Valley Boy A Natural In ‘Ragtime’

It wasn’t the first time Mathias Oliver has been in a play. But it was the only time the audience included more people than just his Mom and Dad.

The 5-year-old Spokane Valley boy made his stage debut in front of thousands at the Spokane Opera House last weekend in “Ragtime.”

Mathias and P.J. Betker, 4, shared the role of Little Coalhouse in the Spokane performances of the touring Broadway show.

“He likes to do shows and plays at home with his little brother Ethan, who is 3,” said Mathias’ mother, Reagan Oliver. “I guess he just has a natural inclination for it.”

The Olivers have season tickets to the Spokane Children’s Theater, and Mathias usually performs some of his favorites for the family, including the Wizard of Oz and The Nutcracker.

“We’ve taken him to watch a couple of auditions at the children’s theater … but we didn’t feel that he was quite ready yet,” Reagan Oliver said.

However, when Reagan and her husband, Ronny Oliver, heard about the call for a small nonspeaking role in “Ragtime,” they decided it might be the right time for Mathias to try out for the stage.

Mathias and P.J. were chosen from the group of about 20 youngsters who came to the audition last Monday. The boys traded off playing the part of Little Coalhouse in the show’s finale. For the scene, Mathias (or Betker) ran across the stage into the arms of one of the other cast members. Then, they closed the show with a bow.

Was Mathias nervous?

“No. I knew what I had to do,” Mathias said Monday.

His mother made up for his lack of butterflies.

“It was amazing to see him up there doing his own thing without Mommy and Daddy holding his hand,” Reagan Oliver said. “He just smiled when I told him how happy everybody was. He was actually pretty nonchalant about the whole thing.”

Mathias was still smiling on Monday about his role in “Ragtime.” He hugged a Teddy bear that plays one of the songs from the play, a gift from a cast member.

Ronny Oliver said they plan to indulge Mathias as long as he is interested in theater. Family genes may have something to do with Mathias’ performance inclinations, he said.

Ronny Oliver studied dance at the University of Idaho and acted in some off-Broadway shows in New York. Ronny’s sister does some acting and theater in Southern California, and his brother is a musician in Minneapolis.

“So, I think he comes by it honestly,” he said.

Ask Mathias whether he would like to be in another show like “Ragtime” and he’s noncommittal.

“Maybe,” he answers. But the truth is probably in his quiet smile and sparkling eyes.