In just days, the Cooma Little Theatre’s production of the classic musical ‘Oliver!’ opens, and tickets have been selling quickly.

If you ask cast member, 10-year-old Billie Anderson, you should jump online and purchase a ticket.

“People should come and see it, because it has been really fun, we have worked really hard, and it is amazing,” Billie said.

In this production, Billie, who plays several different roles in the play, is acting on stage for the first time, although she has been a dancer, gymnast, archer, and is also learning piano.

“She excels at being a chatterbox,” said her mother, Amanda.

“Musical theatre seemed like a perfect fit.”

When she auditioned back at the start of March, Billie asked her mother to come along for support, and Amanda became a cast member too. She plays the gentle housekeeper Mrs Bedwin, as well as other characters in the ensemble.

Amanda, who is a real estate agent during the day, is also an amateur musician with a beautiful voice. She has danced since she was six years-old but fell in love with the performing arts when she began singing at 14.

Amanda won her age category in a talent competition in Jindabyne which was a precursor to Jindy Idol. Two years at McDonald College of Performing Arts followed, which she describes as the best experience for a young person from the country.

Motherhood and work as a real estate agent have filled her time and this is her first foray back into stage performance.

“And what a fab way to return,” she said.

“Billie and I would both love to become more involved in Cooma Little Theatre, both in front and behind the scenes. It brings together such a gorgeous cross section of our community, and it is amazing to see the talent we have here. We have loved doing this with each other and making new friends.”

Other members of the cast and crew have enjoyed reminiscing about being in the 1990 production of ‘Oliver!’ presented by the Deborah Rose School Of Dance principal, Debbie Franco.

Ron Dowd, who portrayed the bombastic beadle Mr Bumble 36 years-ago, is now portraying the gentle grandfather, Mr Brownlow.

Others who played in both productions are Vanessa Barron and Karen Vincent.

“‘I’m still working at that workhouse, 36 years later, although I’ve been promoted to matron and food service,” Karen said.

Karen is one of the students of Rosie O’Sullivan’s School of Dance who are lending their talents to this production in spectacular fashion. Cooma Little Theatre is thrilled that Rosie O’Sullivan has dedicated time to choreograph this show, not only for confident dancers, but for novices as well.

Another young cast member who is very eager for audiences to see the show is 10-year-old Emmanuel (Manny) Darnell, whose loves include piano, tap dancing and mathematics.

He is also passionate about theatre, having performed in the two most recent previous productions at Cooma Little Theatre (‘Seussical’ and ‘Stars in the Snow’); his goal is to be a future director, and to direct his own production of ‘Oliver!’ one day.

Behind-the-scenes an experienced and committed production team has been assembled. The production team is led by Jayne Keegan.

Jayne pulled together a team of people she has worked with previously: Rosie O’Sullivan as choreographer, CLT president Caroline Fox as musical director, Liz Sherlock as lighting designer and operator, and Nell Pernitsch as stage manager.

Together with Scott Goudie and Bridget McIntosh on sound design and operation, and with the big cast and crew of incredible people, the team has dedicated months to this show, and some even travel an hour each way to rehearse.

“Every show becomes its own community, and this community is an extraordinary one. It is rare to have such a group of genuinely lovely people,” Caroline said.

“We believe that many of the cast members in this show are going to go on to do marvellous things on the stage in the future, and it has been an honour to work with them all.”