Based on Dickens' "Oliver Twist," the new musical has a book by William F. Brown, who authored the Tony-nominated book of The Wiz, and a score by Grammy Award-winning songwriter Tena Clark and Gary Prim. Twist will run through Oct. 3.

Twist was seen in previous incarnations at the Walnut Street Theatre in 1993 and New Jersey's George Street Playhouse in 1996. It has been revised for this production.

Young actor Alaman Diadhiou stars in the title role in a cast that also features E. Wade Benson, Duane Asanté Ervin, Kyle Garvin, Jared Grimes, Shawna M. Hamic, Matthew Johnson, Olivia-Diane Joseph, Tracy Kennedy, Aijia Lise, Pat McRoberts and Melissa Lola Youngblood.

The ensemble includes John Fisher, Chantel Heath, Jamie Katz, Rikki McKinney, Malaiyka Reid, Brett Sturgis, Dougie Styles, Zaire Adams, Trey Best, Sabrina Cmelak, Nikolas Eibler, Michael George, Beau Harmon, Chandler Kinney and Chase Maxwell.

James Sampliner (Legally Blonde) serves as musical director/conductor. The design team also includes "Project Runway" season-seven designer Emilio Sosa (costumes), Todd Rosenthal (set design), Rick Belzer (lighting design) and Peter Fitzgerald (sound design). Orchestrations are by Tony winner Harold Wheeler. According to the Alliance, "Twist examines the deep emotions and human struggles of a young boy whose father was a black song-and-dance man and whose mother was a white woman of prominence. Guided by a fierce yearning for home, he travels through larger-than-life New Orleans, from the orphanage to a new life behind the red velvet curtain of The Jewel Box speakeasy. There he discovers the home he never had and the parents he never knew among a group of children surviving on the street."

Allen directed the Broadway and London revivals of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. A Tony nominee for her performances in the revivals of Sweet Charity and West Side Story, Allen won a Golden Globe and two Emmys for her role on "Fame."

For tickets phone (404) 733-5000 or visit AllianceTheatre.