Roald Dahl’s Matilda opens Thursday at the Jasper Arts Center and plays through the weekend. Caylin Schwartz plays the title character in the Actors Community Theatre production.Photos by Matthew Crane.
Actors Community Theatre will present Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical at the Jasper Arts Center, 951 College Avenue next to VUJ, beginning Thursday evening.
Directed by Kate Letterman Conway, this is the first musical summer production since 2019. It features well-known local talent as well as additions from the region. For many of the cast members, this is their first foray into live production.
Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book comes to life in this vibrant telling of Matilda, a young girl whose imagination and love of learning are rejected by her unscrupulous parents. With encouragement from her teacher, Miss Honey, Matilda’s spunk takes her on a journey to create her own destiny. With larger-than-life characters, endearing songs, energetic dances, and a touch of magic as well as amazing talent of the performers, this show is a great summer escape.
The show runs this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and again on Sunday, July 24 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the door or online here.
Schwartz’s talent shines in playing the self-confident Matilda against the backdrop of Ty Hunter’s kid-throwing portrayal of Miss Agatha Trunchbull.
Miss Wormwood, played by Piper Keusch, and her dance partner, Rudolpho, played by Wayden Wagoner, help Miss Honey, played by Cassidy Esch, cut loose with a fun dance number.
With a cast and crew of more than 40, director Kate Letterman Conway credited the performers’ talent as well as the crew’s dedication to pulling off the show in about seven weeks
Ty Hunter’s portrayal of Miss Trunchbull is set to be a surprise for the audience. He pulls off a truly terrifying headmistress with a certain amount of glee.
Mr. Wormwood, played by Kyle Burgess, takes some time between sets to entertain the audience with his opinion on books.
Addison Pitrowski, 9, of Jasper, leads a line of scooters during a scene in Matilda The Musical during Tuesday’s rehearsal at the Jasper Arts Center. Addison said that Matilda is one of her favorite movies, and she is thrilled to be cast as an extra in the ACT production. This is the first production like this she has been involved in.
