A new player to BG

As a child I used to watch my Dad play BG day in day out. He was good at the game. I used to give it a go when I was young but found it difficult. With the game coming out for the iPad and with it flooding back so many memories of BG, I've decided I have to get it and give the game a damn good go.
My questions are :

- You create 1 PC instead of a full party (like IWD), is that correct?
- As a newbie what would be a good class to play first off? (I believe a Thief is useful is it not?)