Lethbridge Musical Theatre is holding auditions April 27-29 at the Yates Centre for their November production of Oliver — a musical based on Dickens’ story.
“We’ll probably need a cast of 40,” said director Ed Bayly, adding they will be doubling up on the cast of young people.
“We’re looking for 28 young people because there is 12 performances and that is pretty tough for them to do,” he said. They are looking for 28 young people aged 9 to teenagers
There has been a lot of interest in the production already.
“ It is based on Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens’ story. It is about a boy in a workhouse who is apprenticed, actually sold, for five pounds, to a coffin maker. He escapes and runs away and gets mixed up with the artful dodger Fagin, the head of a band of young robbers. He ends up getting adopted by his paternal grandfather and lives happily ever after, said Bayly, who has been involved with Lethbridge Musical Theatre for the past 48 years including every production since 1965. He has been on stage for two productions of Oliver as Fagin and Mr. Bumble.
The production features vocal director Sandy Brunelle and dance choreography from Joy Ackerman of Joy’s Dance Factory.
Auditions take place at 7 p.m. at the Yates Theatre each night.
Two months of rehearsals will begin in September, with the musical running in the Yates Nov. 4-19.