The Gettysburg Community Theatre opened its 18th season Friday evening with a bold and beautiful production of “Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical” — the stage show based on Dahl’s beloved novel about a brilliant young girl with telekinetic powers who confronts the bullies in her world.
With music and lyrics by Tim Minchin and book by Dennis Kelly, “Matilda the Musical” first appeared as a 12-week run at Stratford Upon Avon performed by The Royal Shakespeare Company in 2010.
It opened at the West End the following year, sweeping almost a dozen Olivier Awards including Best New Musical (2012). The show’s Broadway premiere in 2013 also received critical acclaim and won four Tony Awards. Overall, according to the Royal Shakespeare Company, “Matilda The Musical” has received over 100 international awards, including 25 for Best Musical, and has been performed in multiple languages.
In GCT’s high-energy production, Randi Walker makes an impressive directorial debut in concert with solid vocal music direction by Carrie Conklin and intricate choreography by Kyle Meisner.
The modern classic opens with a lovely introduction composed of oversized alphabet blocks spelling out “Matilda,” playful children, upwards of a hundred books framing a projection screen mounted on the upstage wall, and a clown that establishes a key (circus) plot device in the “Overture.”
The set is as imaginative as Matilda; stories (and settings) play out surreally on the screen, and the three-dimensional scenes change smoothly. Colorful and sometimes cartoonish costumes (Matilda’s parents’ are peacock pretty) fit the narrative well, and the tech directed by Michael Connelly syncs seamlessly.
All of Randi Walker’s attractive cast and crew have solid stage credits, and their collective experience and passion adds up to a hilarious, at times heartbreaking, occasionally quite dark, and always engrossing journey to a better world for Matilda and her peers.
“Miracle” — performed by the Doctor (played by Joshua Rikas), Mrs. Wormwood (Katie Sainer), Mr. Wormwood (Eric Walker), and Matilda (Emma Luque Valmisa on Opening Night) and Company — starts the laughter and tears rolling at the birth of Matilda Wormwood.
Previewing the constant belittlement Matilda will suffer in showmanship style, Eric Walker cracks the audience up lamenting that she is a girl — a “…little stinky thing with no sign of a winky-ding at all.”
Suddenly Matilda is a five-year-old genius who adores reading and storytelling. Treated as a nuisance by her unscrupulous parents, ignored by her brother Michael (Greyson Grimmer), and yearning for acceptance, she has yet to discover that she can move objects with her mind.
And though Matilda seeks revenge against her father’s abuse by playing hilarious pranks (“Naughty”), she is inherently fair-minded, declaring “That’s not right!” whenever she encounters injustice at home and at school.
Some of the sweetest moments occur in Matilda’s scenes with Mrs. Phelps (Allisa Baker) at the library, Matilda’s safe haven. The librarian adores Matilda’s spoken stories and is fascinated by her tale of an Escapologist (Drew Derreth) and acrobat (Bevin Durant Fidler) — a subplot that culminates in a surprising twist at show’s end.
Others include her interactions with Miss Honey (Lucy Pratt), a gentle teacher with secret woes of her own — who discovers Matilda’s genius and wants to help her — and whose vocals shine crystal clear in “Pathetic.”
At school, Matilda befriends her classmates: Bruce (Calvin Faubel), Lavender (Alysanna Lovell on Opening Night), Eric (Avery Walker), Amanda (Katie Myers), Nigel (Dexter Walker), Tommy (Owen Austin), Hortensia (Jillian Ramsey on Opening Night), and Alice (Nora Fox on Opening Night). Each brings charming vocals and distinct personalities to the stage.
Matilda learns about the Chokey — a tortuous cupboard where the evil headmistress Miss Trunchbull (Chad-Alan Carr) locks Bruce — and finds herself face to face with the show’s main antagonist.
Carr’s stellar performances in “The Hammer” and the showstopping “The Smell of Rebellion” are standouts bursting with his superb vocal range and stage presence.
All of the adult actors deliver wonderful performances. Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood are always a riot, as is Rudolfo, Mrs. Wormwood’s flamboyant dance partner. And the kids step up with equal passion and energy; their song and dance numbers are adorable.
“When I Grow Up” (performed by the student ensemble, Matilda and Miss Honey) is an upbeat, hopeful number that precedes the students’ revolution against their evil headmistress. And Matilda’s power — which she uses without physical violence to defeat the villainess — manifests for the first time in her performance of “Quiet” after a nasty ordeal with Miss Trunchbull.
Childhood anarchy culminates in “Revolting Children” — a delightful finale in which Faubel as Bruce claims a well-deserved standout moment.
As Matilda, Valmisa delivered a wonderful, heartfelt performance on Opening Night, handling countless lines like a pro with a well-developed accent and lovely singing voice. She shared excellent chemistry with all the actors, including in a scene speaking Bulgarian with mafia crime boss Sergei (Lindsey Ringquist).
Matilda ultimately finds the justice and acceptance she’s yearned for in a happy ending, showing that even someone quite small can make a profound impact on their world.
Presented by special arrangement with Music Theatre International, “Matilda the Musical” continues through Feb. 1st at Gettysburg Community Theatre, 49 York Street. Performances are 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. General admission is $25. For tickets and more information, visit gettysburgcommunitytheatre.org.
Artistic Director Chad-Alan Carr announced preshow that some characters in “Matilda” are shared roles. Purple cast members perform on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons; blue cast members perform on Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons.
The blue cast main characters who did not appear on Opening Night are Caroline Edwards as Matilda, Imogene Petters as Lavender, Ali Fazal as Amanda, Helena Patrono as Hortensia, and Thea Mathers as Alice.
Also appearing in the student ensemble are purple cast members Ella Beyer, Lennox Rikas, Cooper Grimmer (all shows), Sully Rikas, Teagan Hyder, and Elliot McCleaf. Blue cast members in the student ensemble are Brook Buser, Elsie Miller, Cooper Grimmer, Elena Shugars and Harper Coyle.
Purple cast members appearing in the adult ensemble are Emily Beyer, Megan Rikas, and Melissa Patrono. The blue cast member in the adult ensemble is Molly Grimer. Holly Gouge appears in the adult ensemble in all performances.
Stage managed by Amy Eyler. Photo courtesy of Marc Faubel.
