By Claire Fagan and Babiha Kaur, Staff Writers
River Hill theatre arts students are currently preparing to perform Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical from March 3rd to 6th.The cast and crew have been working since December to ensure that the show is unforgettable.
The musical tells the tale of Matilda, an intelligent five-year-old girl, rebelling against the evil headmistress at her school with the help of Miss Honey, her compassionate teacher. While the main character is a kindergartener, an audience of all ages can follow the musical’s theme: fighting against oppression while believing in oneself.
Freshman Bhavika Vyas plays the role of Alice, one of Matilda’s classmates. She remarks, “I’m a little kid, so I get to show so much energy onstage. There’s never a dull moment!” This is Bhavika’s first musical and she is greatly enjoying the extensive rehearsals.
Over the past two months, students have been memorizing their lines, practicing music, learning choreography and dances, blocking for the show, becoming familiar with their cues, and running the whole show. Additionally, the show is set in Britain, so all cast members with speaking lines are learning the proper accent to portray their characters. There is always something to do during these fun and chaotic rehearsals!
The company rehearses six days a week for three hours. Junior Isabel Marcus, who plays Miss Honey, explains, “I’ve been running my lines [and] reading the script like a book before bed. I’ve practiced music on the piano so I can get a feel for the accompaniment. During rehearsals, I take the notes that I get and I try and remember them.” Everyone in the cast takes notes from the directors to constantly learn and improve their performance on stage.
Rose Fernandes is a senior who plays Tommy, another classmate of Matilda’s. She explains, “It’s really nostalgic especially for me and other seniors who are turning 18 this year. [In] the song ‘When I Grow Up,’ you’re thinking, ‘Oh, I’m about to be a grown-up’. One minute you’re performing on a stage, you’re five years old, the next minute you’re 18 and you’re actually an adult.” Matilda is not the show Rose expected to perform for her senior year; it centers around young children, while most musicals portray older characters. However, she still loves looking back on her childhood through this acting role.
Matilda is not the only production River Hill Theatre has performed this year. Much of the cast involved in the musical also took part in the fall play, The Complete History of Theatre (Abridged).
Junior Finn Yu, who plays the Children’s Entertainer and Sergei in the musical, compares his experience in the play to that of Matilda. He shares, “There are a lot more people involved in the musical. In the musical, there are a lot more roles so a lot more people can take part and there’s a lot more even distribution of the roles.” Although Finn prefers acting in the play, he still takes pleasure in being a part of the musical.
Unfortunately, the pandemic has greatly impacted musical rehearsals. Bhavika elaborates, “It’s definitely created a struggle for us to have contact. Singing and dancing at the same time, that’s a real problem.” Despite some students struggling to breathe and perform in a mask, continued rehearsals have helped the actors build up stamina.
The cast has found a way to have fun despite COVID precautions. Like in school, students are allowed to remove masks for the live performances if they feel safe enough to do so. Right now, given the uncertain nature of the pandemic, this option is a double-edged sword and it is up to the opinion of each individual to decide where they stand.
Anticipation is rising for the upcoming musical. Everyone, cast and crew included, is excited to put on a great show full of heart and hope for the River Hill community. Rose comments, “The pandemic was a good time to take a break and look back at the meaning of theatre. It reminds me of how much [the musical] is worth it because you’re doing it because you love it. It’s definitely worth it in the end.”