ATP holds auditions March 3 for 'Matilda the Musical'
Alpine Theatre Project is conducting a statewide search for the stars of its upcoming production of Roald Dahl’s “Matilda the Musical.”
The Whitefish-based theatre company is currently the only theatre company in the Western United States that has been granted permission to produce the Tony Award-winning musical, based on the beloved book by Roald Dahl of the same name. ATP will be holding auditions to search for the musical’s eponymous star as well as Matilda’s classmates. Auditions will be held for young actors between the ages of 8-11 years of age on Saturday, March 3 at 4:30 p.m. at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center in Whitefish. Registration begins at 3:30 p.m.
Winner of 50 international awards, including the Tony Award, and one of the biggest new hits on Broadway, “Matilda the Musical” is the story of an extraordinary girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny.
Based on the beloved novel by Roald Dahl, “Matilda the Musical” continues to thrill sold-out audiences of all ages in London’s West End and across Europe. At the time of this announcement, Alpine Theatre Project is one of only two theaters in the U.S. granted permission to produce the musical.
Audition registration will begin at 3:30 p.m., with the auditions running from 4:30-8:30 p.m. All actors will be asked to learn a small dance combination. Female actors will be asked to sing the song, “Naughty,” from the show. Male actors will be asked to sing the song, “Revolting Children,” from the show. Callbacks will be held at a later date at ATP’s headquarters in Whitefish.
“Matilda the Musical” is part of ATP’s 2018 Broadway Summer Season, which also includes the 50s-era musical revue, “Smokey Joe’s Cafe,” and the one-man comedy, “Fully Committed.” “Matilda the Musical” will open on July 7 and run in rotating repertory with the other productions until July 20. Rehearsals for “Matilda the Musical” will begin lightly in May with full rehearsals beginning June 5 in Whitefish.
People are encouraged to visit Alpine Theatre Project’s website at atpwhitefish.org or call 406-862-7469 for more information.
Founded in 2004 by three Broadway veterans, Betsi Morrison, Luke Walrath and David Ackroyd, Alpine Theatre Project has been bringing Broadway talent, production, and education to Flathead Valley residents since 2004.
A breakdown of characters from “Matilda”:
- Matilda: She’s smart. We mean smart on smart. In fact, Matilda might be the smartest character we’ve ever met, and that makes us like her. She’s special.
- Lavender: She is another of the students in Miss Honey’s class, one of the few who can read and spell a little already when the school year starts. If Matilda weren’t in the class too, Lavender might be the class’s shining star.
- Hortensia: She is the older girl that Matilda and Lavender meet during one of their first recess periods at Crunchem Hall. She’s about twice their age, already 10, and a veteran of battles with the Trunchbull.
- Bruce Bogtrotter:e. He’s the slightly older boy who steals some of the Trunchbull’s cake and is punished by her in front of an entire assembly. Except, it doesn’t turn out too bad for the kid, and in the end, Bruce comes out on top.
- Nigel, Rupert, Eric, and Wilfred: Despite the Trunchbull’s comment that small girls are more evil than small boys — “a bad girl is a far more dangerous creature than a bad boy. What’s more, they’re much harder to squash.” It seems like the Trunchbull picks on male students more than she picks on the girls, overall. Nigel, Rupert, Eric, and Wilfred each have the bad luck to come to her attention.
- Fred: He is Matilda’s neighbor and friend, a boy about her own age. He’s primarily important in Matilda because he has a parrot for a pet. Matilda borrows the parrot to play a prank on her family, and Fred is all too happy to loan it to her — once Matilda gives him her allowance in exchange, that is.