OXFORD,
Miss. – The heartwarming story of Oliver Twist is to be retold onstage
Dec. 13 at the University of Mississippi’s Ford Center for the
Performing Arts.
Hailed as one of the best-loved family musicals
of all time, Lionel Bart’s “Oliver!” brings memorable scores such as
“Food, Glorious Food,” “Consider Yourself at Home” and “Where is Love?”
The
show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30, $33 and $37 for various seating
and available by visiting the UM Box Office in the Student Union, Ford
Center Box Office or online at http://www.olemiss.edu/fordcenter/. They
also can be purchased by calling 662-915-7411. UM students with a valid
I.D. can purchase discounted tickets for $10 before the night of the
show.
Set in the 1830s, “Oliver!” tells the story of a young orphan boy who escapes from an abusive orphanage. He arrives in London and befriends a group of boys who promise free food and shelter. The tide turns, however, when Oliver realizes that his new friends are trained pickpockets.
“It’s a wonderfully engaging story,” said Norm Easterbrook, Ford Center director. “It has some very charming moments in it. It’s a timeless musical that reaches out and touches the hearts of anyone in the audience.”
“Oliver!” premiered on Broadway in 1964 and was reprised in 1984. The show was one of the first musical adaptations of a Charles Dickens novel to become an onstage hit. It launched the careers of several child actors, including Phil Collins and Davy Jones.
This production of “Oliver!” is a regional tour that features a large cast. Easterbrook said he looks forward to welcoming the actors to the Ford Center.
“I’m excited to see the sets and the costuming coming together,” he said. “It’s just the type of production that I love to see on our stage, because it’s the type for which the Ford Center is built.”
Easterbrook promises the show will entertain. “I can tell you that ‘Oliver!’ is going to be a charming time and a wonderful way to welcome the holiday season. I’m very thrilled to see it coming.”
A complete list of upcoming Ford Center events is available by visiting http://www.olemiss.edu/fordcenter/. For assistance related to a disability, call 662-915-7411.