On the evening of Friday, November 15th, the Crown Point High School Theatre performed the opening night of “Roald Dahl's Matilda: The Musical.” This is the first time that the play has been performed at Crown Point High School. This production, which began development in May, was made possible by the efforts of over 160 Crown Point High School students, both on and off the stage. Families of the cast and crew and other Crown Point residents filled the theatre and enthusiastically applauded the performers.
This colorful tale follows the adventures of Matilda Wormwood, an intelligent and imaginative young girl who is constantly subjected to the cruelty of her vain parents and her school’s fiendish headmistress, Miss Trunchbull. When Matilda discovers that she has the power of telekinesis, she uses her wits and newfound abilities to defend herself and her friends from the bullies of the world. She goes on to prove that, even if you’re little, you can still do big things.
Jerome Flewelling, fine arts teacher at Crown Point High School and the director of “Matilda,” is deeply pleased to have successfully reached opening night and looks forward to sharing the production with the community.
“It’s awesome to see the final result of all the collaboration,” Flewelling said. “So many people have helped bring the vision to life. We chose to perform ‘Matilda: The Musical’ because we felt that the Crown Point community would appreciate it. We also considered it to be a great challenge for us and our students. I’d like to emphasize that the students are doing an amazing job and the directing team has been fabulous to work with.”
On November 16, for the second performance of ‘Matilda: The Musical,’ the Crown Point High School Theatre will offer an inclusive theatre experience for the first time. Individuals with special needs are invited to come and watch the performance. Sensory kits with headphones, fidget devices, and weighted blankets will be available for rent. These kits are intended to make the viewing experience as pleasant as possible for those with special needs. This inclusive experience was made possible through the efforts of many departments throughout Crown Point High School.
Kevin McBride, assistant director and set designer of “Matilda,” sought to take a unique approach when designing the set.
“When you look at most ‘Matilda: The Musical’ sets, they tend to copy off the Broadway set’s design,” McBride said. “I didn't want to imitate what others have done, so I based our set’s design off of what Matilda’s memory box would look like. It would contain things she is interested in, so every single poster that lines the set is mentioned in the script. We have posters for her father’s business Wormwood Motors and posters of her favorite books’ covers. Each one is a nugget that helps tell the story. I would encourage our audience members to take it all in and let themselves be a part of the experience as they watch the production.”
In a touching gesture, the actors signed copies of Roald Dahl’s “Matilda” with the names of their characters. The books were then put up for sale on the Crown Point High School website for young readers to purchase enjoy.
Triniti Colbert, one of the actresses playing Matilda Wormwood in ‘Matilda: The Musical,’ is a junior who has participated in five productions before this one. She looks forward to spreading a positive message with her performance.
“I'm very nervous, but very excited too,” Colbert said. “I'm so honored to have been gifted this role and am so glad that I get to perform alongside all of my friends. Acting is what I do. It’s what I love and it’s what I want to keep doing. I hope everyone in the audience has a good time and that they leave laughing. I also hope that the play will remind them that, as Matilda says ‘Even if you're little, you can do a lot.’ She shows them that you can always be strong, always push through, and there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. I wish all of my fellow actors good luck!”
This is the first time that Abby Cummins, assistant director and hair and makeup designer of “Matilda,” has held two positions when participating in a Crown Point High School production. She has found that her dual roles have lent her deeper insight into the production as a whole.
“It’s been a joy to observe the kids’ growth from two different perspectives as we prepared for this production,” Cummins said. “I’ve loved Matilda since I was a little girl. I enjoyed watching the movie when it came out in the 90s. Although I didn’t get to see it live, I found the clips of the London show interesting. Even as an adult, I appreciate the play’s psychological themes. Our last two shows were happy, Disney-type plays, but we wanted to do something a bit different this year. Although ‘Matilda: The Musical’ has some heavier themes, it’s still a very fun show. If you’re reading this, come on out and see it for yourself!”
The fun is only just beginning! Upcoming “Matilda: The Musical” performances will be on November 16, 17, 22-24. Please visit cphs.cps.k12.in.us for ticket information and performance updates.