NEW: ‘MATILDA, JR.!’ TAKING PIONEER HALL STAGE SUNDAY
JEREMY WALTNER – PUBLISHER
The story of Matilda, a mischievous but highly intelligent 6-year-old who first appeared in a 1988 bestselling children’s novel written by Roald Dahl, will finally be presented to a local audience from the Pioneer Hall stage.
“Matilda Jr.!” a theatrical adaptation for children taken from the hit Broadway musical based on Dahl’s book, is being prepared by the Freeman Area Children’s Choir and will be presented this Sunday, June 25. Curtain is at 6:30 p.m. and tickets will be available at the door.
“Matilda the Musical” was on tap to be presented as the Schmeckfest musical in 2020, 2021 and 2022 but canceled because of the pandemic.
The upcoming production is the foundation for a 10-day FACC musical theater camp that began Monday, June 12 and will conclude this Friday, June 23. It is being led by directors Iwona Lewter (artistic) and Amber Bradley (music) with choreography by Kathryn Rose Reimler, who has worked on a number of Schmeckfest musicals.
This will be the first musical for an FACC ensemble since “Frozen Jr.” was presented in May of 2019 and solidifies the return of the children’s choir, which was re-established by Bradley and Lewter in the summer of 2022.
The FACC was originally led by founder Mavis Ortman from 1993 through 2012 and then Sheila Epp from 2013 through the spring of 2019.
Matilda, Jr.! cast (in alphabetical order)
Nolan Andersen – Rudolfo
Hannah Bradley – Lavender
Abigail Bradley – Big kid
McKoen Dockendorf – Russian
Charli Fickbohm – Miss Honey
Arianne Fink – Mrs. Phelps
Noelle Friesen – Acrobat
Sariah Gibby – Little kid
Praba Haggerty – Big kid
Joshua Hauck – Bruce
Alyssa Hofer – Nelly (Nigel)
Reeslyn Hofer – Big kid
Jax Kaufman – Mr. Wormwood
Chloe Kelly – Big kid
Christian Kelly – Eric
Leila Langle – Alice
Jocelyn Lee – Trunchbull
Ella Lewter – Matilda
Thomas Lewter – Sergei
Brielle McCormick – Hortensia
Elliana McCormick – Amanda
Finley McCune – Cook & Russian
Emmit Ortman – Tommy
Simon Ortman – Escapologist
Kenzy Penner – Big kid
Emma Rempfer – Big kid
Irah Rempfer – Mechanic
Breton Ross – Michael
Harli Ross – Mrs. Wormwood
Jessica Scheetz – Mum
Ava Schultz – Russian
