SHS drama director Barbra Malecki and students worked to bring Matilda the Musical to the Scarsdale High School stage. Over three consecutive nights, December 17, 18 and 19, the drama club performed the hit musical in which the young, bookwormish Matilda grapples with not meeting her parents’ expectations as well as those of her strict schoolmaster. Later, she learns to advocate for herself while also discovering her powers with the help of her teacher and friends.
The lead role, Matilda Wormwood, played by Samantha Loeser ‘24, won over viewers in her solo number “Naughty” with her quick choreography, impressive vocals, and spot-on English accent. Following the introduction of Matilda, the crowd met Miss Honey, Matilda’s teacher, and Miss Trunchbull, the school headmaster. Miss Honey was played by Rebecca Gross ‘24 who accurately depicted the sweetness and care of the character. Gross’s voice was as equally charming as the character herself. On the other hand, Nico Segal ‘25 conveyed the brutality of Miss Trunchbull parallel to the actress of Miss Trunchbull in the original musical. The famous scene in which Miss Trunchbull grabs the pigtails of a Crunchem Hall student and spins her around captured the attention of the entire audience; the swap between the actor and fake body was seamless. The equally famous scene in which another student named Bruce, played by Martha Jones ‘26, is forced to eat cake entertained the audience. While the play appeared to be smooth sailing, Lavender, played by Victoria Rodriguez ‘26, sported a new CAM boot. Lavender and the cast were forced to work around this sudden injury setback shortly before the big performance. The cast displayed professionalism as it appeared that the boot was part of Lavender’s character.
Not only were the actors amazing, but the sets and costumes were on point. Large bookshelves lined the sides of the stage to immerse the set into the world of Matilda. The Crunchem Hall school gates were crafted perfectly for the ensemble to dance between and around the bars. In addition, the chokey was accurately executed. As for the costumes, all characters had precisely assembled outfits that fit very well according to their role. The first number included humorous children’s costumes to make the actors seem like little kids. The ensemble especially looked fit for the school children part with their corresponding ties and uniform pants.
Some notable numbers include “Loud” and “Revolting Children.” “Loud” featured Mrs. Wormwood, Carlie Kauffman ‘25, who wore a blonde updo as bold and outlandish as the role and routine. Kauffman strutted the stage with comedic flair which was a hit with the audience. “Revolting Children” included the ensemble in an upbeat number that got the viewer’s feet bouncing. My favorite piece, however, was “School Song.” The entire cast participated in this routine. As well as being entertaining, wooden boxes with duct-tape letters acted as props to add a striking element while the cast mentions the alphabet within the song. The boxes had to be meticulously followed to get the correct letters to their designated places at the right time.
The audience erupted in a standing ovation at the end and left with uplifted spirits. We cannot wait to see what the drama club does next!
