Matilda: The Musical
In this article, Rylie Revercomb will talk about a musical being performed at the Grants Pass High School this Spring Break.
Matilda: the Musical
By: Rylie Revercomb
Matilda has been a beloved childhood heroine since Oct. 1, 1988, when Roald Dahl first published his book to the world. Since then, Matilda has come back in many forms and different spin-offs, such as the movie in 1996, the broadway show in 2013 and, most recently, the hit musical on Netflix that was released in 2022. Many people have been remembering Matilda. With the new hit musical numbers and starring the one and only Emma Thompson in the new movie, it is hard to not notice the film. Unsurprisingly, the One Eleven Theatre Company in Grants Pass has decided to do the musical here in town.
Bruce Bogtrotter is a secondary hero of Matilda, who winds up in the Chokey after a bad case of chocolate farts. The One Eleven Theatre Company website, features an interview with Brody Revercomb who plays the role of Bruce. In the video, Brody tells the viewers specifically about what his character does in the play: “He eats a lot of cake.” While this answer is simple, it actually covers a good portion of the play and one of the songs. The song is actually named after his character, and is filled with great choreography and fantastic up-close scenes of Bruce stuffing his face with cake. The role of his character is actually one of the most important, as it is the catalyst for many of the big reveals later on in the show.
Another actress, named Kallie Weiss, is one of the Big Kids in Matilda the Musical, and while they certainly are not on stage as much as some other characters, they still help move the story along and sing a lot of the music. Weiss stated, “When Matilda and her friends get to their first day of school, the big kids are there to intimidate them but also warn them.” The songs that the Big Kids sing are loud and powerful, and they help move the show along because they sing the most complex songs. In a way, they are kind of like the glue that holds the music of the show together, whether they are onstage or singing backstage, just to add a little more volume.
Harley Manning, another Big Kid, talked with The Scroll about music and choreo for the show. She said, “The music is hard to learn, but it is so worth it when everything blends together.” We talked about some of the different songs, like the light and angelic sounding, "When I Grow Up" and the louder and harsher, ‘"The Hammer". Siena Eaggleston, yet another Big Kid, talked about how much she loved the choreo for "When I Grow Up". Her favorite part is when she gets to pick up Lavender in a hug and swing her around. The song is light-hearted and fun, and it is all thanks to the choreographer, Jocelyn. She works hard every practice, fixing all the details and making sure that the choreography ends up just right so that the cast can "capture the audience's attention."
Lastly, Brody Revercomb wanted to inform the students at GPHS about the dates and times of Matilda: the Musical. He told me that opening night is Mar. 31, and that the other dates are April 1, 2, 7, 8, 14, 15, and 16. He says how far the cast has progressed, “We stumbled through our ‘Stumble-through’ of the entire show. But now, we’re seeing what all we need to fix and soon it’s gonna be great. Just like last year, with Shrek.” He was very excited, and reminded me to go and catch the opening night of Matilda the Musical!
One Eleven Theatre has been working hard throughout the past few months to put this show together, and it seems like their hard work is paying off. The main actress, Ava Hacker who plays Matilda, is a hard-working little girl who really brings out the spirit of the character. So, go log onto the One Eleven Theatre website and buy a ticket. Even if your parents aren't exactly the happiest about seeing the show… just remember that, "Sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty!"
