When it comes to staging big musicals, no town can match Mullingar. Every year the Arts Centre stage lights up with spectacular shows, but no matter which musical, play, drama or entertainer comes to town, no one can match the locals for sheer spectacle.
And all this week, Mullingar Musical Society will leave crowds begging for more as ‘Oliver’ comes to the Mullingar Arts Centre.
A musical which features some of the greatest songs ever brought to a stage, ‘Oliver’ is brought vividly to life in this musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ timeless characters. It is an ever-popular story of the boy who asked for more, and it is easily one of the most entertaining productions yet staged by the Mullingar Musical Society.
Join Oliver, Fagin, Nancy, the Artful Dodger, Bill Sykes and many other memorable characters as they guide you through Lionel Bart’s sensational score with such hits as ’Food Glorious Food’, ‘Consider Yourself’, ‘You’ve Got to Pick-a-Pocket or Two’, ‘I’d Do Anything’, ‘Oompah-Pah’, ‘As Long As He Needs Me’ and many more.
A strong local cast features 40 local children and over 30 adults, and they will take to the stage this Thursday night, October 2, led by the talented trio of Arts Centre veterans that include Director Sean Lynch, Musical Director Angela Lynch and Choreographer Siobhan Murphy.
The talented cast includes some well-known and some new talent, including Andrew Finnerty as Oliver, Nathan Daly as Dodger, Paul Doolin as Fagin, Martin Ennis as Bill Sykes, Eleanor McDonagh as Nancy, Niamh O’Shea as Beth, Veronica McDonagh as Widow Corney, and Shane Bardon as Noah Claypole.
Other cast members include Angelika de Barra, Adam Clarke, John ‘Banjo’ Quinn, Claire Gilmartin, Deborah Stenson, Eimear Doolin, Ella Casey, Farrah Forde Brennan, Gerard McVeigh, John Daly, Katrina Marin, Niamh O’Keeffe, Orla Mahon, Roise Glennon and Sorcha Smith.
‘Oliver’ promises to be another feast of musical theatre. Musical Director Angela Lynch said she can’t wait to put the production together for audiences.
She said: “I’ve been itching to do ‘Oliver’ for some time now. I know that Mullingar Musical Society’s stance on such a classic will really show off the superlative talents of our cast, both young and old. We started off and we said we’d have maximum 15 kids, but so many kids turned up to audition that the cast got bigger and bigger. The kids have been great, they really are going to be superb. They’re putting so much energy into the production!”
As with all the Mullingar Musical Society productions, 2012’s ‘The Full Monty’ and last year’s ‘Whistle Down the Wind’ to name but a few, time, dedication and perfection are the ingredients that have earned the Mullingar Musical Society the reputation as one of the best amateur theatre groups in the midlands.
‘Oliver’ is show for all the family, and with children in the cast, this timeless classic score looks set to fulfil expectations, as always.
Demand for tickets is already high and the Arts Centre’s novel advertising on front of the building has ensured a big buzz around the town for the show.
‘Oliver’ will be running in the Mullingar Arts Centre on October 2, 3, and 4 at 8pm, October 5th at 2.30pm and again on October 9th, 10th, 11th at 8pm.
Early purchase for tickets is advised. Tickets are €16/€14 and available now by calling the Mullingar Arts Centre on 044-934-7777.
