PRESS RELEASE
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS
COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS AND COMMUNICATION
May 30, 2013
CONTACT: Dr. Mary Ruth Marotte, (501) 428-4165; mrmarotte@arkshakes.com
ARKANSAS SHAKESPEARE THEATRE’S OLIVER!
TO OPEN JUNE 12 AT REYNOLDS PERFORMANCE HALL
CONWAY — Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre presents one show each year that deviates from Shakespeare, and this year it will offer Oliver!, the award-winning musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist.
Oliver!, the story of the young orphaned boy in search of a family to call his own, opens June 12 in the Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall on the University of Central Arkansas campus and will run through June 28.
New York actor Warren Kelly will take on the role of Fagin. Kelly, who most recently completed guest roles on Boardwalk Empire and Law and Order: SVU, is a veteran of the stage. Conway’s own Simon Marotte will play the title role this summer, his first lead role after having chorus parts in both UCA Public Appearances’ The Wizard of Oz and AST’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
“Families will fall in love with the orphaned Oliver, and everyone will be swept away in the entertaining numbers of this musical,” said Rebekah Scallet, AST’s artistic director. “We are fortunate to have found many talented young local actors to round out an exceptional cast. This is definitely a must-see event for the entire family.”
AST will also produce King Lear and a children’s adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (“Bottom’s Dream”) in Reynolds Performance Hall, as well as Much Ado About Nothing outdoors at The Village at Hendrix and in Argenta Arts District. For tickets or more information about Oliver! or AST’s other summer shows, visit www.arkshakes.com or call the Reynolds box office at (501) 450-3265 or (866) 810-0012.
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