‘Matilda Jr.’ play opens April 28

With the RCMS production of “Matilda Jr. The Musical,” right around the corner, the pressure on the Cast & Crew is growing at rapid speed. The play will be on April 28-30, and with only a few rehearsals left, the cast is using them to their full advantage to get the scenes straight, and the songs right.

According to Joshua Learned, a seventh-grader, the rehearsals have been, “Very interesting.”

With a cast full of amazing singers, actors, & choreographers, the director, Mr. Bickford, had to pick the best of the best, which he successfully has. Many kids tried out, doing their best to get the best roles, like Sitina Tochterman, eighth-grader, who received the role of Miss Honey.

“I’ve always loved musicals,” said Sitina, ”and I knew that there was one here,so I felt like it would be a very warm environment.”

The play Matilda Jr, written by Roald Dahl, is full of amazing characters, like Bruce Bogtrotter, Mr. Wormwood, and the favorite of Ava-Grace Satterfield, seventh-grader, is her own role, Agatha Trunchbull.

“Other than Trunchbull, I think Matilda’s great,” stated Ava-Grace.

At RCMS, there are many students who have had years of acting experience, and students who have never acted a day in their lives. Both types of students tried out for the play from Oct. 9 to Dec. 3, 2021 by recording Flipgrids of themselves singing & speaking. The top candidates went to callbacks Dec. 15 & 16, and the list was posted on the 17 of December.

“The first day I wanted to get Matilda,” said Jovina Arulandu, eighth-grader & actor of Matilda Wormwood. “I was unsure I would get the part. The second day, I knew I would get it.”

The first rehearsal was on Jan. 7, 2022, though it was not in person. It was a Zoom meeting, where the cast read through their lines for the first time, listened to the music, and got to know each other. The first in-person rehearsal was on Jan. 26th, and they have been going strong ever since. However, with very few rehearsals left until the production, rehearsals have been kicked into 4-wheel drive. 

“I think we are doing well. We have about 1 month left, and I think we could use that time to smooth out a few bumps,” said Ava-Grace, while Jovina stated that the rehearsals have been filled of “progress & collaboration.”

While the play is right around the corner, the cast members still have the time to enjoy their favorite moments throughout the play;

• Joshua’s favorite line is “Don’t stand there gawping, we are going to Spain, forever.”
• Jovina’s is “But that’s not right.”
• Ava-Grace’s is when she runs off the stage screaming, “I’ve got a newt in my knickers!”
• And Sitina’s favorite is “Ah, parle italiano? Bene.”

The play is 6 weeks away, and the cast is slowly fitting an entire round of the play into one rehearsal. With 10 rehearsals standing between them & the due dates for performing, the question remains, will they make it?

“I’m worried,” said Joshua. “Some scenes are good & some scenes are messy.”

To purchase tickets for the play, go to https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/15644/rachel-carson-middle-school-theatre. There are 900 seats for all of the productions, 300 per show. Tickets must be pre-ordered, so get them while you can!