MOULTRIE – “Matilda” brings students together, under the direction of choir teacher Jimbo Jarvis, in a community supported event that’s a much-loved annual tradition in Colquitt County.
A cast of talented Colquitt County High School students will bring to life the characters of Roald Dahl’s popular book with four performances of “Matilda the Musical,” February 22 through February 25.
On sitting down with Jarvis and cast members to discuss the upcoming show, it seemed to be much more than just an annual high school musical. According to the students and Jarvis, it has become an opportunity for students to really get together behind a common goal and take ownership of a project that is uniquely theirs.
“It’s our musical. It’s the students’ musical, for sure. … We are the musical,” said Anabele Gonzales, a senior, who shares the part of Matilda, the main character, with Lily Watson, a junior.
Jarvis said that the number of students who wanted to participate in the musical has increased dramatically over the past few years and there will be 108 students onstage this year.
“We have some great people in position for these roles. They’re pouring themselves into it,” he said. “We really do have some talented folks sitting right here and some more that I wish were sitting right here.”
He went on to say that the students had so many different qualities to bring to the table and even though the show is double cast, the personalities of each individual come out a little differently so that no two performances of a character are the same.
“We make the character our own,” said Jenna Reed, who shares the role of Miss Honey with Marlie Daniels.
Jarvis said that, even in the set building process, which has been happening every Saturday, the students in the show have taken ownership in building the sets.
“Not just going off and learning their lines and songs and dances but to be able to say that ‘I helped build the stage. I helped paint that stage. I helped put all this together. Not just acting but the entire setting,’” he said.
Jarvis said that there are also student musicians playing in the orchestra for the show, which is a testimony to the high school’s band program and the students.
“It’s spotlighting them just as much as it’s spotlighting the kids onstage that are dancing, acting and singing,” he said.
Daniels said that it takes so many people to get it put together and people don’t realize how lucky they are to have such a good community that will support them and added, “You know, help us to fund this thing and we get free supplies from all different stores to build our sets and we have people come and take photos of us.”
She also went on to say that in the cast there were a variety of students like soccer players and gymnasts and so many different people and they were very lucky to have that kind of support for the musical.
“And we can all come together and have one thing in common,” Reed interjected.
Jarvis said that there have been so many people and businesses that have donated to the production of the show, “and without those donations, the show wouldn’t be as grand as it’s gonna be. … We’ve got some very generous businesses in this town.”
He said he’s very appreciative and thankful to the community that has supported the musical.
“It’s so incredible watching it and putting it together piece by piece. You can tell how much people care about it throughout the entire cast,” said Ashton Manley, a sophomore, who shares the role of Agatha Trunchbull with Emma Kirkley, a senior.
The students talked about their first experiences with watching musicals, when they were younger, and how hooked they were. All of the juniors and seniors in the group had been in the high school’s musical last year.
Watson said that she remembered when she was in middle school with Jarvis as her choir instructor; he had shown the class the musical, “Newsies” so much that they knew all of the songs.
Every one of the students being interviewed, except one, had Jarvis as their choir teacher in middle school.
“We like to think that we’re teaching life lessons instead of just dance and music and theater,” Jarvis said.
Jarvis said that there was just something about a musical theater production that draws people in when they least expected it to.
Tanner Grant, a junior, who shares the role of Mrs. Wormwood with Julie Chiasson, a senior, said that when she saw “Newsies” it made such a big impression on her and how she felt like one of the characters “belonged to her.”
“I’m very excited to be somebody’s Wormwood,” she said with the rest of the group agreeing with her about how the younger kids in the audience had reacted to them when they were in last year’s musical.
Chiasson, who played a main character in last year’s musical, added that some of the kids in the audience had brought her gifts and it meant a lot to her.
When asked about “Matilda the Musical,” the students seemed to agree that the story itself has a positive message for the audience of being able to overcome adversity.
“It’s a very heartfelt story. And our parents grew up watching ‘Matilda’ and now they’ll get to see it. So, it’s kinda like everyone has a connection to that story, so people of all ages will really enjoy it,” said Reed.
Gonzales said that she thought one of the messages she got from the show was that a person could do anything that they put their mind to.
“You can grow up and be okay,” she said.
Daniels added that it was a message of overcoming “in spite of everything that gets in the way”.
Manley agreed and said, “I think that it’s kind of like there’s always going to be a power that’s gonna keep you from doing what you want but you just have to push past it, and kindness can also help you do that, as well.”
“I love the story of Matilda. I think we can all relate to Matilda,” said Jarvis.
“Matilda the Musical,” based on Dahl’s 1988 novel, “Matilda,” was originally staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2010 and has since been performed all over the world including Broadway. It’s the story of a very witty, intelligent and precocious five-year old girl, who has the gift of psychokinetic powers and uses them to overcome obstacles in her life and to be a champion for her fellow classmates.
Tickets are available now. The show dates are Thursday, Feb. 22, through Saturday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 25, at 2 p.m., at the Willie B. Withers Civic Auditorium.