Opening July 2 and running through the 24th, the Tony Award-winning Roald Dahl’s “Matilda The Musical” hits the stage to wrap up the 2021-22 season at The Lewis and Shirley White Theatre.
Inspired by the stories of Roald Dahl, “Matilda The Musical” highlights the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination, and the story of a girl who dreams of a better life. With the book by Dennis Kelly and original songs by Tim Minchin, Matilda has won 47 international awards.
Tickets to “Matilda The Musical” are available now at TheWhiteTheatre.org, at The White Theatre Box Office or by calling 913-327-8094.
The musical focuses on Matilda, a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence, and psychokinetic powers. She's unloved by her cruel parents but impresses her schoolteacher, Miss Honey. Over the course of her first term at school, Matilda and Miss Honey have a profound effect on each other's lives. Miss Honey begins not only to recognize but also appreciate Matilda's extraordinary personality. Matilda's school life is kept from being ideal by the school's mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, who hates children and loves thinking up new punishments for those who don't abide by her rules. But Matilda shows courage and cleverness in equal amounts as she rises above it all.
Elizabeth Cure will play the title character, Matilda, in her ninth musical performance, having played Gavroche in “Les Miserable” and Jojo in “Seussical The Musical.” Joell Ramsdell returns to The White Theatre stage as mean headmistress Miss Trunchbull after performances in “Annie” and “Young Frankenstein.”
Elizabeth Phillips is making her debut at The White Theatre as Matilda’s schoolteacher, Miss Honey. Phillips has performed on stage throughout Kansas City. Matt Walberg and his daughter, Willa, are making this performance a family affair, as Matt plays Matilda’s father, Mr. Wormwood, while Willa takes the stage in the ensemble.
Kelly Urschel Edgar is back on stage at The White Theatre as Matilda’s mother, Mrs. Wormwood. Finally, after 20 years, Denice Trawicki is back on stage at The J, rounding out the lead cast as Mrs. Phelps.
New and familiar actors will also take the stage as “The Little Kids” — Nora Brasel, Lily Case, Lucy Dandurand, Quinn Kamphaus, Olivia Kenyon, London Oxandale, Liam Smith and Oliver Yeung — and as “The Big Kids/Adults” — Laura Behm, Tessa Brasel, Hartley Graham, Stuart Jackson, Sharon Johnson, Cody Kreutzer, Pete Kuhn, Reed Pearman, Mia Valentine, Willa Walberg, Colin Weaver and Alison Weaver.
This production is the product of an educational collaboration with Theatre in the Park called The Emerging Theatre Professionals Initiative, or ETPI. This new program provides opportunities for theater professionals at the beginning of their careers to train and develop their leadership and production skills while creating art in two theater environments in the Kansas City area.
The ETPI participants who have collaborated and created theater at The White Theatre for “Matilda The Musical” will do so later this year at Theatre in the Park for their production of “The Spongebob Musical.” Guy Gardner created the initiative to help emerging artists grow their skills as artists, leaders and professionals. The hope of the program creators and developers is that the program will enhance future theater opportunities for local individuals and add to the pool of artistic talent in the region.
The White Theatre recently announced an its 2022-23 season lineup, which will feature shows like “Addams Family” and “Kinky Boots,” as well as “A Raisin in the Sun” — co-produced with the Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City — and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Guests can also look forward to concerts and new special engagements like the “Jewish Nutcracker,” a one-man show called “Eddie” — cosponsored by The Truman Library Institute — and another new work called “Vilna: A Resistance Story,” co-produced with The Culture House.
More information about “Matilda The Musical” and the 2022-23 season can be found at TheWhiteTheatre.org.
