After making her successful directorial debut last year, accomplished Singleton Theatrical Society (SATS) performer Kristy Hicks can’t wait to get back on the stage. However, this time around Kristy’s co-stars happen to be her 14-year-old daughter, Ellie, and 12-year-old son, Charlie. While family patriarch Chris will be behind the scenes taking care of the sound production. This rare opportunity has eventuated because the adult theatrical society is staging Oliver and this requires a predominately young cast as the popular musical adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic follows the life and times of young orphan who reluctantly joins a gang of child pickpockets. Kristy has been cast in the role of Nancy, Ellie will play the part of Bet, and Charlie is taking on the all-important character - Oliver. The storyline involves Oliver being picked up on the street by a boy named the Artful Dodger and welcomed into a gang of child pickpockets led by the conniving Fagin. When Oliver is falsely accused of a theft , he is rescued by a kind and wealthy gentleman, to the dismay of Fagin’s violent sidekick, Bill Sikes. Caught in the middle is the warm-hearted Nancy, who is trapped under Bill’s thumb, but desperate to help Oliver, with tragic results. So in this case art will be imitating life as Kristy says Nancy is somewhat of a mother figure to both of the children’s character. “It’s great that our characters interact on the stage - Ellie and I get to sing together,” she says. There is also another family connection in cast – our Broadway All-Star, Byron Fletcher, is playing the Artful Dodger, and his father, Tony, is Fagin. While these experienced “SATS brats” are accustomed to the stage, director Alison Stevenson says even the newcomers have settled in well. “They really are a brilliant young group but it is a lot different working with children,” she admits. “You really have to watch what is said during rehearsals and work around their busy schedules, including school camps”.  Alison says the youngsters feature in the first act and open with ‘Food, Glorious Food’. The production’s adult cast will feature familiar faces like Andrew Levick as the mean-spirited Sikes, and Peter Knight as Mr Sowberry. She says this role is departure for the SATS stalwart as Andrew is renown for his comedic talents. In her first named role, Mrs Sowberry will be played by Alison Lee.