Matilda returning to Virden stage

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This article was published 27/10/2022 (1332 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It has been two years in the making, but “Matilda the Musical” will finally reach the stage in Virden in a few weeks after pandemic-related delays.

Producer and co-director Michelle Chyzyk said the musical makes for a strong return for Virden Theatre Productions and credits her team for their determination to see the project through.

Originally, the community group was to perform the musical in 2020, Chyzyk said, but pandemic restrictions forced them to keep pushing the date back. At one point, the plan was to hold an outdoor production during summer.

“There was so many different versions as they just never quit,” Chyzyk said of the cast and the volunteer crew. “So here we are finally doing it in 2022.”

The musical will be staged at Virden’s AUD Theatre for five performances Nov. 9-13.

Inspired by Roald Dahl’s children’s novel, “Matilda the Musical” is about an intelligent, imaginative girl with a horrible family who dreams of a better life.

The musical’s multi-year journey to the Virden theatre means that the youth who were initially cast are now a couple of years older and a little taller, Chyzyk said. Matilda was picked for production because of a talented group of Grade 7 to 10 students who were available. Now they’re talented Grade 9 to 12 students, Chyzyk said.

Some roles had to be recast because some cast members left to attend university, but most actors in the principal roles have returned, and Chyzyk’s enthusiasm for the project hasn’t waned.

“It’s going to be just absolutely magnificent,” she said. “The musical itself is just so fabulous, the music and the characters, and it’s really vibrant.

“It’s important to keep developing all these young performers, and that’s something that ‘Matilda the Musical’ does really well.”

Playing the title role will be actor, dancer and singer Nyah Perkin of Souris, who spent her summer performing professionally with Winnipeg’s Rainbow Stage and played a part in its production of “The Wizard of Oz.”

Having appeared in her first musical with Mecca Productions at about seven years old, the 14-year-old has since gone on to secure acting roles in a Hallmark movie and as the lead in the feature film “The Sun and his Daughter.”

But the young star, who has dreams of performing on Broadway some day, said Matilda will be the biggest part she’s played in a musical so far.

“It’s absolutely a dream come true to be able to play my dream character, so this is great,” said Perkin, whose admiration for the character came from watching “Matilda” the movie when she was younger. “I think it’s because she stands up for herself, and she’s really intelligent.”

Tickets are $25 and available at eventbrite.ca. Shows will start at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 9, 10 and 12. There will also be a 1:30 p.m. show on Nov. 12, and another at that time on Nov. 13. Ticket sales support the cost of this and future productions.

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