Huron Expositor, 2006-06-07, Page 10Page 10 June 7, 2006 • The Huron Expositor
News
St. Columban cousins enjoy playing singing
and dancing orphans in Stratford musical Oliver!
Susan Hund.e.rtmark
4.1.1112.11111
Two St. Columban-area cousins
are enjoying their debut on the
Stratford Festival stage as singing
and dancing orphans in
this year's performance
of Oliver!
Thomas Murray, no
stranger to the stage at
age 12 after several
shows in Grand Bend
and Drayton, is joined
by his 11 -year-old
cousin Nick Van Bakel
in the Victorian -era
play, adapted from
Nick admits that while he loves
the singing, he's missing the hockey,
soccer, roller blading and biking he's
had to give up during .the almost
year's involvement in the play.
Nick's only in the
opening and one num-
ber "Food, Glorious
Food."
"I get to go home
after the first 15 min-
utes," he says.
While he's not so ner-
vous about performing
anymore, Nick says he
was pretty scared dur-
'This is my first
play and it's so
much fun,' --
Nick Van Bakel
Charles Dickens' novel Oliver
Twist.
"This is my first play and it's so
much fun," says Nick, the son of
Tony and Karen Van Bakel.
ing his first few times
on stage.
"One time I had so many butter-
flies in my stomach but when I keep
doing it, I felt better," he says.
Thomas, the son of Mark and
Joan Murray, is also one of 11 chil-
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Susan Hundertmark photo
Thomas Murray, 12, and Nick Van Bakel, 11, are enjoying their Stratford Festival
debut playing orphans in the musical Oliver! which opened last week and runs into
October.
dren playing Fagin's boys and per-
forms in all of the musical numbers.
Thomas said he went into the
show as a singer and actor but has
become a dancer as well.
"At first I thought, `What? I'm
going to dance? I'm not going to
dance.' But, now I'm dancing," he
laughs.
"It was tricky but you catch on.
And, it looks really cool with all the
boys dancing together," says
Thomas.
He adds that his experience play-
ing hockey in Seaforth has helped
him with the footwork necessary for
dancing.
And, he says his favourite song is
"Pick A Pocket or Two" since he gets
to go around stage stealing wallets
and handkerchiefs from the other
actors.
Thomas says he's enjoying work-
ing with Stratford Festival actor
Colm Feore, who plays Fagin.
"Colm's a really good role model.
He really takes hold of the stage.
And, he's really good to the kids,"
says Thomas.
He adds he'd love to play the role
of Fagin someday.
"It looks like a fun part and Colm
does such a good job," says Thomas.
Both Thomas and Nick say
they've made a lot of friends on the
cast of Oliver! which includes chil-
dren from throughout the Toronto
and Hamilton areas and as far away
as Prince Edward Island.
"It's a great bunch of kids," says
Thomas.
And, while he's making new
friends, there was at least one
familiar face during rehearsals -
Stephen Cota, an adult actor who
performed with Thomas in Joseph
and the Amazing Technicolour
Dreamcoat at the Huron Country
Playhouse in Grand Bend.
"Theatre's such a great business
to be in - you never work with the
same person just once," says
Thomas.
While most of the boys in the
show do not have specific character
names, the two say they've named
themselves to help them get into
character.
"I'm Clem. He's a workhouse boy
who goes around singing with the
others," says Nick.
"I'm Zachariah. We made upour
own names. We picked English
names so we could be in character,"
says Thomas.
Performing in previews since
April and the show until October
with the possibility of it extending
into November, the boys are depend-
ing on the cooperation of their
teachers at St. Columban School to
help them continue their schooling.
"You go to school whenever you
can and get work sent home. We
have great teachers that have been
really supportive," says Thomas.