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Davis Journal

Hopebox Theatre puts ‘twist‘ on Broadway musical ‘Oliver’

Jun 27, 2024 09:05AM ● By Becky Ginos
Fagin (Craig Hovorka, silver cast) explains to Oliver about the art of pickpocketing. Photos by Bryson Wanner

Fagin (Craig Hovorka, silver cast) explains to Oliver about the art of pickpocketing. Photos by Bryson Wanner

KAYSVILLE—Hopebox Theatre’s production of “Oliver” is a wonderful version of the Broadway hit musical based on the 1838 novel “Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens. Done in a steampunk style with a live band onstage, the show stays true to the story but adds a new look and feel. 

With well-known numbers such as “Food, Glorious Food,” “Boy for Sale,” “Where is Love?” “I’ll Do Anything” and “Who Will Buy?” the audience finds itself immersed in the tale of an orphan boy in London who is surrounded by people who only care about him for their own selfish reasons.

The first scene opens with a workhouse filled with boys who are half starved and glad to receive a small portion of gruel. When Oliver has the courage to ask for more, he is whisked away by the greedy caretakers of the workhouse, Mr. Bumble and Widow Corney. Mr. Bumble sells the boy to be an apprentice to undertaker Mr. Sowerberry and his wife who are equally cruel to Oliver, sending him to the basement to sleep with the coffins.

When one of Mr. Sowerberry’s employees insults Oliver’s dead mother, the boy starts hitting the man and Mrs. Sowerberry and her daughter run in and lock Oliver in a casket and send for Mr. Bumble. While Mr. Bumble and the others are trying to decide what to do Oliver escapes in all of the commotion.

After ending up on the streets of London, Oliver meets the Artful Dodger, a 16-year-old who offers to help him by introducing him to Fagin, a criminal fence who has a pack of young boys that are pickpockets. Each day the boys return with the stolen goods. 

Fagin sends Oliver out with Dodger and Charlie Bates, another of Fagin’s gang, to practice the technique of pickpocketing. But when they try to take a handkerchief from the wealthy Mr. Brownlow, he catches them. Dodger and Bates get away but Oliver is arrested and taken to the Brownlow residence.

When Fagin hears of the arrest, he sends some of his gang to get Oliver back before he can talk about their operation. They manage to capture the boy when Mr. Brownlow sends him out to return some books. Oliver is taken back to Fagin’s lair but with the help of Nancy, one of the older members of Fagin’s gang, he makes it back to Mr. Brownlow who has a special interest in him after a secret is revealed.

“Oliver” is a mix of triumph and sorrow as Oliver is used by unscrupulous people. However, his determination to survive no matter what gives him the grit to overcome all of these obstacles.

That determination plays well into the mission behind the Hopebox Theatre, that of trying to ease the burden of someone who is battling cancer. Theatre founder Jan Williams has fought cancer four times. During her third bout with the disease, she was inspired to give others the support and love she received and Hopebox Theatre was born.

 Each show is dedicated to someone who is fighting cancer. “We take nominations from people in the show or nominations on our website,” said Producer Gary Kemp. “Those names go to our board of directors who review them. They take a blind vote of who to pick. It’s interesting how often they come to an almost unanimous consensus.”

It’s a difficult decision because even if only one person is selected per show, many are deserving of the honor, he said. “That’s what makes the theater such a different experience. I talk to cast members and hear their stories of struggles they’re having in their personal life, etc. but doing these shows helps them to refocus on the recipient and our mission.”

That creates a more positive environment, said Kemp. “That love connection expands to the audience. I have people come up after and tell me how they feel different at a Hopebox show.”

Tad Packer is the Wall of Hope Recipient for “Oliver.” Packer has stage 4 lung cancer that has spread to his brain, even though he has never smoked a day in his life. Within a few weeks of the diagnosis, Packer started chemotherapy and radiation treatments. 

“Chemotherapy in any form just wreaks havoc on your life,” he said. “But I fight. I fight because I don ‘t know a better way to live than to fight.”

A portion of the proceeds from “Oliver” will go directly to Packer. Other funds come through direct donations that can be made at hopeboxtheatre.com.

“Oliver” runs through July 13, Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. with Saturday matinees at 2 p.m.