The Beverly Arts Center Presents the Timeless Musical Classic, Oliver, the Tony Award-winning musical based on Charles Dickens’ beloved novel. This high-energy production, with its sweeping songs and poignant storytelling, runs August 28 through August 31, 2025, on the Baffes Theatre stage.

Set in gritty Victorian England, Oliver! follows young orphan Oliver Twist on a journey from a bleak workhouse to the bustling streets of London as he searches for family, connection, and love. Along the way, he meets the clever Artful Dodger, the manipulative Fagin, the menacing Bill Sikes, and the warm-hearted Nancy — characters who illuminate both the darkness and hope in Oliver’s world.

With timeless numbers like “Food, Glorious Food,” “Where Is Love,” and “As Long As He Needs Me,” this production delivers humor, heart, and a message that still resonates today: every child deserves to be seen, safe, and loved.

In addition to featuring a large and diverse cast, this production of Oliver! is made possible in part by a grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services. This funding supports the hiring of high school students in key backstage and production roles, providing them with hands-on training and meaningful exposure to the arts. The IDHS grant also funds our Youth Theatre programming and our internship and apprenticeship initiative for high school and college-aged students — a vocational, immersive training experience in theatrical production. Participants gain real-world skills in set design and construction, lighting and audio engineering, stage management, and costume design.