Archive: Arts & Entertainment

Fresh off its smash hit run of Hairspray in January, Running to Places Theatre Company (R2P) continues its 2012 season with Oliver at the Hangar Theatre, February 24-26. This classic musical is based on the story by Charles Dickens and is part of Ithaca College’s “Dickens in Ithaca” celebration of his 200th birthday.

“We are delighted to be part of this series,” says R2P Co-Artistic Director Gail Belokur. “What better way to introduce a new generation to the works of this great writer than through a musical adaptation of a favorite Dickens story—and one that features several memorable characters close in age to the students portraying them!”

The show, which premiered in 1960 and won the Tony Award for Best Original Score, contains beloved tunes like 'Food Glorious Food', 'Consider Yourself', 'Oom-Pah-Pah', and 'Who Will Buy'.

The story follows the orphan Oliver Twist (Michael Sloan) from a miserable orphanage to a group of plucky pickpockets including the Artful Dodger (Honor Meyerhoff) and led by the wiley Fagin (Kevin Hilgartner). Although the golden-hearted Nancy (Ariana Rivera) and Bet (Erin Hilgartner) give Oliver the semblance of the family he craves so badly, danger lurks around every corner, particularly from the nasty criminal Bill Sykes (Cacidy Roseman).

Director Joey Steinhagen relishes some of the darker tones of the play.

“It’s a bit like the musical Annie, but with an edge,” he jokes. “While there are plenty of rousing songs and dances that are sure to delight, the play doesn’t give us only sunshine and roses. Not everyone gets a happy ending -- it is Dickens, after all!"


R2P’s Resident Designer Tyler M. Perry, whose sets audiences have recently seen in Hairspray and Cinderella, returns to transform the Hangar stage into a brooding 19th century London.

According to Steinhagen, “Tyler is so adept at scenic designs that are deeply evocative, yet flexible enough for us to play every scene on with only minor transformations. He invites the audience to use their imaginations to complete the world he creates."

Other artistic collaborators that will be familiar to R2P regulars include Choreographer Todd Peterson, Music Director Mike Wade, Lighting Designer Aaron Porter, and Costume Designer Gregg Houck.

Educators are encouraged to make special arrangements for their students to attend a performance.

“Between the ‘Dickens in Ithaca’ series and the fact that many schools read Oliver Twist and other Dickens’s works, we wanted to make the show particularly accessible to student groups,” says Belokur.

Belokur adds that she’s also recommending that everyone take advantage of discount pricing by purchasing their tickets in advance.  Show times are Friday and Saturday at 7pm, as well as Saturday and Sunday at 2pm.

Performance Dates:
Fri, February 24 at 7:00pm
Sat, February 25 at 2:00pm and 7:00pm
Sun, February 26 at 2:00pm

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