November -December, 2008 Oliver! White Plains Performing Arts Center - White Plains, NY
book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart
produced by Jack W. Batman
directed by Luke Yankee
choreography by Melissa Rae Mahon and Sean McKnight
music direction by Christopher D. Littlefield
casting by Michael Cassara Casting
Oliver! ran at the White Plains Performing Arts Center from November 20th through December 14th, 2008.
The White Plains Performing Arts Center is incredibly easy to get to from Manhattan and throughout the tri-state area.
By Train: Metro North’s Harlem Line stops at White Plains. For schedules click here or call 1 (800) METRO-INFO. Get off in White Plains and then take a taxi from the station to the City Center complex (ask the driver to take you to Target). The cab ride from the train station to the theatre should cost about $5.
is thrilled to be back on stage at the White Plains Performing Arts Center after directing this season’s opening production, Camelot. Last season Sidney played the Padre in Man of La Mancha and directed our sold-out production of Ragtime. In May he directed the Off-Broadway GAYFEST NYC Festival acclaimed production of Edward the King by David Brendan Hopes. Sidney has been a professional entertainer since the age of twelve, and has played leading roles in dozens of plays and musicals including tours with Betty White in Hello, Dolly!, Mickey Rooney in Show Boat and as Motel opposite Paul Lipson in a long run of Fiddler on the Roof. Throughout his eclectic career he has played everything from the lead role, Claude, in the rock musical Hair, to The Common Man in A Man for All Seasons (twice). Also a popular cabaret artist, Sidney has sung at all the major NYC clubs and for five years starred in Chelsea Piers’ annual ice extravaganza, Holiday on the Hudson, singing for Olympic and World figure skating champions. Sidney is a graduate of LaSalle University in Philadelphia, a Fellow of the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center Cabaret Symposium, and a proud member of SSDC and of Actors’ Equity Association since 1974.
originated the role of Gary Coleman in Broadway's Tony Award-winning musical Avenue Q. Other credits include Rent (Broadway, Joanne). Off-Broadway: The Glorious Ones at Lincoln Center, The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, and The World Goes 'Round. National tour of Once on This Island (Erzulie) TV: (recurring) “Johnny and the Sprites,” (recurring) “The Education of Max Bickford,” (recurring) “Spin City,” (guest star) “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” (recurring) “Beverly Hills 90210,” (recurring) “ROC” and guest starring roles in many more. PBS Great Performances: “Play On!” Films: “Woo,” “Grace of My Heart,” “Sugar Hill.” She is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University.
Off Broadway: Mrs. Zero in Add1ng Mach1ne, a musical, Agatha Makin in The Hatpin (NYMF), and next as Marina in Uncle Vanya at Classic Stage Co. Featured performer with The Atlanta Symphony and The Florida Philharmonic orchestras. Regional: Dr. Charlotte in Falsettos; Miss Thorn, Miss Block and Lita Encore in Ruthless; Sr. Amnesia in Nunsense, Nunsense 2 and Nunsense Jamboree, Myrtle in Morning’s at Seven, and Cleo in The Most Happy Fella. Co-star of the NY Independent Film Festival winner “Raging Hormones,” and has voiced hundreds of commercials and industrials. Offstage, she’s an animal trainer/wrangler, and is a certified hypnotist. www.CyrillaBaer.com
began her theatrical training at the age of 6 at the Westchester Conservatory of Music. Now at 12, her love for theatre has gone unabated. She has participated in A Christmas Carol, Pippin, Once on This Island, Cats, Seussical, Grease and most recently The Wiz. She has also participated in a montage of Les Miserables and Hair, both at Carnegie Hall. This past year Taylor starred as Mayzie in her school's production of Seussical. She also debuted at "The Duplex" in Manhattan, performing two solos. Taylor most recently appeared in Children of Eden at the Tarrytown Music Hall.
