‘Oliver’ with Apple Cider Players lands 7 out of 10 stars (w/video)
Back Row (From Left): Ruta Fiorino, Will Wilson, Lucielle Bosco, Eric Brown, Lauren Widner, Rob Laub, Krissy Sciarra, Nicole Parente, John Stendor, Mark Baumgarten, Julie DiPizza, Edward Murtagh, Martin Armstrong, Andy Winston Front Row (From Left): Carleigh Boyle, Julia Blando, Blake Simis, Lauren Vollers, Leah Baumgarten, GraceAnn Pisani, Kevin Forsyth, Darien Fiorino, Erica Winston Not Pictured: Lilly Avalo, Connie Chianetta, Luke Fiorino, Max Fiorino, Tara Lellos, and the Tribe Body Dancers (Missy Avalo, Lisa Cannon, Joumana Kidd, Lindsey McDevitt, Ellen Parascondola)
Apple Cider Players presented “Oliver” from September 23-October 9 at the Tice Community Center in Woodcliff Lake and the show was a success. All of the proceeds went to the organization Marble Jam Kids, dealing with kids with autism.
The cast was very talented and the lead actors were sensational. Each one of the cast members presented their parts with perfection. Being in the show I was able to get a sense of love for their characters and also the passion for each of their characters. I was able to portray my character better because I had chemistry with the actors in the show and it clearly made the audience engaged in what was going on in the different scenes. The character of Fagin, played by Will Wilson, was fantastic. The ensemble numbers were also very well done.
Another thing that was very striking was how Apple Cider Players used the space to house the show. ACP holds their rehearsals and their performances in the Tice Community Center. It isn’t a theatre, but they manage to have a stage built and setup in the center so that the actors can actually perform on a stage. There were curtains that were hung from posts to make up the backstage area. It was a clever use of what they had to work with so I actually thought the setup was very good. From my perspective as an actor it was tight backstage because there wasn’t a lot of space. At times we couldn’t move when there were more then three people in one area of backstage. However, it worked and we got used to it.
The use of a girl, myself, playing The Artful Dodger was interesting, but was useful casting. It was interesting to see how a girl can play the part knowing that is it actually a boy role. The director, musical director and producer were wise to go with this decision. Portraying the part for me was a lot of fun, especially since I played it before. I knew how a guy acts and what the character entailed. Many kids auditioned for the role, but it would have been difficult for seven or eight year-olds to perform. It is a demanding part and you have to have someone who understands it. I’m glad that I got the opportunity to play it again.
The use of the spotlight on the particular character singing during the scene changes was also a great idea by the director. Once the character stepped off the stage it went dark so you saw nothing but the character in the spotlight. It was a great creative use of lighting. The lighting in general was very good.
The sound kept this show from getting a higher rating. Every night there seemed to be something wrong. The speakers should have been further back because they drowned out the voices of the actors. The microphones on stage were not very loud and it was hard to hear those actors who had body microphones. The stage speakers that carried the music through them were at times to loud as well.
Finally, the organization was also something that should have been a lot better. For me telling actors when they needed to be at rehearsals through email is not the way to go. There should have been a set schedule that was handed to everyone in the cast so that they knew when they needed to rehearse.
Overall for a new community theatre group the show was excellent. It was a great experience for me to work with them and I hope I can continue to do more shows with them in the future. It was a lot of fun and that’s why I give it a seven out of ten.
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