"Oliver!" charms at Spreckels

Oliver! by Lionel Bart, is playing on the big stage at Spreckels Theatre Company currently until August 31st. Don’t miss it! It is a good old-fashioned song and dance musical which, though of British origins, has been a staple in the American Musical Theater repertoire since it opened on Broadway in 1963.

You will be treated to an elaborate set (fitting of the enormous stage) designed by Eddie Hansen and Elizabeth Bazzano, a strong orchestra led by Janis Wilson, perfect costumes by Pamela Enz, energetic and inventive choreography by Michella Snider, solid sound design by Daniel Mitchell, and fun and surprising projections (most likely) by Gene Abravaya, the director.

Oliver! follows the story of Charles Dickens’ classic Oliver Twist, which though at times is a dark tale, for the most part has a happy ending and plenty of fun in between. Mr. Bumble, played by strong tenor Sean O’Brien, and Widow Corney, played by Abby Chambers, have a hysterical romance, punctuated with the song “I Shall Scream”. Abby Chambers really gets a chance to shine in her first larger role (that we’ve seen) at Spreckels, with a beautiful voice and terrific character creation. O’Brien does a noble and lovely job of the song “Boy For Sale”, one of the hardest classical tenor songs in musical theater.

The role of Oliver, the night we saw it, was played by the spunky and sweet-voiced Jordan Martin. On alternate shows Oliver will be played by Andrea Luekens. The Artful Dodger was played to Dodgerly perfection by Ari Vozaitis. The children in general were delightful as Fagin’s pick-pocketing, gin-drinking crew. Denise Elia-Yen worked as their primary director and did wonders with them, with engaging scenes and adorable and clever movement.

Mr. and Mrs. Sowerberry (the wonderfully eccentric Peter Warden and highly effervescent Karen Pinomaki) were splendid as the creepy and cruel undertakers who buy Oliver, feed him dog scraps and make him sleep with the coffins. Charlotte Sowerberry, Noah Claypole and Bet were played respectively by Dene Harvey, Troy Evans, and Alyssa Jirrels, some of Sonoma County’s best, young, promising, home-grown talent.

Tim Setzer was the adorably crooked and conflicted Fagin. Setzer’s “Reviewing The Situation” was a major highlight of the show. Bill Sykes was appropriately nasty, mean, and intimidating, and sung excellently by Zackary Hasbany. And Nancy was played by the incomparable Kelly Brandeburg, Sonoma County’s own Ethel Merman/Sutton Foster/Linda Eder. (In other words, voices like Kelly Brandeburg’s don’t come around much anymore.)

Other outstanding theatrical moments were provided by Harry Duke, who steals the show with very few lines as Dr. Grimwig, the doctor desperately attempting to earn his fee even with a perfectly healthy patient, and Felicia McFall, the violinist who is every bit as much a part of Fagin’s character as any actor, even though she stays in the orchestra pit. The show depends on a violinist who can play personality-filled gypsy violin lines in dialogue with Fagin. McFall was outstanding.

Excellent turns were made by the entire supporting cast, complete with lovely solos in the “Who Will Buy?” segment with Riz Gross, Lindsey Transue, David Crone, Benjamin Sweeny Acedo, Amy Zanco, Michael Ross, Luca Catanzaro, Patrick Taber, Abbey Lee, Alana Mincberg, JD Vozaitis, Kira Catanzaro and Spreckels Summer Youth Workshop members Cameron Baker, Desiree Barnes, Gabriel Greenwood, Madison Griego, Kaitlyn Law, Olivia Martin, Nafe Nafe, Julia Sawyer, Audrey Schmidt, Charlotte Stern, and Rachel Turetsky.

“Oliver” will be presented through August 31, 2014 on the main stage. Ticket information is available at the Spreckels box office at 707-588-3400 or at www.spreckelsonline.com