Napa’s Lucky Penny Community Arts Center opened just about 10 years ago with a production of Lionel Barts’ classic musical, Oliver! The musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist has long been an audience favorite since its debut at a Southwest London theater in 1960.
It’s a big show, in many ways, and not the lightest of entertainments, but its requirement for a large cast of young performers makes it an ideal choice for community theaters, as all those kids ensure ticket sales to their parents, grandparents, neighbors and friends. Lucky Penny’s remount runs through Dec. 22.
The show opens at a London workhouse for orphans with “Food, Glorious Food” as we’re introduced to the young Oliver Twist (Kiernan Upton Albright). A bit of a rapscallion, he’s soon sold off to funeral home proprietors the Sowerberrys (Andrew Moore, LC Arisman). He runs away and runs into the Artful Dodger (Leo Tudiscso, alternating with Luke Lawrence), who introduces him to Fagin (Dennis O’Brien), the leader of a group of young “entrepreneurs.”
Pinched on his first outing with the boys, he ends up in the home of Mr. Brownlow. Concerned that he might give up their location and the nature of their “business,” the villainous Bill Sykes (Skyler King) demands he be retrieved. The maternal Nancy (Sarah Lundstrum), paramour to Bill, agrees to assist, but soon regrets it.
The large scale of the show, and the large cast (25% of the house size), makes it a challenging choice for a 99-seat theater. The intimate space makes technical errors like a malfunctioning parasol, a flapping body mic and a molting beard more distracting. Compacted chase scenes remove tension. Characters who should be played BIG are done with restraint.
Some of these are offset by the energy and talent of the cast. Upton Albright is a perfect, angelic-voiced Oliver, and Tudisco makes for a playful Dodger. Among the adults, Lundstrom stood out with a nuanced performance as the doomed Nancy. Director Stacy Arriaga’s youthful ensemble acquits itself quite nicely in several of the Alex Gomez-choreographed numbers.
Musical tracks are utilized, which subtracts from some of the show’s majesty, but is understandable considering the limitation of space. You still get to hear the vocals of such classics as “Consider Yourself,” “As Long as He Needs Me” and a perfectly lovely rendition of “Who Will Buy?” delivered well.
Lucky Penny’s Oliver! may not have scope, but it certainly has heart.
‘Oliver!’ runs through Dec. 22 at the Lucky Penny Community Arts Center. 1758 Industrial Way, Napa. Thurs, 7pm; Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. $24–$47. 707.266.6305. luckypennynapa.com.