is originally from Maine where he earned a degree in Musical Theatre at The University of Southern Maine. National Tour: Stephen Schwartz' Captain Louie. Regional: Barnaby in Hello, Dolly! (Arkansas Rep), Henrik in A Little Night Music, Lefou in Beauty and the Beast, Jojo in Seussical, Erik in Grand Hotel (Maine State Music Theatre), Leo Bloom in The Producers, Dennis in All Shook Up, and Mary Sunshine in Chicago (Surflight Theatre). Thanks to everyone involved, as well as family and friends!
is so excited to be making her White Plain's Performing Arts Center debut in Oliver! Originally from Los Angeles, Alex moved to the Big Apple in 2005 to attend the Atlantic Acting Conservatory. She was last scene off-Broadway in Twilight in Manchego as part of NYMF. Regional Credits include: My Fair Lady, Brigadoon and Into the Woods. Thanks to Luke, Sean, Melissa and Chris for their immense talent! Thanks to my wonderful family and friends. Enjoy the show!
is thrilled to be making his debut at the White Plains Performing Arts Center. Recently, John was seen as a soloist in New Voices 2008 at The Paper Mill Playhouse. John will be performing at Carnegie Hall later this month. Recent Credits: Beauty & the Beast, High School Musical, Peter Pan, OZ!, Willy Wonka, Oliver! John would like to thank Luke, Chris, Melissa, Sean and the cast & crew of Oliver! He also thanks Deborah, Bobbie, Claudette, Toni, and his huge supportive and loving family, especially Mom and Dad. John dedicates this performance to his Nana for her 80th Birthday.
is thrilled to be part of Oliver! @ the WPPAC. He is a local Westchester resident now in the 6th grade. Also currently performing in The New Kid, a Random Farms Kids Theatre production which tours local Middle Schools. Recent local theatre include Bye, Bye Birdie (Conrad), The Secret Garden (Craven), Snow White (Huntsman) and The Nutcracker 2007 (Fritz). Chris’ other interests include soccer, baseball and bass guitar. THANK YOU to Mom and Dad, family, friends, Badeine, Marc, and Shirley Grant Mgmt! A special thanks to the cast and crew for a GREAT experience!
is so happy to be on the stage at the White Plains Performing Arts Center in the role of Oliver Twist. At Long Island’s Cultural Arts Center, David has appeared in Les Misérables (Gavroche), Once on This Island (Papa Ge), Annie Warbucks (Simon Whitehead), Fiddler on the Roof (Fyedka), and The Sound of Music (Kurt). In the summer, David attends Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts, where he appeared in Free To Be You & Me (William) and Bye Bye Birdie (Mr. MacAfee). David wishes to thank John Shea, Cosmo Mallardi, Mr. Gambardella, his grandparents, Julia, Dan, Mom and Dad. (www.DavidGabrielLerner.com)
is very excited to join the White Plains family. National tours include Evita and Camelot (Mordred). Favorite regional credits: Cats (Alonzo), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Gideon), and Johnny Guitar (Turkey). Geoff is a graduate of the BFA Musical Theater program of Syracuse University. His sincerest thanks go out to Luke, Sean, Melissa, Chris, Jack, Bruce, Michael Cassara, et al for a great opportunity! For more info, please visit www.geofflutz.com
is making his professional debut in Oliver! He is in 5th grade at Main Street School in Irvington. He has performed with Random Farms Kids Theatre (RFKT) at the Tarrytown Music Hall in High School Musical (Mongo/Jock), The Enchantment of Beauty and the Beast (Sippi), Willy Wonka Jr (Phinneas Trout) and The Wiz (Gatekeeper/Munchkin). He is currently in the RFKT touring company of The New Kid as Joey. Benjamin has studied dance at the Broadway Training Center of Westchester. Thanks to Mom and Dad, Ariel and Reuben for all their love and support.
