“We wanted to do a show that could appeal to a wide audience this year, and this show is enjoyable for kids ages six and up. This would also appeal to a lot of high schoolers just because they have some nostalgia with the movie. We also wanted something new and different and fresh. This one is definitely different,” said musical director Andrea Gilson. 

Notre Dame Academy students have always performed in a variety of musicals, such as High School Musical, The Addams Family, Bye Bye Birdie, Cinderella and so many more. 

Not only were there many musicals to participate in, but also many roles for students to fill  notably as cast, crew, pit, tech assistant, costume designer or assistant, makeup artist or assistant and hair designer or assistant.   

This year Notre Dame Academy will be putting on another musical, Matilda. 

The audition dates are all set up in the auditorium either Monday, October 21, from 3:30 to 6 p.m., or Tuesday, October 22, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. 

Like every musical, there is a need for people to sing or dance, or at least be willing to do so. But in this case, even a person who does not want to sing can have a speaking role. Two characters in the musical meet this criteria, Mrs.Phelps and Michael, while the other characters need strong dancing and singing ability.

“The staging of this is going to be very difficult, and I think obviously the challenge of creating the illusion that some of these high schoolers are children and some are adults will be a challenge,” said Gilson. 

This comedic musical is “inspired by the twisted genius of Roald Dahl, whose Tony Award-winning Matilda The Musical is the captivating masterpiece from the Royal Shakespeare Company that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life.”

Matilda is a little girl with an astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers. She is unloved by her cruel parents but impresses her schoolteacher, the highly loveable Miss Honey. 

Over the course of her first term at school, Matilda and Miss Honey have a profound effect on each other’s lives, as Miss Honey begins not only to recognize but also appreciate Matlida’s extraordinary personality. Matilda’s school life isn’t completely smooth sailing, however; the school’s mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, hates children and just loves thinking up new punishments for those who don’t abide by the rules. 

But Matilda has courage and cleverness in equal amounts and could be the school pupils’ saving grace.  Packed with high-energy dance numbers, catchy songs and an unforgettable star turn for a young actress, Matilda is a joyous girl power romp. 

Gilson believes children and adults alike will be thrilled and delighted by the story of the special little girl with an extraordinary imagination.