September marks the beginning of school, yes, but it also marks the beginning of theater season.
Case in point: Four area theaters – Ignite Community Theatre, Spokane Civic Theatre, Lake City Playhouse and Red Bird Theater – are kicking off their 2019-20 seasons this week.
The theaters are bringing “See How They Run,” “Matilda: The Musical,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and “Into the Woods” to the stage, respectively.
‘Matilda: The Musical’
The world was first introduced to the intelligent, precocious Matilda Wormwood, the rotten Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood, the cruel Agatha Trunchbull and the sweet Jennifer Honey in Roald Dahl’s 1988 novel “Matilda.”
Just under a decade later, the book was adapted into a film starring Mara Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, Pam Ferris and Embeth Davidtz.
Wilson won the YoungStar Award for best performance by a young actress in a comedy film, and DeVito won two awards for his directing.
In more recent years, Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin teamed up to bring the classic story to the stage. The musical premiered in London in 2010, on the West End in 2011 and on Broadway in 2013.
The London, Broadway and Australian productions all won and were nominated for a number of awards.
To kick off the season, Spokane Civic Theatre will bring young Matilda and her telekinetic powers to its main stage.
The musical stars Eleanor Weitz as Matilda, Doug Dawson as Miss Trunchbull, Shelby Fressmeyer as Miss Honey, Michael Hynes as Mr. Wormwood, Colleen Kirsten as Mrs. Wormwood, Matthew Brauhn as Michael Wormwood, Juana Cabbage as Mrs. Phelps, Brody Else as Bruce and Teagan Reese as Lavender.
Civic’s production is directed by Kathie Doyle-Lipe, with music directed by Henry McNulty.
If you go: Today through Oct. 13, 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays; Spokane Civic Theatre, Margot and Robbie Ogden Main Stage, 1020 N. Howard St. Tickets are $35 adults; $30 seniors and military; $25 ages 13-25; $15 ages 5-12 and all ages rush 30 minutes before curtain, available through spokanecivictheatre.com.
Note: This musical is rated PG.
Article by Azaria Podplesky of the Spokesman-Review
Photo by Colin Mulvany of the Spokesman-Review