Middle School presents "Oliver!"

Students in Swain's Middle School presented the family-friendly musical, "Oliver!", in three recent performances before over 900 appreciate audience members.

The cast included over 60 sixth-eighth graders, and 20
fifth grade students participated in two of the production numbers.  All students who auditioned were given roles in the show; in addition, other students served in leadership roles as assistant director, costumer, and choreographer.

Enjoy this trailer for the DVD of the show:

"Oliver!" was directed by Swain's Director of Theatre, Robert J Wagner, who wrote this about the show:

Too often shows intended to be performed by children force the young actors into roles that lie so far outside of their life experience that they have no honest way of connecting with the story. In turning to Oliver!, I found a solution to this problem. Oliver! at its core is about children in search of family and love. There are few things closer to our daily experience at The Swain School.

Together we have the chance to imagine ourselves in a world where we must struggle for the comforts that we take for grated in our community. Hopefully we will leave the experience grateful for what we have...and having had a really good time. Oh, and it also helps that this year is the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens' birth.