Capital Region Performance Gallery

by Dick Frantzreb

I bet you have never seen a show like this. It comes from the “twisted genius” of Roald Dahl (the one who gave us James and the Giant Peach and Willie Wonka). But this plot is so implausible that after reading a lengthy synopsis, I couldn’t imagine how EDMT could make it into the fascinating, fun show that it turned out to be. It’s an explosion of imagination.

• Imagine the wicked headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, grabbing a girl by her pigtails, swinging her around and throwing her into the air.
• Imagine a child’s ears stretching when they’re pulled.
• Imagine a burp in a classroom that has a physical effect on everyone in the class.
• imagine a scene where many of the actors are speaking Russian with subtitles on the screen behind them.

But that was the nature of this show ― one mind-bending surprise after another. And it wasn’t just the bizarre plot that made Matilda the Musical so engaging. It was the EDMT commitment to excellence in every aspect of stagecraft. It was the talented young people on the stage. It was the creativity of the staff (starting with Director Debbie Wilson). It was the dedication of so many more who helped bring this production to life.

Based on Dahl’s 1988 book, Matilda the Musical was first performed in England in 2010, and then on Broadway in 2013. In her pre-show welcome to the audience, EDMT Managing Director Danielle Levy noted that EDMT is the first company in our region to be performing this show. That’s how new it is.

Here’s the plot in a nutshell. Five-year-old Matilda is precocious, but with self-absorbed parents (Mr. & Mrs. Wormwood) who have no appreciation for her gift ― nor her. Having taught herself to read, her refuge is in books, which her parents despise. Those who understand her best are the librarian (Mrs. Phelps) whom she regales with a fantastic story and her teacher (Miss Honey) who nurtures her throughout the play. The action revolves around her first days in an English primary school, where the headmistress (Miss Trunchbull) takes pleasure in demeaning and tormenting the children. Matilda and the other children get their revenge, and with the parents and Miss Trunchbull banished, everyone lives happily ever after. Sure it sounds dark, but the magic of musical theatre makes it fanciful, humorous ― and fun.

(Click here to open the playbill in a new window.)

I attended the opening night performance, which featured the Magic Cast. The opening number “Miracle” was a quirky piece in which the young performers described themselves as “miracles.” It was the first of many incredibly high-energy numbers, and the cuteness of the choreography almost matched the cuteness of the kids. And as I watched these young people, among the younger members of the cast, I was struck with how many of them sang, danced and acted like seasoned performers. And with EDMT’s embracing of participants from a very young age, they were indeed seasoned performers, each in a very real sense, a “miracle.”

As usual, this show is double-cast, so I have reservations saying too much about individual performers, but I can’t resist. Early on, I was amazed at the antics of Brayden Bambino and Emily Fritz as Mr. & Mrs. Wormwood, Matilda’s parents. It was some of the most outrageous, loose-limbed overacting I’ve seen ― and perfectly suited to this show.

Matilda was played by 11-year-old Tori Turo. Her spunkiness was proven when she played Annie in last year’s production of Annie. In this show she was again bubbling with confidence and personality, to which she added moments of intensity, plus quite a bit of mischievousness as she endeavored to right one wrong after another. And when she sang, you had to marvel that she’s just 11.

Something else that impressed me about Tori was her consistent English accent throughout the show, but that was true for the entire cast. Matilda the Musical was introduced in England, and it is obviously set in England. But the commitment to maintain the various English accents to give an extra element of authenticity to the production was evidence of the consistently high standards in every aspect of an EDMT performance.

Turning to some of the other characters, surely Miss Trunchbull, the school headmistress, is one of the vilest of villains in children’s literature. (“Imagine a world with no children. Just dream.”) She is as much a pivotal character in this story, as is Matilda. So who do you entrust with this role? How about the actor who has the experience of 51 EDMT shows? That’s 20-year-old Zach Wilson who has crafted Miss Trunchbull into what is arguably his best character. Honestly, if none of the many other EDMT excellences were enough to make someone want to see this show, Zach’s Miss Trunchbull would be ample reason to attend. His make-up, his voice, his walk, his hunchback costume ― plus his deliciously evil persona ― made this a truly unforgettable performance. (Note that Zach plays this role in both casts.)

Contrast to Miss Trunchbull was provided by the modest, caring Miss Honey, played in the Magic Cast by Kyra Schneider, who brought a beautiful voice to the role. I’ve already mentioned the Wormwoods, but one more especially interesting character was Rudolpho, Mrs. Wormwood’s dancing partner, played in the Magic Cast by Seth Marchek. It didn’t take long after he was introduced to see that he was an excellent dancer, with some pretty impressive moves. And speaking of dancing, once again EDMT came through with amazing choreography, thanks to Choreographer Anjie Rose Wilson and her helpers. Every dance number is a high-energy creation, completely fresh, exciting, ― and unlike anything you’ve ever seen.

“Unlike anything you’ve even seen.” Let’s expand on that a bit beyond the “imagines” I’ve listed above. With the 15-minute intermission expired, the show restarted with the house lights still on and Mr. Wormwood interacting with the audience in an extended comic routine. Suffice it to say that it was a brilliant, inspired bit of acting that earned enthusiastic applause from a bemused audience.

As for all EDMT shows, Zach Wilson’s projections were extraordinary, and I was particularly impressed with the library scene, the outdoor view of the school (that looked like a prison), the acrobatic act, and the rainy scene. And the set pieces were remarkable in their detail: Miss Trunchbull’s desk should be in a museum after the show closes.

Still thinking about the performers, I have to say something about the Mischief Cast that I didn’t see. Looking over the playbill, I recognize the names of nearly all those in the key roles from their work in other EDMT shows. More than that, I know them as outstanding performers who will dazzle the Mischief Cast audiences, as much as tonight’s audience was dazzled by the Magic Cast.

Here’s something else I noticed in the playbill. It was interesting to see how many EDMT alumni (and current performers) are listed as part of the production staff. The behind-the-scenes work of these young people is a tribute to EDMT as a learning organization, where the true professionals teach not only performing skills but other forms of stagecraft that will multiply the options for these young people after they age out as EDMT performers.

In a way Matilda the Musical was a story of kid empowerment, with lots of moments for the kids in the story to act up and act out. In particular, the last number, “Revolting Children,” was full of attitude, ending with the whole cast crowded along the edge of the stage, taking a pose of pride in being “in revolt.” Come to think of it though, everything about EDMT is about kid empowerment.

It can’t be easy to delight an audience in show after show. You have to show them something they haven’t seen before, something fresh and surprising. But that’s what EDMT is so good at. Roald Dahl’s story and the well-crafted script and music provided a foundation. Then with staging, dancing, singing, sets, costumes ― and acting ― EDMT built an unforgettable experience for all of us who were lucky enough to see this show.

Note:  This show is so brimming with energy and creativity that I can't resist including more pictures.  The following (as those above) are taken from the performances of both casts. For even more pictures, check EDMT's Facebook page at this link.

(This show ran February 21 to March 1, 2020.  For more information on the El Dorado Musical Theatre, visit www.edmt.info or go to Harris Center for tickets, www.harriscenter.net)