Page 43 - Flathead Beacon // 12.4.13

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
DECEMBER 4, 2013 | 43

been in big groups (on stage), but now I’ll
By JUSTIN FRANZ of the Beacon
be on my own. It’s going to be hard.”
n an era of rapidly changing
Mickey Winn, 23, plays The Artful
technology and new forms of Dodger. He grew up in Denver and did
media at every turn, it’s some- some acting as a kid, but stopped in high
times good to stop and think
school. Ironically, when he was 11 years
about what’s really important in life. old, he was the backup actor for the same
Concepts like love, human connection character he is playing now.
and belonging.
“It is chock full of nostalgia,” he said.

That’s the message director Rebecca “It’s really fun to see all of the kids doing
Schafer wants to portray to her audi- what I did when I was 12 years old. It’s
ence starting on Dec. 5 when Whiteish like looking into the past.”
Theatre Company presents “Oliver!” at Among the young actors on stage
the O’Shaughnessy Center. Since early is Maggie Eisenbarth’s son, Trey, who
October, Schafer and her cast of 37 ac- plays an orphan. Eisenbarth, 38, is a
tors have been perfecting lines and in- mother of seven and came from an artis-

ishing sets for their rendition of the tic family. She did a little acting in high
classic musical by Lionel Bart, based school and decided to return to the craft
on Charles Dickens’ 1838 novel, “Oliver in 2005 with the Whiteish Theatre. She
Twist.” But this time the iconic tale is said acting gives her an opportunity to
being told with a twist: The cast and set do something diferent and she is excited
will be decked out in the steampunk mo- about presenting the steampunk version
tif.
of Oliver! and hopes that audiences wel-
“I want to take a story that people come the subtle changes.
The cast is led by Jane Trina, third from the left, who plays Oliver, an orphan in 1830s
know and make it so they are experienc- London. “I think it’s a push to the edge, but it
ing it for the irst time,” said Schafer, a CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
doesn’t take it over the edge,” she said.
Missoula-based actor and director who “It’s not like a punk version of the ‘Sound
graduated from the University of Mon- of Music.’ Steampunk makes sense for tion of Cinderella in Philadelphia that love and belonging in the face of the rat
tana master of ine arts in 2013.
Oliver!”
used the same concept. Schafer said the race for money and power.”
Steampunk is a genre of science ic- Oliver! is appropriate for all ages sets and costumes of this version of Oli- In this version of Oliver! the young
tion based around steam-powered and and kicks of Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the ver! are what make the show special.
scamp is played by 10-year-old Jane Tri-

industrial machinery. Fans of the genre O’Shaughnessy Center. It plays on Fri- “I want to push things as far as they na. Trina began acting in the irst grade
often wear metal-like clothing that fea- day, Saturday and Sunday for the next go, especially with the set and cos- in the Alpine Theatre Project and has
tures gears and pipes. While the genre three weekends. The Sunday shows start tumes,” she said. “I want to take the au- mostly had secondary roles. She said be-
has been around for decades, it’s only at 4 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 dience on a journey of surprises.”
ing cast as the lead was a shock but she is
reached the mainstream during the last for seniors and $8 for students. For more In Dickens’ tale, Oliver is a young or- excited about the opportunity.
few years.
information, visit www.whiteishthe- phan in 1830s England who runs away “I really like hanging out with ev-
Schafer irst got the idea to do a ste- atreco.com.
to London. Schafer said it’s a “timeless eryone and expressing myself,” she said.
ampunk show when she saw a produc-
[email protected]
story about our need for connection,
“I’m getting nervous because I’ve only

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