Circling The News

Members of the cast of Oliver at Palisades High School.

Circling the News had not planned to write a review about “Oliver,” Palisades High School’s spring musical that only has four performances left. The editor felt she had already alerted readers to the show before its opening.

But after seeing the show on Saturday night, readers need to know what they are missing, if they don’t go.

Right now, it’s a bit of a drag to go to a show at the high school. Tickets have to be purchased online. One has to go through security and produce a Vax card, and then walk around the main office building to get to the venue.

So, by the time you get to the folding chairs in the “theater” there seems like there might be a lot of better things that one could be doing.

Then the lights go down, the overture starts, the curtain comes up and the audience is transported to Charles Dickens’ London.

The show is extraordinary – and full of energy and honest emotion – and if you can find a way to see it before it closes, you will experience – and be part of something wonderous.

From the 16-piece orchestra’s opening to the orphans singing and dancing to “Food, Glorious Food,” one realizes that this production is going to be something special.

Palisades High School’s shows take place in Mercer Hall— yes, it used to be a lunchroom. But the kids have taken an unseemly space and turned it into a Broadway theater. The singing, dancing, acting and energy have made this a once in the life-time experience for audience goers.

Directors Cheri and Monique Smith have a knack for casting, and Willa Browne, as Oliver, has an angel’s voice. When she sang “Where is Love?” it was simple, beautiful and endearing.

Oona Fitzmaurice, playing Nancy, sang “As Long as He Needs Me,” from the heart.

Each actor took the character and made it his/her own—Mr. Bumble and the Widow Corney (Jacob Accardo and Stella Becir) were an authentic couple.

Even the undertakers, Mr. and Mrs. Sowerberry (Theo King and Sara Samil), found a truth in their characters – and King has a wonderful voice. He did double duty as the Knife Grinder, singing “Who Will Buy?”

It was impossible to take one’s eyes off of The Artful Dodger (Henry Mueller) and when he and the crew sang “Consider Yourself” it was energetic and all out full -of-life.

Fagin (Desi Friedberg) is a real character—and it was hard to predict, what he might do next on stage. Bill Sikes (Nicolas Libonati), who is the brooding villain, carries just the right amount of menace.

This is truly an ensemble piece of energy and fun. The costuming is top-notch, and the staging is functional—and imaginative, given the small stage.

There are shows at 7 p.m. on March 31 and April 1 and April 2. There is a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. on April 2.

Tickets may be purchased on https://gofan.go/App/SChool/CA18976 . Students $10, general admission $16 and VIP $25.

Anyone entering the high school must show a VAX card or proof of a negative Covid Test.

Oona Fitzmaurice and Nicolas Libonati play Nancy and Bill in “Oliver.”

By ALISON BURMEISTER

Special to Circling the News

As a professional makeup artist for more than 20 years, some of the more challenging makeup moments I’ve encountered recently have been doing my own makeup. As I age, I’ve noticed there is a lot more going on – a sunspot here, a rogue hair there and wrinkles everywhere.

The good news is, the older we get, the simpler our makeup routine can be. When it comes to doing makeup on “more mature” faces, less is truly more.

Here are some tips and tricks for ageless beauty:

1. HYDRATION.

Forget foundation and bring on the hydration. As we age our skin becomes dry, blotchy and uneven. A hydrating serum with hyaluronic acid, a humectant that draws moisture to the skin, plumps up the surface of the skin, helping to diminish the appearance of wrinkles. Follow up with a primer to create a smooth barrier between your skin and your makeup and to help even out skin tone.

2. BE A LIGHTWEIGHT.

If you must use foundation, stay away from heavy foundations and drying concealers that will accentuate the very thing you are trying to minimize.

It is not necessary to cover your entire face with makeup. Instead let your healthy skin be the foundation and use a cream concealer to cover the areas that need it. If you prefer a full coverage look, a lightweight foundation, BB cream [beauty balm cream that is a hybrid of makeup (typically a lighter coverage with skincare benefits such as sunscreen, anti-aging], tinted moisturizer or tinted serum are going to be more flattering options. Combined with the primer you’re using on your skin beforehand; you’ll be left with a glowing complexion and diminished fine lines and wrinkles.

3. CREAMS INSTEAD OF POWDERS.

When applying makeup to mature skin, powders can easily settle into fine lines and wrinkles, making them look even more pronounced. Allow the natural glow of your skin, compliments of the moisturizers, serums and light coverage to shine through.

For the most part, you can skip the powder. In the actual shiny areas on the face, like the “T-zone”, (picture the letter “T” from the forehead down the nose to the chin), opt for a finely milled translucent powder that will mattify but not dry the skin.

Instead of a powder blush, consider switching to a cream blush. Avoid putting “redness” back into the skin in areas we may have just concealed, such as the apples of the cheeks. Subtly sculpt and give your face a lift by patting the color just along the cheek bone and blend inward with your fingertips or a damp beauty sponge.

4. USE SHIMMERS SPARINGLY.

All that shimmers is not gold. Once you have your skin even and glowing, don’t make the mistake of adding a bunch of shimmer to your face. Shimmers, like powder tend to accentuate the very lines in our face we are trying to diminish. For a sun kissed look that doesn’t make you look like you’ve lived in the sun, use bronzing products that don’t have shimmer.

Especially around the eyes, refrain from applying shimmer eyeshadows across the entire lid which will make the crepe-paper like skin on our eyelids look even more so. Choose primarily matte eyeshadows, and if you just can’t live without a hint of shimmer, using either a shimmery shadow or eyeliner, trace right along the lash line to give the eyes that extra sparkle.

5. EYES UP.

If you find that your eyelashes are not as thick as they used to be and wearing false eyelashes every day is neither practical or possible, apply eyeliner along the upper lash line to define and open up the eyes.

Choose a color that accentuates your eyes, and refrain from lining or placing any heavy color below the eyes that could drop down and give the appearance of dark circles. Frame the eyes with manicured and shaped brows. Don’t over tweeze, rather trim the hairs, and fill in the shape with either an eyebrow gel or pencil.

6. LIPS THAT “STICK.”

Have you ever noticed that lipstick tends to migrate over the edge of the lip line? Lip liners work by creating a barrier between lipstick and your skin, which helps to prevent the lipstick from bleeding into fine lines around the mouth. First line the lips to your desired shape and then fill in your lips with lipstick. Make sure your lips are good and hydrated before you apply so the products glide easily and won’t dry your lips out.

As we get older, we must face the facts, perfectly applied makeup is not going to bring our youth back, but a simple beauty routine might free us up to focus on what truly matters, like lunch dates with friends and spending more time with family. (Visit: alisonburmeister.com.)

Alison Burmeister