New Repertory Theatrebook, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart
directed by Michael J. Bobbitt
The cherished family musical based on Charles Dickens’ famous novel, Oliver! follows the life of a courageous orphan and a band of misfit children, fighting against seemingly hopeless circumstances. Still relevant today, this Victorian-era tale explores the contrast between the rich and poor, the struggles of the Industrial Revolution, and the results of an absent middle class and no upward mobility. Appropriate for all generations of theatre-goers, this timely story brings to light the importance of friendship and caring for one another when the world is set against you from the very beginning.
Open Caption services will be provided on Saturday, 12/14 during the 3:00pm performance. Support for Open Captioning is provided in part by TDF. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The mainstage theater is equipped with a Tele-Coil Loop System. Patrons with hearing aids and cochlear implants can set their devices to “T-Coil” or may pick up a headset from the Box Office upon arrival at the theater. Click here to learn more.
AUSTIN PENDELTON returns to New Repertory Theatre after directing Fiddler on the Roof and performing in Quills, Waiting for Godot, and King Lear. He is also the recipient of New Rep’s 2015 Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement. Mr. Pendelton is an actor, director, playwright, and a teacher of acting at HB Studio in New York. As an actor he made his Broadway debut in the original production of Fiddler on the Roof, which was directed by Jerome Robbins. Subsequent Broadway productions in which he has appeared include Hail Scrawdyke (Clarence Derwent Award winner), Mike Nichols’ production of The Little Foxes, Doubles, and The Diary of Anne Frank (with Natalie Portman and Linda Lavin, in a new adaptation by Wendy Kesselman). He has also acted extensively off-Broadway and in other regional theatres, notably Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, where he is a member of the Ensemble. He has acted in about 200 movies, and on such TV shows as Oz and Homicide, in each of which he has appeared in recurring roles. He has directed on, off, and off-off Broadway, at the Williamstown Theatre Festival (where he apprenticed under the guidance of Nikos Psacharopoulos), as well as at the National Theatre of Great Britain. His plays, published and produced in New York, around the country, and internationally, are Orson’s Shadow, Uncle Bob, and Booth.
Rashed Alnuaimi makes his New Repertory Theatre debut with this production of Oliver! He is currently attaining his MFA in Musical Theatre from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Originally from Dubai, he currently resides in Brookline, MA.
Sydney Johnston makes her New Repertory Theatre debut with this production of Oliver!. Recent credits include Fun Home (Small Alison) at Vokes Players, Mary Poppins (Chorus/Ensemble) at Watertown Children’s Theater, Peter Pan (Captain Hook), A Wrinkle In Time (Mrs. Whatsit), Shrek The Musical (Chorus/Ensemble), Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (Mr. Salt) at Arlington Children’s Theater, and Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (Oompa Loompa/Chorus/Ensemble). Sydney is from Belmont, MA.
Johanna Carlisle-Zepeda makes her New Repertory Theatre debut with this production of Oliver!. Recent credits include Tintypes with Artistree (Emma) at Music Festival Inez, The View Upstairs at SpeakEasy Stage, The Roommate (Robyn) and The Clean Room (Anna) at Threshold Stage, Miss You Like Hell (Beatriz) at Company 1/A.R.T., Kiss of the Spider Woman (Molina’s Mother) at Lyric Stage Company of Boston, In the Heights (Abuela Claudia) at Wheelock Family Theatre and The Phoenix Theatre Company, Toxic Avenger (Mayor/Ma) at The Phoenix Theatre, Les Miserables (Co-Madame Thernardier) at AZ Broadway Theatre. She holds a BA in Vocal Performance from Cornell College and she was a teaching associate with AZ Theatre Co in Phoenix. Originally in Tucson, AZ, she currently resides in Phoenix, AZ.
LUIS NEGRÓN was last seen at New Repertory Theatre in A Streetcar Named Desire (Gonzales). Regional credits include The Warden in Kiss of the Spider Woman (Lyric Stage Company), Brabantio/Montano in Othello (DreamRole Productions), Kevin Rosario in In the Heights (Wheelock Family Theatre and Seacoast Repertory Theatre), and Orfeo in Sonia Flew (Wellesley Repertory Theatre). Negrón has studied at HB Studio in New York City, and is a member of StageSource. Originally from Brooklyn, NY he now resides in Medford, MA.
SHANNON LEE JONES* returns to New Repertory Theatre after performing in World Goes ‘Round and Cabaret. On Broadway, she appeared as Angelique in La Cage Aux Folles (original). National tours include Cassie in A Chorus Line, La Cage Aux Folles, Hello, Dolly! with Carol Channing and Funny Girl with Juliet Prowse. Regional credits: Oliver (Goodspeed Musicals); Mamma Mia, Gypsy, Anything Goes, Drowsy Chaperone, Hairspray, and Mame (Arts Center of Coastal Carolina); Road Show, Gypsy and Working (Lyric Stage Company); Billy Elliot (Ocean State Theater, RI); Mary Poppins (Wheelock Theater); Carnival (Gloucester Stage Company); Into the Woods (Reagle Music Theatre); My Fair Lady and Gypsy (Greater Boston Stage Company); Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Foothills Theatre); Guys and Dolls (Long Wharf Theatre); Cabaret (Barrington Stage Company); A Chorus Line (North Shore Music Theatre). Television and film credits include The Judge with Robert Downey Jr., The Guiding Light, All My Children and The Irving Berlin Special at Carnegie Hall. Shannon teaches the Alexander Technique at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Originally from Winter Haven, FL she now resides in Boston, MA.
