The Shelter Island High School Drama Club’s long-awaited production of “Matilda the Musical” opens on Thursday. Tickets are on sale in the school lobby.
Performances are Thursday, April 28 at 7 PM, Friday and Saturday, April 29 and 30 at 8 PM, and Sunday, May 1 at 3 PM. Purchase tickets —$15 for adults and $10 for students — at the reception desk in the school lobby through Friday at 2 PM. After that, the remaining tickets will be sold at the door.
About ‘Matilda the Musical’
Based on a popular Roald Dahl book, “Matilda the Musical” tells the story of Matilda Wormwood (Franny Regan), a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence, and psychokinetic powers. With the support of a sympathetic librarian, Mrs. Phelps (Kaitlyn Gulluscio), and a kind teacher, Miss Honey (Myla Dougherty), she tries to rid her school of its evil headmistress Miss Trunchbull (Cris DiOrio).
Despite being recognized as a miracle by the doctor (Annabella Springer) who oversees her birth, Matilda is unwanted by her decidedly awful family (Sara Mundy and Luca Martinez as Mrs. and Mr. Wormwood, and Daniel Hernandez as Michael). So Matilda takes refuge in books. And she weaves tales of her own, including one about an escapologist (James Durran) and his acrobat wife (Elsie Mae Brigham), entrancing Mrs. Phelps with storytelling that comes alive on stage.
Matilda has the support of cake-gobbling Bruce Bogtrotter (Madison Springer — who also plays the Wormwoods dance instructor, Rudolpho), newt dunking Lavendar (Johanna Kaasik), and the other schoolchildren (Brigham, Nathan Cronin, Durran, Mary Gennari, Gulluscio, Hernandez, Kaasik, Sebastian Martinez, Lili Kuhr, Leo Napoles, Kaili Osario, Elenn Schack, Margaret Schulteis, Madison Sobejana, Mackenzie Speece, and Madison Springer).
Many of the actors double up on roles (as parents, salsa dancers, nurses, and a cook), and there’s a hilarious cameo at the end of the show that you won’t want to miss.
A student crew led by stage manager Annabella Springer includes Alex Burns, Michael Kotula, Andrea Napoles, and John Febles Torres, with Madigan Teodoru in charge of microphones and quick costume changes.
This ensemble performance was initially scheduled for March 2020 but had to be abruptly canceled when the pandemic broke out like so many other events. As a result, some cast members graduated or moved on to other interests, and other students replaced them for this delightful musical about the power of imagination.
Not just kids
These adults support the drama club students: John Kaasik is the director (he also designed and constructed the sets), and his wife, Anu, is the producer, handling tasks too varied to list here; Sara Mundy and Shelter Island School band teacher Keith Brace are musical directors; Laura Dickerson is the choreographer, and Susan Cincotta serves as drama coach.
Marcus Kaasik assists with lighting. Julia Brennan designed and constructed many costumes with help from Cincotta, Anu Kaasik, JoAnn Kirkland, Lora Lomuscio, Jill Regan, and Charity Robey. Lisa Goody manages the box office.
Peter Waldner provided the poster and set art and assisted with props, along with Paul Mobius. John and Anu Kaasik handled the program and publicity. Lisa Goody is the box office manager.
