“Theatre is the art of imitation,” said Mr. Kevin F. Harrington. This will forever be synonymous to my experiences in the Massapequa High School theatre program and especially to my role in this year’s production of Oliver! as Bill Sykes.

For the first time in my life, I was a villain—a truly evil character for which the act of murder was second nature. I had never considered myself the “villain” type before this show, but I embraced the role wholeheartedly and was excited to discover the direction in which I would take it.

This was not my first experience with a stage production of Oliver Twist, as I had previously appeared in an elementary school take on the Charles Dickens classic in 2007. It goes without saying that the standards were tremendously higher in this production, and the junior version had little in common with this Broadway-level musical. To master the persona of Bill Sykes, I knew it was going to be difficult.

For me, it was key to understand where Sykes comes from and why he chooses to act the way he does. Most of the characters in this show are the lowest of the low in society, with the central group being a gang of thieves that works for their quizzical ringleader, Fagin.

These men steal to live, and Bill Sykes is the most successful and brutal of them all. He strikes fear into every person he meets, daring anyone to even mention his name. Only his lover, Nancy, has the courage to stand up to him.

Throughout the violence and mistreatment, Nancy remains faithful to Bill because she knows that he loves her in the only way he knows how: through intimidation and fear.

It never ceases to amaze me how much work goes into putting on these productions year after year. There are an endless number of stars behind the scenes who make what we do on the stage possible, and without them, we would probably resemble “Ms. Mary Jane’s School of Dance.”

In my years with the theatre program, I have been honored to work with individuals like Mrs. Ilena Dempsey and Mr. Harrington who, in addition to being extraordinarily talented, are two of the most supportive and dedicated around the constant search for love and acceptance, and it teaches us that family can be whatever we need it to be. A family could be your parents, a single loving relative, or even a gang of thieves.

I will never forget my Oliver! family—from the little orphans, to my fellow classmates, to the extraordinary Mr. Kevin F. Harrington, to my very best friends. No matter where my future takes me, they will always hold a place in my heart, and as the curtain closes on this stage of my career, I could not have asked for a better finale.