Jackson Jirard makes his New Repertory Theatre debut with this production of Oliver! He’s danced professionally with Ballet Austin in Texas, Sacramento Ballet in California, and Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre here in Massachusetts. He was also an Assistant Choreographer for Columbia Pictures’ Little Women (2019) and made his musical debut in the Umbrella Stage Company’s first professional show 42nd Street. He holds a BA in Psychology from Stanford University, and an M.Ed in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Jackson was born in New Orleans and raised in Pennsylvania.
Daniela Delahuerta (she/her/hers) made her New Repertory Theatre debut in our 2019/20 season production of Oliver!. Recent credits include Diana Morales in A Chorus Line (Roxy Regional), Anita in West Side Story (Tibbits Opera House), Ensemble in Evita (Riverside Theatre), and Liz in Chicago (Phoenix Theatre). She teaches voice at Manhattan Studio of Music in New York City. Originally from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, she currently resides in New York City.
Noura Deane makes her New Repertory Theatre debut with this production of Oliver!. Regional credits include Anything Goes and Show Boat (Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston), and Ilona Ritter in She Loves Me. She earned a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from the Boston Conservatory and is from New York City.
H.C. Lee makes their New Repertory Theatre debut with this production of Oliver!. Recent credits include Paragon Park: The Musical at the Company Theatre, Sweet Charity (Charity) and The Pajama Game (Gladys) at the Weston Friendly Society, Company (Amy) at the Cohasset Dramatic Club, 42nd Street, Joseph…Dreamcoat, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Crazy for You at Reagle Music Theatre. Other credits include Mary Poppins and Seussical at BSU’s Family Performing Arts Center. Originally from Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY, they currently reside in Norwell, MA.
Rollie is currently a fourth grader at the Henry Grew School in Hyde Park, Massachusetts. He is pumped to join the cast and crew of Oliver!. In his free time, Rollie enjoys watching movies with his family and playing video games. He also loves to eat. This is his first theatre production and he couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to sing, dance and try something new!
Ian Freedson Falck makes his New Repertory Theatre debut with this production of Oliver!. Recent credits include James and the Giant Peach (youth ensemble) at Wheelock Family Theatre, and he’s a guitarist in the Screaming Goats youth band at Jammin‘ With You! He is a 4th grader at the Coolidge Corner School in Brookline and is originally from Brookline, MA.
Jane Jakubowski makes her New Repertory Theatre debut with this production of Oliver!. Recent credits include Sound of Music (Louisa) at Reagle Music Theater; Matilda (Erica) at Weston Drama Workshop; Annie (Annie) and Miracle on 34th Street (Hendrika, the Dutch Girl/Ensemble) at Weston Friendly Society. Jane is from Auburndale, MA.
Mark Johnson makes his New Repertory Theatre debut with this production of Oliver!. Recent credits include Caroline, or Change, Lion King, Charlotte’s Web, and The Prince and the Pauper. He is part of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Booster Club and from Hyde Park, MA.
Michael is currently a fourth grader at the Henry Grew School in Hyde Park, Massachusetts. Michael is very excited to join the Oliver! Cast and crew. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family and creating new TikTok videos. Last year he participated in a brief Peter Pan production at school, but this is his first time in a full fledged production on stage.
BRIAN M. ROBILLARD* returns to New Repertory Theatre after previously working on Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act, Lonely Planet, Ideation, The Gift Horse, Brecht on Brecht, Fiddler on the Roof, Baltimore, Scenes from an Adultery, Albatross, On the Verge, and Pattern of Life. Recent area credits include A Christmas Carol (Central Square Theater); A Little Night Music (Huntington Theatre Company); Romeo & Juliet and King Lear (Commonwealth Shakespeare Company); Don Giovanni and Siren Song (BU Opera Institute); Song Cycle (Peabody Essex Museum); and Hairspray and The Fantasticks (Hope Summer Repertory Theatre). Brian received his BFA in Stage Management from Boston University. A native of Massachusetts, Brian currently resides in Chelmsford. Upcoming projects include Calendar Girls (Greater Boston Stage Company).
Lee Nishri-Howitt is thrilled to work with New Rep on this exciting new season. Lee has coached at the
American Repertory Theater, Hunting Theatre Company, SpeakEasy Stage Company, Wheelock Family Theater, and others; and has taught at Harvard University, The Moscow Art Theatre School’s American Studio, and the Ludwig Solski School of Dramatic Arts in Poland. Lee is a graduate of the Masters program for voice and speech at the American Repertory Theater at Harvard. Originally from Israel, he now resides in Boston. LNHvoice.com
