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Errtept 'OBy Tammy Kilpatrick Staff Writer From the opening bars to the closing strains of music, Workshop Theatre's production of Lionel Bart's "Oliver" is a delightful experience. Although the production does have some flaws, the performance of key characters Oliver and the Artful Dodger, played by two Columbia teenagers, and a fine supporting cast outweich thp np0nHvoc ? .,wDv.wfVU. Based upon the novel by Charles Dickens, the musical incorporates the story of a young boy, Oliver, brought up in hopelessly cruel conditions in a London workhouse. He runs away, after being sold to an undertaker, to join a gang of thieves and starts a journey accompanied by song and dance that ends dramatically and happily. The performance of 13-yearold Townsend Myers as unver sets the mood of the play, as the teenager plays the role to perfection. WITH HIS INNOCENT face and tousled blond-hair, Myers plays Oliver with vulnerability as well as toughness, and handles the required cockney accent with no problems while setting the mood for the other characters. Just as captivating as Myers is Oliver's thieving Com B - mm ~ -1 , - -: - : Town send Myers plays th runaway in 'Oliver.' (Photo By Tammy Kilpatrick Staff Writer Oliver is quietly nervous, pacing restlessly backstage before the opening scene. The Artful Dodger, meanwhile, clowns irrepressibly with fellow cast members, only becoming quiet to assume his character's swaggering stance before his cue to enter the stage. Both are played by 13year-olds with a love of acting, each fitting his own personality into that of the character he portrays. TOWNSENC MYERS, who stars in the lead role in Workshop Theatre's production of "Oliver," and James Harley, the Artful Dodger, have merged certain traits of their own personalities into their roles to create believable characters while enjoying acting. "It's (acting) just fun all 3ainmer li-ve companion the Artful Dodger, played by James Harley. Harley's performance is nlen mrwrlol^ liiWlVlV/U perfectly on the whimsical Dodger, capturing the heart of the audience with his swaggering confidence yet underlying pathos. Directed by Workshop Theatre veteran Bette Herring, the play is well cast and the musical numbers well choreographed, although some actors gestured a bit too wildly. The set itself, simply built to portray room scenes at center stage, with stairs Debra Haines Kiser leading to a bridge for outdoor scenes, lends itself to quick scenery changes IinHpr pnuor r\( 1 vuf vi ui uainncaa dllU allows the play to flow smoothly with no interruption to the story line. One of the main problems in the play, however, is poor lighting. The middle section of the stage is well-lit, but the outer edges often octrast d Myers Bp: Wg x "m ^r. ? v ' te lead role of the young > by John Parnell} around, especially the girls," Myers said laughingly backstage before a sold-out rehearsal performance for school children. "I can feel the character of Oliver in me. I'd say I have felt like he Sp*v pi (JSC student Jimmy Moon Apr. 19, including Sunday 1 *^3 ?'<: -.'J . ^ ' :r' is cupied by main characters do not receive enough iigiiiuig iu iuuy illuminate the characters and their expressions. THE OTHER MAIN characters in Oliver are aptly portrayed by Debra Haines Kiser as Nancy and Bob Waites as the villainous Bill Sikes. Kiser's performance was both sassy and heart-rending as the wise-cracking mistress of Sikes, and brought freshness to the role. Waites also brought just the right fierceness to his role as the cruel murderer Sikes. While the performance of Randall Browning as Fagin, the thipups' monfAi? 1" v -WW liivi 1VVI 9 id visually excellent with effective costuming and body ^motions, Browning's difIficulty in mastering a cockney accent detracts from his performance. His vocal performances in "Reviewing the Situation" and "You've Got to Pick a Picket or Two" are welldone and brought laughs from the audience. One of the funniest scenes in the play is the macabre performance of the undertaker and his wife who buy Oliver from the workhouse, played by Billy Dubose and Margie Turner. Their performance of "That's Your Funeral" with accompanying grimaces and in 2' does before. I've felt sad and depressed like that." I Harley also said he feels ? much like the Artful Dodger, while admitting he wouldn't feel comfortable playing the ; more angelic role of Oliver. < "I didn't want to be Oliver i because I just didn't think I could do that right. I thought the Artful Dodger would be 1 easier for me," he said. "I'm i not as outspoken as he (the ] Dodger) is though. I don't ] think I'm that cocky and I everything. I'm more laid i honlr " HARLEY IS MOKE I relaxed before a per- i formance, loving the tension i of appearing before a crowd. "I'm always a little bit c nervous, but not much though because I've always t liked being out in front of Y people. I love applause," he r said. s Myers, however, admits to v becoming tense and worried \ before performing. "I'm " used to the crowd now, but I ~ i:**i 1 ' uu gui a iiuit1 nt'i vous uetore I go out." A jjjB \ peers at himself backstage I matinees. (Photo by John Pa deli wr j :'<:<:M^^^^HBHHi \ ^^MBSBBwSr Lionel Bart's 'Oliver' is pr Theatre, fPhoto b y John Pa gestures, brought laughs from the audience while lightening the mood of the play. The play on a whole is well-done, especially the scenes where the 16 young thieves join Fagen, the Olivt Once before an audience, tx)th respond as they create characterizations for the watching people. _ "The auHipnrp inct uranc 1 JW.WX /ou on. When they start flapping, you just get sjoing," Myers said. THE MOKE RESERVED Myers, in his second lead *ole in five play appearances, auditioned just or a part in the production, xit was pleasantly surprised jpon capturing the lead. "I vas surprised, but I wasn't lervous. I was just real lappy," he said. "The only hing I really worry about is ny singing." I The more outgoing Harley, | in the other hand, knew 1 txactly which role he wanted J o play when auditioning for -j lis second role. He said the ole of the Artful Dodger is A imilar to that of Huck Finn, n /hich he played in Workshop's production of tl Tom Sawyer" last fall. p "I love these kind of F arts," he said. "But I'm C lore like Huck than the Si ' :-- r - -.- r,r-:-^~? JIS Hftj' nf-" |llj|l|g wfore a performance. The p rneU) ght Artful Dodger and Nancy in song and dance routines. The supporting cast of over 50 complimented the main performers well, especially in songs such as "Oom-PahPah," where Nancy entertains the crowd at a local er'si James H [1 ' ~ , pRfjl '&ym / % }ames Harley plays the Ar eat re's production of 'OH rtful Dodger because I'm ( lore laid back." ] Both became interested in ! le theatre through a < rogram at Hand and < airwald Middle schools in : olumbia called ART AG. 1 landing for artistically I llti ~V-~ ' ^0.-:.:. C: C B3 ^n?3HHM c lay will run today until t f ful! r HMF jro|^jEa .' / >1 ,* lance by the Workshop ntih 1/UM . THE FLAY WILL run from today to April 19 with performances on Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and matinees on Sundays. tars [arley ^v * ,^iJiB^^HDB5fiHfiB6lBBHaBBsIl? ook forward to trying out for he next Workshop Theatre roduction, "Cheaper by the )o?en." ttul Dodger in Works ho ver.' (Photo by Parnell) talented and gifted, tl program selects about l students each year to tal art, drama and ball classes as part of t! students' curricului Director Bette Herrii leaches drama to the bo\ Ylyers is now in his tlv /ear of studying dram .vhile Harley is studyi. irama and art for the fii ime. SOME DRAWBACKS ai nvolved in acting, though ncluding long hours spei )racticing and physics .nauges inaue 10 De more n character while performing, ioth boys had their hair lyed, and Harley's hair was :ut in a dutch boy to fit the mage of the Dodger more iccurately. Neither teenager has nade plans for a future areer in acting, but both