Davie County Arts Council’s Brock Players will finish their run of the musical “Oliver!” this weekend

Show times are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

The cast includes 14 children and 15 adults. Since August, they have been not only rehearsing lines, but learning dance steps and the songs of this well-known Broadway production.

Oliver Twist, Dicken’s tragic and triumphant story, changed the world. By shining light on the prevalent abuse of women and children during the industrial revolution, Dickens fanned public outrage against those egregious offenses.

The movie version of “Oliver!” places a gloss on the darker elements of the story. The play is unflinching, fixing its gaze more resolutely on the dark underbelly. Due to the length of the musical it might be a challenge for any small child to enjoy. Parents should consider also whether the material, which includes a brutal murder, and physical violence against a child, is appropriate for the very young.

“Those who attend DCAC’s production of Oliver! should come expecting to be highly entertained, to laugh, and to examine themes such as the damaging affects of poverty, classism, and violence on the poor and weak, said Sidnee Suggs, Davie Arts Council executive director. “At the same time, it is a tale of perseverance against greats odds, a portrayal of those beaten by those odds, and of the one, Oliver, who by shire grace and goodness triumphs over them. Come expecting a window into realities most would prefer not to see. May you be moved and challenged by Oliver! to do more to build a safer, more wholesome world for all.”

Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors over age 65, $10 for children age 12-18 and $7 for children age 11 and under. The box office is open Monday-Friday noon-5 p.m. Order by phone at 336-751-3000 at or online at www.daviearts.org.