons Jonason, a lifelong Charles Dickens fan, was drawn to "Oliver!"
"I thought it might be wonderful to have some children from the community, and indeed, they're really making the show very, very special," she said.
Those children include 11-year-old Ethan Craig and 12-year-old Frank Smrcka, who share the role of the orphan Oliver. Another dozen talented youths also appear.
"We really have a great group of kids," said Zeak. "They know their music and they know their blocking and they're just wonderful to work with."
The tale of a young orphan negotiating the mean streets of 1800s London will be staged with lavish costumes and sets, many of them furnished by the Erie Playhouse. In addition to the small orchestra accompanying the show, Jonason acknowledges the efforts of artistic director Rebecka Kerr; stage manager Alexandra Stacey; head of publicity Katie Wagner; and tech crew captain Harold Hotchkiss.
"I think what makes me happy is that we're actually training people to do the things they want to do when they go out into the world," said Jonason. "They're doing a really, really beautiful job."
For Zeak, directing has been an eye-opening experience.
"I gained a real respect for people who do this as a profession," said Zeak, who is thrilled with how the actors of all ages have risen to the occasion. So is Jonason.
"This has been one of the happiest experiences I've ever had in the theater," said Jonason. "It's a particularly joyous cast."
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