Wakefield Theatre Company takes on new, challenging themes

Wakefield Theatre Company took the stage November 17-19 with their rendition of Oliver! the Musical.  After performing happy, upbeat plays in recent months, they mixed it up with a darker play that kept the audience on the edge of their seats.  The musical is based on Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, which focused on the life of an orphan boy during the British Industrial Revolution as he tries to find his place in the world.

Senior cast member Jared Scott commented on how Oliver! was different from plays that the theater has performed in the past.

“[Performances] in the past that we’ve done like Nine to Five and Peter Pan, have all been family fun, comedy stuff,” Scott said.  “This show is family friendly, but the themes that are in it, domestic abuse and prostitution, [are] really intense.”

In addition to the drastic change in themes, the cast was composed of high schoolers along with students from the elementary and middle schools.  Because of the unfamiliarity between actors, due to the difference in age as well as maturity, Nhan Tran, senior cast member, explained how the unique experience of incorporating students of other ages made this play unique.

Wakefield Theatre teacher and director Paul Orsett revealed why he chose Oliver! to be the play his students performed.

“We have been working over the past several years with the elementary school and middle school developing theatre programs in those schools,” Orsett said.  “I thought it was a great opportunity for us to pool representation of all three schools in one production.”

The performers prepared long in advance for their shows by working diligently, forming bonds with their fellow cast members, and attending numerous rehearsals.

“They [practiced] four rehearsals a week for three months which [was] a huge time commitment,” Emma Robinson, historian in National Thespian Honor Society, said.  “There [were] music, blocking, and choreography rehearsals-not to mention dealing with the kids from the middle and elementary school.”

Although the cast started preparing several months before the play hit the stage, they faced difficulties as they worked to connect with their characters.

“Putting the story together and finding all the character’s motivations [was] hard for a lot of people because we hadn’t really seen the full product,” Scott said.  “That’s what tech week [was]; kind of figuring out where we go in the puzzle piece that is the plot.”

Understanding their character was a task in itself, especially when they had to take on the persona of someone so far from what they are like in real life. Some took on the challenge and were excited try out foreign characteristics.  

“I [got] to play a kid who manipulates a lot of people,” Tran said.  “It’s very different from who I am as a person, so it’s really fun to play that part.”

While the cast was hard at work onstage, the technical students were working just as hard behind the scenes.  

“I prefer working behind the scenes because I don’t like acting too much, but I love watching it and working with the people,” Tommy Keech sophomore tech student said.  “[My job] is just as important as having a part in the play.”

After countless hours and hard work, Scott reflected on the musical.

“I would honestly just say that the whole show is just an experience from start to finish. So much happens, so much goes on, and there are so many revelations and crazy moments [throughout the play],” Scott said.  “I think that everybody loves stories, and this is a really timeless one.”

Orsett commented on the relevance of the themes in today’s society and how the play has an impact in people’s life stories.

“It’s a fictional story based on true events, so Oliver is not actually a real person, but there are thousands of Olivers out there getting lost in the shuffle,” Orsett said.  “You still see stuff like that today in our society, and it’s sad, [but] we find love, we find our family, our home, and everything is good with the world.”