was a member of the original cast of Wicked, in which she delivered the green baby nightly and stepped in frequently as Madame Morrible. Also on Broadway: Original casts of How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Grandma Who); Big (Miss Watson); A Change in the Heir (Martha); and the 1974 revival of Gypsy. Off-Broadway: All in the Timing; Forbidden Broadway ’84 and ‘85; Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 (Mistress Quickly/LaMama Etc.); Rags (Rachel/American Jewish Theatre revival); Christina Alberta’s Father (Mrs. Bone/Vineyard Theatre); etc. Regional favorites: You Can’t Take It With You (Penny/Pittsburgh Public); On the 20th Century (Letitia/Goodspeed Opera); Pirates of Penzance (Ruth/Guthrie Theatre); Thornton Wilder Rediscovered (Actors Theatre of Louisville); Nine (Necrophorous/Paper Mill Playhouse); etc. Much, much stock and many concerts. Big screen, “The Producers,” “Exorcist III;” small screen, “Out of the Box” (Dr. Needlewheedle). Member A.E.A. since 1974.
a fifth grader at Columbus Elementary in Thornwood, is thrilled to be a part of Oliver! at the WPPAC. Besides singing and dancing, he enjoys playing tennis, saxophone, piano and drums. Previous roles include Chip in Beauty and the Beast (Westchester Broadway Theatre), Winthrop in The Music Man (Village Light Opera Group) and Gavroche in Les Miserables (Lighthouse Youth Theater). He thanks his family for their support and the whole cast and production team for making this such a great experience. Alex dedicates his performance in Oliver! to his grandma, who has lived in White Plains for 38 years.
is delighted to make his debut at the WPPAC as a workhouse boy and a pocket thief in Oliver! Happily attending fifth grade, he is also a member of the Seven Star School of Performing Arts competitive dance company. He has been studying dance for 6 years and has received several awards in the Hall of Fame, Access Broadway, Star Quest competitions, as well as Mr. Regional dancer of the year with American Dance Awards. He would like to thank his great dance instructors Nicole Aravena and Bill Coates, his voice coach Becky Baxter, his agent John Shea, and his family for all their support.
New York Theatre: Piangi, The Phantom of the Opera, Majestic Theatre, Broadway. Beadle, Sweeney Todd, New York City Opera. Mr. Fezziwig, A Christmas Carol, Madison Square Garden (6 Christmases). Jerry Springer: The Opera, In Concert, Carnegie Hall. Kismet, City Center Encores! Cinderella, New York City Opera. The Prince and the Pauper, The Lambs, Off-Broadway. The Most Happy Fella, New York City Opera. Kiss Me, Kate. National Tour. Theatre Elsewhere: Sweeney Todd,5th Ave, Seattle, Reprise! Los Angeles, and Sacramento Music Circus. Guys and Dolls, AMT San Jose. Side Show, Cleveland Playhouse. Film: Jack Lapidus, “The Producers,” also soundtrack vocalist. More at www.rolandrusinek.com
Broadway credits include How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Seussical the Musical, Me and My Girl, Grand Hotel, How to Succeed, High Society, Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public, Amadeus, and Chess (in concert). For New York City Opera he played the Postman in The Most Happy Fella. National Tours include Some Like It Hot, The Phantom of the Opera, Evita and My One and Only. A graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Bill can be seen as Jimmy in the current Charlie Kaufman film “Syndecdoche, New York”, and will be returning to Broadway in 2009 with Guys and Dolls. www.williamryall.com
8 years old, is thrilled to be in this amazing production of Oliver! He was most recently seen in Total Teen Productions’ Children of Eden as Young Abel. Noah has also performed in over 15 productions with both Lighthouse Youth Art Center and Random Farms Kids Theatre. Some of his favorites include The Sound of Music (Kurt, Captain Von Trapp), High School Musical (Ryan), Peter Pan (Captain Hook), Alice in Wonderland (Rabbit), Willy Wonka (Phinneous Trout), The Wiz (Flying Monkey), Oliver! (Dodger), The Wizard of Oz (Lion, Tinman), and Bye, Bye Birdie (Conrad Birdie). Noah wants to thank his family, friends and teachers for their support. A special thanks to The White Plains Performing Arts Center for this great opportunity!
