After many months of rehearsals and set preparation, Landmark Christian School will present their spring musical performance, ”Oliver!,” this weekend in Peachtree City.

The cast of 53 includes students from Landmark's elementary, middle, and high schools, hailing from Fayette, Coweta, South Fulton, and Douglas counties. 

Landmark Christian School has set a high standard and an expectation of excellence following last year’s sold out performances of “Seussical the Musical” in the spring and the Southeastern premiere of Alan Menken and Tim Rice’s “King David Oratorio” in the fall. 

If you loved Landmark's production last year of “Seussical the Musical,” then you definitely need to return to experience this year's professional production: “Oliver!.” Just seeing the elaborately constructed, multi-tiered set, designed by drama director Mark Smith is almost worth the price of admission. The set and production will be enhanced by professional lighting, designed by Nathan Tomsheck of LaGrange College. Community musicians will join with Landmark instrumentalists to form the live orchestra for the show.

The musical “Oliver!” is based upon Charles Dickens' character Oliver Twist, an orphan who lived in 1850's London poverty. In the play, Oliver encounters a number of tough situations and characters, before he finds a place to be loved. Originally produced for the stage in 1960, “Oliver!” quickly became, and has remained, a popular favorite with theatre fans of all ages and the characters have become legendary. Thomas Ryden, of Sharpsburg, plays Fagin, the kind hearted ring leader of the orphan gang of junior thieves. This will be Ryden’s acting debut, though many are familiar with his voice as he leads Landmark high school’s praise team in chapel each week. Fagin's gang is sure to charm you as they sing, "I'd do anything for you dear," along with Ryden and Ebonne Holyfield, who plays the female lead role of Nancy. Holyfield received recognition earlier in the school year, when she was named to the Georgia All Star Cast by the Georgia Theatre Conference in addition to also being named to the Georgia High School Region 5A All Star Cast.  Big bad Bill Sykes will be played by Landmark’s basketball star Stoney Hill and the lead role of Oliver will be played by sixth grader Sarah Gravitt.

“Oliver!” will be performed in the fine arts auditorium of Landmark's Peachtree City campus, 777 Robinson Road. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. May 5 and 6, with an additional showing on Saturday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $10 for general admission at the door. Call (770)692-6788 for more information. The play is rated PG for violence.

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