Oliver! The Musical | Entertainment Picks | Salt Lake City Weekly
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Culture » Entertainment Picks

Oliver! The Musical

Through Saturday Aug. 28 @ Jeanne Wagner Theatre

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The 170-year-old Charles Dickens tale of orphan-boy Oliver Twist has never grown raggedy. Even with Dickens’ lengthy prose, it’s as wonderful as a freshly swiped handkerchief is to a peasant pickpocket. Dickens’ tale was twisted into the musical Oliver! by Lionel Bart in 1960 and now finds a home with the Davis County-based nonprofit youth musical group Jaks Theatre Company. The company generally performs two Broadway musicals per year while teaching and training young actors.

Follow Oliver from being kicked curbside from his orphanage—”Oliver!”—to unsuspectingly taught how to steal—”You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two”—by the Artful Dodger in Fagin’s criminal network to reuniting with his unknown grandfather. More classic tunes include “Where Is Love?” “It’s a Fine Life” and “Reviewing the Situation.” The youthful exuberance might leave you saying: “Please, sir, I want some more.” Yes, you can come a second time.

Oliver! The Musical @ Jeanne Wagner Theatre, 138 W. 300 South, 801-323-6800, through Aug. 28, 7:30 p.m. $10. ArtTix.org