is proud to be making her White Plains debut! A Penn State graduate, Rochelle was most recently seen across the country as Wendy in the National Tour of Peter Pan. Other credits include Mame, Cats, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, The Crucible, King of Hearts, and Ragtime. Special thanks to the White Plains production team and Michael Cassara Casting. Please visit www.rochellesmith.biz
Seven original Broadway casts, including Joseph…Dreamcoat, Beauty and the Beast and Ragtime. Also the Roundabout revival ofCabaret, Barry Manilow’s Harmony, and tours of Annie and Promises, Promises. Recent Off-Broadway: Take Me Along,The Rockae, the award-winning Iron Curtain, and Alls Well That Ends Well. Regional: ‘Cap’n Andy’ in Show Boat (North Shore Music Theatre), Old Wicked Songs (Fulton Theatre), Goodspeed Musicals (On The Town, Amour), 2 ½ Jews (Emelin Theatre) among many others. Films and TV: “Beauty and the Beast,” “Pocohontas,” “Law and Order: CI.” Best credit and longest run: 28 years married to Renee.
Seven original Broadway casts, including Joseph…Dreamcoat, Beauty and the Beast and Ragtime. Also the Roundabout revival ofCabaret, Barry Manilow’s Harmony, and tours of Annie and Promises, Promises. Recent Off-Broadway: Take Me Along,The Rockae, the award-winning Iron Curtain, and Alls Well That Ends Well. Regional: ‘Cap’n Andy’ in Show Boat (North Shore Music Theatre), Old Wicked Songs (Fulton Theatre), Goodspeed Musicals (On The Town, Amour), 2 ½ Jews (Emelin Theatre) among many others. Films and TV: “Beauty and the Beast,” “Pocohontas,” “Law and Order: CI.” Best credit and longest run: 28 years married to Renee.
received a BFA from the Acting Conservatory at USC under John Houseman. Performances include 1st National Broadway Tours: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Lawrence Jameson), Aida (Zoser), Ragtime (Conklin). Off Broadway & New York: Ministry of Progress (Poole), Trolls (Phillip) [Original Cast CD], Portofino(Rev. Becker) [Original Cast CD], Emerald Man (Death Rider). Regional work includes: 110 in the Shade (Starbuck) @ TUTS, Camelot (Arthur) opposite Debby Boone @ NCT, Johnny Guitar (Johnny) @ 7 Angels, Victor Victoria (Sal) @ NSMT, Unsinkable Molly Brown (Leadville), Guys and Dolls (Sky), West Side Story (Shrank), Utah! (Hamblin) @ TCA, Miracle Worker (Capt. Kellar) @ TNRep, Guernica (SJ), Christmas Carol (Present) @TPAC, Working (Mike) [Robbie Nomination] SDRep. Le Folies Bergere (MC) @ The Tropicana. UK Premiers: Suddenly Last Summer (Dr. Sugar), March of the Falsettos (Whizzer), House of Flowers (Head Cock), Grease (Zuko), And That’s the Way It Is (Dean). TV & Film includes: “General Hospital,” “Guiding Light,” “All My Children,” “Dellaventura,” “Baywatch,” “Skindeep,” “Outlaws,” “One Small Step,” “Angel Town,” “Tomcats,” “Celebrity.” Upcoming Projects include the one-man play Pollack (Jackson) with Director Moni Yakim. Christian is a member of AEA, SAG, AFTRA and is a native of Pacific Palisades, California. www.christianwhelan.com
casts for theatre, film and television in New York City and is extremely pleased to be working on the third show of the 2008-2009 season with the WPPAC. They serve as the resident casting office for the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF), the White Plains Performing Arts Center, the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, the Kitchen Theatre Company, the Great Lakes Theatre Festival and the Idaho Shakespeare Festival in addition to casting many readings, workshops and developmental productions in New York and beyond each year. NYMF credits include over thirty productions since the festival’s inception in 2004 and other recent theatre projects include A Funny Thing Happend On The Way To The Forum (Sondheim Center, starring Richard Kind), End Days (by Deborah Zoe Laufer, starring Amy Aquino and Adam Heller), Perez Hilton Saves The Universe (or at Least the Greater Los Angeles Area) and Green Eyes in FringeNYC. Upcoming: White Noise (Broadway, Fall, 2009), and Love, Incorporated (Mini-Tour and Off-Broadway, Summer, 2009.) Michael is a graduate of Otterbein College and a member of the Casting Society of America. For more information, please visit http://michaelcassara.net