Busy Young Actress Appears in Westchester Broadway Theatre's 'Oliver'

Olivia Lombardi is only nine years old and already has an impressive theatrical resume that many adult performers would envy. The lovely brunette is currently appearing in the  production of Oliver! presented by Standing Ovation Studios at Westchester Broadway Theatre.

Click here to read my review of the show. 

In the show, Miss Lombardi covers many roles. She dresses in the uniform of the workhouse boys to sing "Food, Glorious Food" to open the show. She then changes into another boy's outfit to play a young pickpocket who is a member of Fagin's gang. During one of my personal favorite numbers, "You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two," Miss Lombardi is the "boy" who picks the pocket of Fagin himself.

After that, she quickly runs offstage to jump on the shoulders of a fellow cast mate. The two cover themselves with a long cloak, Miss Lombardi puts on a big hat and comes back on stage as the "tall woman" who woos Fagin to distract him while another boy picks his pocket. The young actress protests that it is very difficult to choose her favorite scene in Oliver! because she loves them all; she ultimately decides that this number is her favorite one. "The audience laughs and laughs!  It’s such a great feeling to hear them!"  

In the second act, Miss Lombardi enters through the aisles of the dinner theatre with other members of the ensemble as a well-to-do young lady. Here is what she told me about performing on the WBT stage:

"WBT has the best stage to perform on because it has  thre sides instead of a regular stage which is only has one.   As an actor, you need to be aware of all your moves because there is no hiding!  I really love how close the audience is and there's enough light that you can actually see the expressions on the audiences faces!  WBT is also unique because the actors walk around the aisles and perform in them during the show.  The last song of the show, the rest of the Fagin's gang actors and me walk in the aisles singing and dancing and the audience loves it! They shake our hands and tell us how great we did. To be that close to them and see their expressions is so awesome. No other theater gives the actor....or the audience that kind of experience."

Miss Lombardi lives in Rye Brook with her family. Her mother, Lisa Lombardi, tells me "my daughter has had a passion for performing and singing since she uttered her first words and took her first steps. Olivia is always looking forward to performing in front of so many people. She may be tiny but she has a loud strong voice!"

The young actress first discovered her desire to perform at the tender age of three. "I just loved to sing all the time....and everything! I always had on princess dresses and I would act out scenes from the princess movies.  They always had singing in them.  My favorites were Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Barbie Princess movies."

Miss Lomabrdi started performing on stage a little over a year ago at Lighthouse Youth Theater (LYT) which is John Fanelli's (her current director for Oliver at WBT) youth program at Standing Ovations Studio.  She admits "I wasn't too good in the beginning, but Lauren Lucksavage (Director of LYT Programing) taught me so much that I soon became the leading role in two shows."

The young actress performed in Miracle on 34th Street at the Westchester Broadway Theatre last December. Other recent credits include Lighthouse Youth Theater Productions of  Annie (as Annie,) Beauty and the Beast (as Belle,) Sound of Music (as Gretl,) Little Mermaid (as Flounder,) and Thoroughly Modern Millie (soloist/stenographer.) In total, she has appeared in eight youth theater productions and two regional theater productions in a little over a year and half.

This is one very busy young lady. In the fall, she will be performing in Les Miserables as Young Cosette at Elmwood Playhouse in Nyack NY. She is also a member of an elite Broadway Youth Ensemble headed by Amelia DeMayo. Ms. DeMayo is also her voice coach, as well as Carly Rose Soneclar and many child Broadway performers.

Miss Lombardi will be performing in all of the 25 scheduled performances of Oliver! at WBT. This is what she told about the experience:

"I learned that there really is no small role in this show. Everyone's role is just as important. My roles...are all ensemble roles, but they were very much a part of the production. The opening scene of Oliver is “Food Glorious Food” (see the photo) which is ensemble performers.  John and Lauren taught me that right from the start and it is so true!  It was such a great role for me to play.  I was a 'boy' who was rough and tough and dirty!  Totally opposite of me!  The entire Oliver cast, director and production team are just amazing!!! I'm so happy to be working with all of them.  Everyone gets along so well backstage and I think it really shows when we are on stage."

All the young actors in Standing Ovation Studios have already put in an enormous amount of time for rehearsals, just as much as the adult performers do. All that hard work has paid off.