Oliver at Barter Theatre: Director, Paul Russell

OLiver (with a twist) presented by the historic Barter Theatre, the State Theater of Virginia and the first recipient of a TONY for excellence in regional theater. Director; Paul Russell. A subsequent production was staged at Cape Fear.

Oliver

in the Blitz, 1941

"...wonderful production!
One of Barter's best!"

Gary Aday
Washington County News

(Ben Mackel as Dodger & Maxey Whitehead as Oliver
ride into "Consider Yourself")

Oliver
(Eugene Wolf as Fagin, departs the world of Oliver & Dickens)

Director's Notes:

“There was only present tense.” Survivor of the Blitz on London from THE LONGEST NIGHT	(Cast members portraying Dickens enthusiasts are interrupted by the wail of air raid sirens as footage from the Blitz plays on them and behind on textured panels)
The Blitz; September 1940 to May '41, London. A treacherous time when struggle and survival were synonymous. A time when England and most of the world was unsure about tomorrow- who or what would survive. Social systems had been disrupted; everyone for themselves.
(Eugene Wolf as Fagin in "Reviewing the Situation")	The larger story was England’s survival but it’s the smaller, over-looked personal tales of survival amidst the fragmented ruins of London that helped a nation persevere. With this Oliver, that’s exactly what we accomplished. The goal was to focus on the individual tales of struggle and survival amidst a time of great uncertainty. The Blitz had a way of forcing people to reveal their true nature. Character, like buildings, could be exposed by emasculating bombs.

Design:

I’m very visual. And with any visual aspect of a production I base the image upon emotion(s). When I began thinking of this new world for Oliver I was intrigued by exploring a physical environment that was a near bare stage strewn with fragments of London. Pieces of the ruins which we could spin and move about onstage (I’m fan of moving a show quickly in cinematic fashion with bleeds and cross fades). All of this set against stark black and white images (u.s. rear projections) from the Blitz. The u.s. projections framed by stationary fragments of a bombed-out cathedral. With great excitement, our designer, Dale Jordan, took my early musings and produced an ambitious design, of textured moving panels, puzzle-pieces surrounded by the shell of former majesty, now ruins, in which all action took place.

concept...

production...

(Above: Top of show)

(Left: Sykes' entrance)

(Below: Fagin's exit into the RP screen)

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Additional highlighted productions:

Barter Theatre
the State Theater of Virginia

Cape Fear Regional Thtr.

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Barter Production

Sound Design
Bobby Beck

Lighting Design
Dale Jordan

Wig / Hair Design
Heather Fleming

Costumes
Amanda Aldridge

Set Design
Dale Jordan

Projections
Paul Russell
Bobby Beck

Fight Director
Mike Ostroski

Vocal Coach
Ben Smith

Dramaturge
Catherine Bush

Stage Manager
Cindi A. Raebel

Musical Director
Jim Hollingsworth

Choreographer
Amanda Aldridge

Director
Paul Russell

Producing
Artistic Director
Richard Rose

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- Cast -

Oliver
Maxey Whitehead

Widow Corney
Tricia Matthews

Mr. Bumble
Michael Poisson

Mr. Sowerberry
Tom Angland

Mrs. Sowerberry
Rebecca Reinhardt

Charlotte
Anne Elizabeth Butler

Noah Claypool
Sean Campos

Artful Dodger
Ben Mackel

Fagin
Eugene Wolf

Charley
Ezra Colon

Nancy
Meredith Autry Holcomb

Bet
Ashley Campos

Bill Sykes
Rick McVey

Mr. Brownlow
Tom Angland

Mrs. Bedwin
Megan Atkinson

Rose Seller
Gwen Edwards

Milkmaid
Rebecca Reinhardt

Strawberry Seller
Amy Baldwin

Knife Grinder
Mike Ostroski

Dr. Grimwig
Michael Poisson

Londoners:
Tom Angland, Megan Atkinson, Amy Baldwin, Anne Butler, Ashley Campos, Sean Campos, Ezra Colon, Gwen Edwards, Ben Greenstone, Mike Ostroski,

Youth of London:
Tori Bartfai, Rachel Boyd, Aria Brinkley, Joseph Brooks, Lexi Clark, Alexandra Eleas, Logan Frtiz, Gretchen Gross, Kurtis Gross, Matthew Helton, Hollie Matthews, Sarah Lyn Smith

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Cape Fear Production