By Pat Septak 

The Pittsburgh CLO season is off to a fine start this week at the Benedum Theatre with the opening family musical Oliver! Based on the 1838 Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, the show follows the story of a 10-year-old orphan named Oliver in mid-19th century London.

As the story opens, Oliver is starving in the workhouse in which he lives. When he is thrown out of the house for having the nerve to ask for more food, he gets taken in by a gang of pickpockets. Eventually, Oliver gets arrested for a crime he didn’t commit, gets kidnapped by a couple of underground thugs and meets some memorable characters along the way. It doesn’t exactly sound like the stuff that “family musicals” are made of. But CLO has put together a production that makes the story appealing to both young and old. From the beginning of the two-hour show, the audience knows that Oliver will eventually find a loving family and a happy home.

The main reason why this particular production of Oliver! works so well is because it’s perfectly cast. The lead character is magnificently played by Bethel Park sixth-grader Joseph Serafini. Already a stage veteran at age 12, Serafini gives Oliver both a rebellious side and a heartwarming quality. And his singing pipes are unbelievable, as evidenced on “Where Is Love?”, by far the standout number in the show. The thunderous applause Serafini received for that song wasn’t because the audience thought he sang great for being only 12 years old — it was because he sang great - period!

The headlining name in this cast is Philadelphia native Mark Indelicato, known to “Ugly Betty” television viewers as Betty’s nephew, Justin Suarez. The 15-year-old Indelicato colorfully portrays the role of the Artful Dodger, the chief pickpocket who takes Oliver under his wing on the streets of London.

But it’s the unforgettable performance of Patrick Page who, as Fagin, steals nearly every scene. Fagin takes command of the homeless boys and teaches them to be criminals. He convinces them to rob the wealthy to fill his own pockets. Page is mesmerizing on stage as he seductively sings, “Pick a Pocket or Two”, the most catchiest tune in the musical. Other memorable songs include “Consider Yourself” and the lively “Oom-Pah-Pah”. And Kate Shindle, who plays Nancy, an abused woman, sounded vulnerable on “As Long as He Needs Me”.

Mark Morton’s movable scenery and the gorgeous customes are largely responsible for creating the atmosphere of mid-19th century London. And kudos to director Richard Stafford for mixing the “townspeople” of London in with the audience, which makes the viewers feel like they’re part of the scene.

If this production of Oliver! is any indication, Pittsburgh theater-goers are in for an interesting, fun-filled ride this summer. And it’s just what they’ve come to expect from the Pittsburgh CLO.  (Oliver! runs at Pittsburgh’s Benedum Theatre through June 6).