Matilda, the musical
by Zach Theatre

Apr. 03 - May. 12, 2019
Wednesdays-Sundays

ZACH Theatre announces cast for the Austin premiere of the Tony Award®-winning hit Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical, running April 3 – May 12, 2019 in The Topfer.  Based on the much-loved children’s book by Roald Dahl, featuring music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, and a Tony Award®-winning book by Dennis Kelly, ZACH’s Associate Artistic Director Abe Reybold and Director of Education Nat Miller will co-direct this riotously uplifting musical that will make audiences of all generations burst with joy.

ZACH’s Associate Artistic Director Abe Reybold explains why co-directing Matilda the Musical with Nat Miller (Director of Education) is important to him. “Matilda celebrates the power of the imagination and the courage it takes to take a stand. We are thrilled to be working with a marvelous design team, 30 talented students from ZACH’s pre-professional programs and classes along with seasoned local actors participating together in one of the largest and most exciting productions in ZACH’s recent history. Matilda will be performing several school shows over its run, giving more than 5,000 local students the opportunity to experience a production from ZACH’s Mainstage Season.”

Expanding on co-directing Matilda the Musical, Director of Education Nat Miller states, "I am very excited about giving school groups the ability to see matinees of one our mainstage shows, ensuring that all kids have access to the Topfer no matter their economic background. This helps us keep our promise that we turn no child away and are fully committed to arts education in central Texas.  I’m also thrilled that so many of our students will be featured in this show, as it will showcase the incredible Pre-Professional Company as one of the top musical-training programs in the country. The development of this young talent is a huge testament to Jen Young and Josh Weschler and the program they have built."

The title role of Matilda will be shared by the talented performers CHLOE VAN DE GRAAF and ALEXA NELAN.

Matilda the Musical will also star J. ROBERT MOORE as terrible headmistress Miss Trunchbull; LAURA LYMAN PAYNE as Matilda’s caring teacher Miss Honey; ANDRÉ MARTIN and SARA BURKE as Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood, Matilda’s insufferable parents; and LARA WRIGHT as the loveable librarian Mrs. Phelps.

Matilda will be joined at Crunchem Hall Primary Schoo by the other pupils l played by WILL MAY and WILKES GOODNER as Bruce; SLOANE JOHNSON and BLAKENEY MAHLSTEADT as Lavender; LOGAN MARCUM and RYAN GU as Nigel; PAIGE RILEY and STELLA BLUE FRYE-GINSBERG as Amanda; BRUCE BOWEN and CAMERON REDWINE as Eric; ALYSA SPIRO and SAMANTHA BEAM as Alice; MARIELA DENSON and ELLI GRACE HODGES as Hortensia; BEATRIX McDANIEL and ELLA RUTMAN as Tommie; with JACK WEAVER and BRECKIN MURPHY as her brother Michael Wormwood.

Rounding out the adult cast: TYLER JONES as The Escapologist; PAUL SANCHEZ as Doctor/Sergei/Cool; ERNEST SAUCEDA as Rudolpho; EBONY CRICHLOW as Acrobat; BEN GIBSON as Counselor; JAUKEEM BALCOM as Dad; MERCY BOVIK, CAMRYN LAMONTAGNE, ZOE PARKINSON, AUSTIN DUNN, CARLI VINCIGUERRA, OWEN SCALES, and ANDERSON ZOLL as ensemble members; and ALEXA GRACE GODWIN and ARAYA FEENEY as swings. 

Directed by ABE REYBOLD and NAT MILLER, the production team also includes ALLEN ROBERTSON as Music Director, JEN YOUNG as Choreographer, MICHELLE NEY as Scenic Designer, STEPHANIE BUSING as Projection Designer, SUSAN BRANCH TOWNE as Costume Designer, SERRET JENSEN as Hair and Makeup Designer, MATT WEBB as Lighting Designer, CRAIG BROCK as Sound Designer, SCOTT GROH as Properties Designer, AMANDA COOLEY DAVIS as Dialect Coach, and CATHERINE ANNE TUCKER as Stage Manager.

