The Redlands Community Music Association is pleased to announce that “Oliver!” will be the annual musical production for the 2012 Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival. “Oliver!” is based on the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist. It was the first musical adaptation of a Dickens work to become a stage hit. First presented inLondon with the script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart, it played for 2,618 performances. In 1960 it premiered on Broadway, winning a Tony award for Best Original Score, and was made in to a musical film in 1968. The producer / director for the Redlands Bowl run will be Paul Jacques ofRiverside.

 Jacques is an award winning actor, director, producer, writer and scenic designer with over 150 productions of experience spanning stage, film, commercial, television and radio.  As a playwright, he has had 20 original works staged, and has recently directed production of Six Characters in Search of an Author, Hamlet, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and The Merry Wives of Windsor.  Jacques also recently appeared in the role of Elliot in the West Coast Premiere of Charles Evered’s new play, Class. For the eighth consecutive year, he has portrayed Charles Dickens for the Riverside Dickens Festival. This included a mini tour of his one-man show, Meet Mr. Dickens, to promote literature, literacy, and social awareness.

 Paul is on the theatre faculty atSan BernardinoValleyCollege, Mt. San Jacinto Community College, andCaliforniaBaptistUniversity, and holds an AA in Music fromRiversideCommunity College, a BA in Theatre from UCR, and an MFA in Playwriting and Screenwriting from UCR.  In addition, he is the Operations Director of the Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre inHemet, and the Artistic Director for the Inland Empire Shakespeare Festival. 

 “It’s exciting to be back at the Bowl, especially with a show like “Oliver!”, said Jacques. “Dickens wrote a lot about the social problems he saw around him and the power of the human spirit to overcome them. With Oliver Twist, he wanted to show not only the struggle of the poor and orphans, but also how the power of family can help children overcome some very trying circumstances. I think that this show is very faithful to its source material, and that it’s still very relevant today.”

 As RCMA Program Director Marsha Gebara stated, “We are so fortunate to have such a talented director/producer as Paul Jacques. Paul loves and understands the Bowl. We are very excited to have the musical “Oliver!” performed on the Bowl stage for the first time. It is a glorious musical about a boy with a great spirit who overcomes adversity. We believe that “Oliver!” will be enjoyable for the whole family.”

 Auditions for “Oliver!” will be held on Saturday, April 21, 2012, at First Congregational Church, in Redlands.  Address: 2 W. Olive St. Redlands, CA 92373 ; Children audition from 10:30 to noon with adults immediately following.  For questions or further information, please email Paul Jacques at jacques22@earthlink.net.

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As 2011 draws to a close, I would like to thank you for your support of the Redlands Community Music Association. We truly could not bring spectacular music performances to the Redlands Bowl without you.

The 88^th season of the Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival was in one word –magical! Who can forget the rousing Celtic sounds of Highland Way, or the timeless beauty of State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara’s performance of “Jungle Book”?  Or perhaps the foot-tappin’, knee slappin’ feel good music of Lisa Haley and the Zydecats was your favorite. Whatever your musical passion, from symphony to big band, the Summer Music Festival struck a chord with everyone.

Thanks to your support the Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival has become nationally and internationally known as a venue for world class performances. For our Bowl family however, it is “home.” As my friend Molly Burgess likes to say, “The Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival is like a reunion of 5,000 of your best friends.” It is the place where we come together as a community.

We have many wonderful surprises in store for the 2012 season. Please help us continue giving the gift of music to our community with your year end gift.

A gift in any amount is deeply appreciated. To make your donation online please click here:

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Wishing you and your loved ones very Happy Holidays.

Beverly Noerr

Executive Director

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