A childhood spent living in poverty never looks as glamorous as it does in stage musicals like Annie. Charles Dickens, who realistically captured the squalor of London’s slums, never ended his novels with the 19th-century equivalent of Jamie Foxx or Albert Finney instantaneously propelling his characters into the lap of luxury. Yet the sweet-voiced orphans who take the stage in Oliver!, Lionel Bart’s musical adaptation of Oliver Twist, look so adorable in their pre-ripped pants and dirtied faces that it’s easy to stop obsessing about accuracy and just enjoy the songs. “Consider Yourself,” “Where Is Love?”, and many of the show’s other numbers have become standards in the 55 years since the musical first opened in London. Arena Stage is hoping to bank on that nostalgia with its new production, which runs through the busy holiday season. The tiny face of Jake Heston Miller, the fourth-grader who stars as the title character, will win over the most jaded theatergoers.The musical runs Oct. 30 through Jan. 3 at Arena Stage, 1101 6th St. SW. $64–$99. (202) 554-9066. arenastage.org.