Age recommendation: 6 and up; No children under the age of 3 will be admitted into the theater. 

Run time: Two hours and 30 minutes including one intermission.

CAST

J. Robert Moore – Miss Trunchbull

Laura Lyman Payne – Miss Honey/Mum

Sara Burke – Mrs. Wormwood

André Martin – Mr. Wormwood

Tyler Jones – The Escapologist/Henchmen #2/Dad

Paul Sanchez – Doctor/Sergei/Cook

Ernest Sauceda – Rudolpho/Dad/Dance Captain

Lara Wright – Mrs. Phelps/Mum

Ebony Crichlow – Acrobat/Mum/Henchmen #4

Ben Gibson – Counsler (aka Party Entertainer)/Henchmen #1

Jaukeem Balcom – Dad/Henchmen #3

Chloe Van De Graaf – Matilda

Alexa Nelan – Matilda

Will May – Bruce

Wilkes Goodner – Bruce

Sloane Johnson – Lavender

Blakeney Mahlsteadt – Lavender

Logan Marcum – Nigel 

Ryan Gu – Nigel 

Paige Riley – Amanda

Stella Blue Frye-Ginsberg – Amanda

Bruce Bowen – Eric

Cameron Redwine – Eric

Alysa Spiro – Alice

Samantha Beam – Alice

Mariela Denson – Hortensia

Eli Grace Hodges – Hortensia

Beatrix McDaniel – Tommie

Ella Rutman – Tommie

Jack Weaver – Michael Wormwood/Ensemble

Breckin Murphy – Michael Wormwood/Ensemble 

Mercy Bovik – Ensemble

Camryn Lamontagne – Ensemble

Zoe Parkinson – Ensemble

Austin Dunn – Ensemble

Carli Vinciguerra – Ensemble

Owen Scales – Ensemble

Anderson Zoll – Ensemble

Alexa Grace Godwin – Swing

Araya Feeney – Swing

Claire Sarman – U/S Miss Honey 

PRODUCTION TEAM

Abe Reybold – Director 

Nat Miller – Director

Allen Robertson – Music Director

Jen Young – Choreographer

Michelle Ney – Scenic Designer

Stephanie Busing – Projection Designer

Susan Branch Towne – Costume Designer

Serret Jensen – Hair and Makeup Designer

Matt Webb – Lighting Designer

Craig Brock – Sound Designer

Scott Groh – Properties Designer

Amanda Cooley Davis – Dialect Coach

Catherine Anne Tucker – Stage Manager

Megan Cathleen Smith – Assistant Stage Manager

Kat Kennedy – Assistant Stage Manager

About ZACH Theatre

A non-profit organization, ZACH creates intimate theatre experiences that ignite the imagination, inspire the spirit, and engage the community. As Austin’s leading professional producing theatre, ZACH employs more than 250 actors, musicians, and designers annually to create its own diverse array of nationally recognized plays and musicals under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Dave Steakley and Managing Director Elisbeth Challener. Each year, ZACH serves nearly 128,000 Central Texans – 55,000 of whom are children and youth who participate in our education and outreach programs and inspiring camps and classes.  ZACH Theatre is honored to host private and community events across the beautiful rental-ready spaces on our three-stage campus located in the heart of Austin. Founded in 1932, ZACH is the longest continuously running theatre company in the state of Texas, and one of the ten oldest in the country. Visit www.zachtheatre.org for more information.

ZACH Theatre’s 2018–19 Season is sponsored in part by The Moody Foundation, Baylor Scott & White Health, Dell, and Holiday Inn-Lady Bird Lake; and by grants from The Shubert Foundation, Junior League of Austin, The National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, the Cultural Arts Division of The City of Austin Economic Development Department, and Applied Materials. 

Matilda, the musical
by Dennis Kelly, Tim Minchin, after Roald Dahl's book
Zach Theatre

Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Saturday and Sundays at 2:30 pm, with matinee performances at 11 am on Wednesdays and Thursdays.  

April 3 – May 12, 2019