By Kathryn Olsen
It’s a wonderful thing for companies to be returning to live performances and Matilda: The Musical at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre in Orem is a phenomenal display of intergenerational drama. Based on the 1988 novel by Roald Dahl, the musical by Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin is brought to life in this production not only by the skills of Director/Music Director DeLayne Layton but the skills and enthusiasm of a cast of over forty. I have been a Roald Dahl fan since childhood and was frequently encouraged to experience the stage version by friends.
As the play opens, the ensemble of children relate their pleasant upbringings of being considered a “miracle” or a “special guy” and the positive effect that being wanted and loved has had on them. Moments later, Mrs. Wormwood (Corinne Adair) discovers that she is in labor and protests that she already has the child she wanted. Mr. Wormwood (Scott Hendrickson) objects to the ugly little boy he is handed, refusing to acknowledge that it is a beautiful little girl. This trend continues as Matilda (Gemma Sanders) exhibits deviant behaviors like reading and asking questions while her model older brother Michael (Brett Barry) occasionally repeats single words. Upon arriving at school, she is treasured by her teacher Miss Honey (Brandalee Streeter) and despised by Headmistress Miss Agatha Trunchbull (Scott Rollins), who blames her for everything from lack of discipline to a missing piece of cake. Paradigms shift and a revolt looms on the horizon as the school kids decide to take action.
Sanders’ performance is one of the most extraordinary elements of the show. She emotionally carries the story, inspires suspense, rallies her classmates, and has moments in which she is no more different than another child. It is a demanding role for any performer and eight-year-old Sanders is marvelous. Her swings between defiance and insecurity and quest for happiness are captivating.
Rollins plays one of modern literature’s iconic villains with the kind of flair and absolute sense of moral righteousness that make him a caricature of discipline as well as a big bad wolf type that everyone has reason to dislike. He is larger than life for young and old alike and it requires an actor with magnificent stage presence, which is the hallmark of Rollins’ performance.
The collective Wormwoods must be mentioned as that family unit. Hendrickson, Adair, and Barry are dysfunctional and delusional with a chemistry that is a joy to watch. Adair’s “Loud” allows her to take her dramatic flourishes to another level, while Hendrickson and Barry’s “All I Know” highlights the perils of ignorance and the flaws of characters who do not think for themselves. It takes actors of great intelligence to be that ironically idiotic and they must all be commended for that.
On the more isolated contributions, we have six of the most memorable secondary characters. Katherine Clark plays Lavender, Matilda’s best friend, with a wonderful and irrepressible enthusiasm and an aspiration to be as naughty as her role model. Bruce (Noland Reinbold) starts as a bullied child and eventually becomes someone they can all rally around. Jana Wilhite is Mrs. Phelps, a librarian who often lets her emotions run away with her and this sincerity of acting is a boon to the plot as well as the ensemble. Jayson Shipley plays Rudolpho, Mrs. Wormwood’s often-silent dancing partner, in moments of comedic gold, while Kelsey Phillips Harrison and Scott Sackett render Matilda’s ongoing tale of the acrobat and the escapologist lovely and heart-rending.
The true spectacular of this production is the massive group of young actors. Choreographer Ashley Carlson has built chorus numbers of varying skill levels and using different types of dance so that there were school kids doing marches and back handsprings, cheerleading moves and double pirouettes. The energy of the ensemble was overwhelmingly delightful and there is no question as to why the children at Crunchem Hall are an unstoppable force.
Harrison is partly to be credited for this, since she serves very capably as Dance Captain with Emma Remington. Lighting Designer Mark Norton and Sound Designer/Audio Engineer Chase Ellison ramp up the intensity of the musical with their contributions. Costume Designer Deborah Bowman is responsible for the uniforms of the children, but also makes the standout visuals of the dance costumes and Mr. Wormwood’s somehow-sleazy business suit among other things. Lead Scenic Artist Rachael Gibson and Scenic Artist Faith Sage ensure that every inch of the stage, from Miss Trunchbull’s office to the fold-out library is visually attractive and versatile while Props Designer Norton enhances scenes with the accessories of out-of-the-ordinary moments.
Matilda is a show to be enjoyed by the whole family. From the David and Goliath nature of the story to the conflict of adult priorities, there is something for everyone. Get your tickets now and you’ll soon aspire to be as cool as the revolting children or, at the very least, naughty.
SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre Presents Matilda; Novel by Roald Dahl, Book by Dennis Kelly, Music and Lyrics by Gim Minchin
SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre, 600 S 400 E, Orem, UT 84058
Jul 1-17, 2021 8:00 PM
Tickets: $10-20
Contact: 801-225-2787
SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre Facebook Page
Matilda Facebook Event
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