‘Oliver’ Tickets Sell Out

If the Marion Art Center had sold tickets for its annual Halloween Parade, it would have sold out of those immediately, judging by the what seemed to be over a thousand people out on the sunny afternoon of Halloween.

It seems the MAC can’t avoid it these days, with its community-based events and performances that have been hits within the community.

The MAC’s latest success is the selling out of tickets to its production of Oliver, well ahead of Opening Night on Thursday, November 3.

If you didn’t reserve your tickets ahead of time, you are out of luck this weekend. The 7:00 pm performances on November 3-5, as well as the 2:00 matinee on Sunday, November 6, are all sold out.

“We are so excited about it,” said Jamie Lynn Wiksten, director of the production. “When we announced that we were doing this show, we were thrilled to hear from the community how excited they were.”

Wiksten said MAC members took advantage of the pre-sale before tickets were released to the public, and the remaining tickets sold out within 20 minutes.

“The Marion Art Center is so excited to see how excited the community is about this production,” said Wiksten.

There are 25 cast members, with some of them playing more than one role, which Wiksten said is amazing to her since so many of them are easily able to play a number of diverse roles with such ease.

“They’ve done a great job coming together as a cast and an ensemble playing multiple roles,” said Wiksten.

Playing the part of Fagin, Tom Giammalvo of Fairhaven is no stranger to the stage. After a period of about 20 years off the stage, Giammalvo is back on the community theater stage and, according to Wiksten, he is “phenomenal.”

“He plays the part to perfection,” Wiksten said.

Eleven-year-old Nolan Gibbs, a resident of Marion and sixth-grader at Sippican School, plays Oliver in his first Marion Art Center performance.

“We were thrilled to have him,” said Wiksten. “He has a beautiful voice, is a talented actor, and has mastered the part of Oliver. I can’t wait for the community to see him.”

Playing the part of Nancy is Shonna Neitz of Providence. Neitz not only has experience with theater, but she has grown close to her character, or rather grown into her character of Nancy simply because she has played the part in the musical in the past with another theater group.

“She is absolutely wonderful in this role,” said Wiksten.

Eddie Gonet, 12, is acting for the first time in a MAC production, playing the part of the Artful Dodger.

“We’re thrilled to have him. He’s done a marvelous job as the Artful Dodger,” said Wiksten.

The musical production has been enhanced, said Wiksten, by the sponsorship of MAC member Barbara Gee, who donated the funds to cover the cost of the costume rental from a theater company in Virginia.

“The costumes are so authentic and true to each character,” said Wiksten. “[Gee’s] sponsorship was just such a wonderful asset to the show and we couldn’t have done it without her. I’m so thankful.”

Theater – it brings together such a wide variety of different people, commented Wiksten. “[A]nd we all become a family,” she writes in the program. “[W]e all work together to give you a few hours of magic. So please sit back and be entertained … and consider yourself one of us!”

By Jean Perry

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