Award-winning Matilda the Musical comes to Vancouver

The cast, Royal MTC, Winnipeg. Set and costume design by Cory Sincennes and lighting design by Gerald King. Photo by Dylan Hewlett

Matilda the Musical is coming to Vancouver.

Based on the book by Roald Dahl (James and the Giant Peach), the production is a joint effort from Winnipeg’s Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre. It will be at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage from May 16 to July 14. Find out what makes the show special below.

The musical’s heroine is Matilda (Georgia Acken/Thailey Roberge), a little girl who loves reading and has psychokinetic powers. She’s unloved by her cruel parents but impresses her schoolteacher, Miss Honey (Alison MacDonald). During Matilda’s first term at school, the two have a profound effect on each other’s lives, as Miss Honey both recognizes and appreciates Matilda’s personality. However, terrorized by the school’s headmistress, Miss Trunchbull (John Ullyatt), Matilda takes a stand to save her classmates.

The book is by Dennis Kelly and the music and lyrics by Tim Minchin. Kelly is a British writer who has worked on BBC Three’s sitcom Pulling and the conspiracy thriller Utopia. Minchin is an Australian writer, director and comedian known for his musical comedy, including several albums and shows such as Darkside.

Matilda is the winner of over 50 major international awards. It won seven Olivier Awards in 2012, including Best New Musical—the most ever won by a single show at the time. At the 2013 Tony Awards, the show won five awards, including Best Book of a Musical.

Julio Fuentes, Alison MacDonald, and Lauren Bowler, Royal MTC, Winnipeg. Set and costume design by Cory Sincennes and lighting design by Gerald King. Photo by Dylan Hewlett

In a media release from Vancouver’s the Arts Club, director Daryl Cloran says, “We have been working with new youth performers in each city: Winnipeg, Edmonton, and now Vancouver. It has meant lots of rehearsal, but I have loved being surrounded by the enthusiasm and wonder of these young talents. It is such an incredible opportunity for all of these young performers to have a professional experience like this. It is not hyperbole to say this will be a life-changing experience for many of them, one that will stay with them for years to come.”

Arts Club artistic Director Ashlie Corcoran says, “Matilda is a fun, cheeky, and imaginative blockbuster, full of fantastic tunes and great characters. I am excited to program large musicals that every family member can enjoy—and this is a great example. This musical is creative and playful, and appeals to children of all ages, while incorporating sophisticated wit for adults. Roald Dahl’s work has a gleefully subversive edge that is accessible to all ages.”

Tickets from $39 at artsclub.com or the Arts Club Box Office at 604.687.1644

Showtimes: Tue–Thu at 7:30 PM, Fri & Sat at 8 PM, Wed at 1:30 PM, and Sat & Sun at 2 PM

To see what else is happening in theatre in Vancouver this month, visit our May theatre listings.

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