Lionel Bart’s legendary award winning musical OLIVER!

March 12, 2012 - PRLog -- that last year brought Dubai the box office record breaking, award winning hit production of The Sound Of Music (which had audiences of 11,000 people over it’s run) comes a spectacular new production of one of the greatest musicals of all time – Lionel Bart’s legendary award winning OLIVER!

OLIVER! has enjoyed immense success over the years. The first Broadway production won three Tony awards and the 1968 film version won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The perfect family musical, based on Charles Dickens’ classic Oliver Twist, OLIVER! is the story of a young orphan boy who wanted “more.” From the orphanage to the mean streets of London, the ever-optimistic Oliver strives to survive through thick and thin meeting such memorable characters as Nancy, Fagin, Bill Sikes and the Artful Dodger along the way. Dramatic, engagingly powerful and ultimately uplifting, OLIVER! is an unforgettable, feel good story of a remarkable boy looking for a place to call home.

The productions magical score is full of Lionel Bart's irresistible songs including “Food Glorious Food', 'Consider Yourself’, ‘You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two’, ‘I’d Do Anything’, ‘As Long As He Needs Me’, ‘Where Is Love’ and many more. Featuring a stunning set, costumes and an epic cast and orchestra of over 100, starring the very best performers in London’s West End and the UAE, OLIVER! will be staged at Dubai’s highly popular venue, The First Group Theatre, Madinat Jumeirah from the 12th – 23rd April for fifteen performances.

On stage will be a cast of performers from London’s West End alongside a wonderful supporting cast from the UAE with some of the most talented young performers in the region who will play the lead roles of Oliver and Dodger. The cast includes West End performers Philip Cox (who starred as Thenardier in Les Miserables in London’s West End) in the pivotal role of Fagin, Lucy Hunter-James as Nancy (last seen as Maria in The Sound Of Music at the same venue), Jonathan Alden as Bill Sikes (Les Miserables/Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat), Ian Jervis as Mr Bumble (Oliver! /Phantom of the Opera), Donna Hazelton as Widow Corney (Winner of UK TV’s Musicality/Chicago), Christopher Blades as Mr Brownlow (Phantom of the Opera/The Sound Of Music) and James Dinsmore as Mr Sowerberry (Chess/Half A Sixpence). The title role of Oliver will be shared by Callum Bell and Samuel Burton and the role of the Artful Dodger by Killian Lines and Jamal Ollier.  

The production is brought to the stage by the (award winning) creative team that brought Dubai the record breaking production of The Sound Of Music. Oliver! is Directed by John Payton, with Choreography by Scott Marshall, Musical Direction by Philip Shute, Set Design by Caroline Reid, Costumes by Geri Spencer, Lighting by Paul Gould, Sound by David Gates and Orchestrations by William David Brohn.  

OLIVER! is produced by John Payton & Lucy Magee for Popular Productions and is licensed by Cameron Mackintosh and the Southbrook Group.

Producer John Payton said ‘We are thrilled to be bringing this wonderfully dramatic and heart -warming musical to the UAE, which will be perfect for audiences seeking a great night or afternoon out at the theatre. OLIVER! is one of the most celebrated and acclaimed musicals in the history of musical theatre, and we’re delighted to bring such a brilliant cast of West End stars and the cream of the UAE’s emerging talent to the stage to play these fantastic roles. We were overwhelmed by the thousands of audiences who saw our production of The Sound Of Music last year at the First Group Theatre and we cannot think of a better show to follow this up than with OLIVER!. We look forward to welcoming our existing and new audiences to this irresistible feast of theatre!’

Production Details
OLIVER!
Book, Music & Lyrics by Lionel Bart

PERFORMANCES

Wednesday 12th April – Monday 23rd April 2012
The First Group Theatre, Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai

12th, 13th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 22nd and 23rd April at 7.30pm.
13th & 20th April at 2.30pm
14th & 21st April at 1.30pm and 6pm

Book online at:
www.oliverdubai.com
and at www.madinattheatre.com (choose your seats) or www.timeouttickets.com

Or in person at the theatre box office at Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai

Ticket Prices:
All performances priced at 175AED per ticket
Schools/Colleges/Group booking discounts available on request at the box office.

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Popular Productions is a producer of quality theatre and entertainment. Producing Drama, Musical Theatre and Concert productions Internationally, Popular Productions is recognised as one of the foremost production companies in the market.