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ALTON - Alton Little Theater is staying busy this season with their next musical, “Oliver!” featuring afternoon and evening showtimes running throughout August 2024. Featuring a large cast of first-time actors and experienced performers alike, the classic musical is sure to be a fun experience for the whole family.
ALT Executive Director Lee Cox and Artistic Director Kevin Frakes (who is also directing Oliver the Musical) shared more about the musical on Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com.
Frakes said that while the cast for Oliver contains a lot of children and first-time actors, they’ve proven to be extremely capable and well-behaved.
“It’s a great cast and we have a lot of new people,” Frakes said. Cox added that 27 of the 31 total cast members are brand new additions to the ALT stage.
“I like new people, I really do. I like the energy they bring and they’re so excited - and the kids are so much fun to be with,” Frakes added. “These kids are so smart, and they want to be there and they want to work - in fact, when the night’s over with and it’s time to go home, a lot of them go, ‘No, can we stay and do it again?’”
While the entire cast has been hard at work memorizing their lines for the show, Frakes said the adult actors may have some catching up to do. On the first night of “blocking” (or planning on-stage movement before a performance), he said Knox Schell - who’s making his on-stage debut as the lead role of Oliver - recited his lines without a book in hand.
“Oliver! The Musical” explores many themes, including “social responsibility and the importance of caring for children, making it as relevant today as when it first premiered,” according to ALT. Following its London premiere in 1960, Broadway debut in 1963, and Broadway revival in 2023, the large-scale, family-friendly show now makes it way to the ALT stage in Alton.
Tickets for “Oliver! The Musical” are $18 each for youth under 18 and $25 each for adults and can be purchased on the ALT website. Evening performances will be held on August 2, 3, 8 and 9, each at 7:30 p.m., with matinees showings on August 4, 10, and 11 at 2 p.m.
For more details about the show and to purchase tickets, visit the ALT website or call the box office at 618-462-3205.
ALT is also offering a discount on Season Tickets, which Cox said will be $85 until Aug. 1, 2024. Those interested in becoming Season Ticket holders should act soon, as she said the next opportunity will be in March for the full price of $115. Visit this link on the ALT website to find out more about Season Tickets, or call the box office to secure yours today.
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