Quad City Music Guild's "Matilda: The Musical" at the Prospect Park Auditorium -- August 6 through 15.
Friday, August 6, through Sunday, August 15
Prospect Park Auditorium, 1584 34th Avenue, Moline IL
Winner of five 2013 Tony Awards and London's record-holder for the most Olivier Awards ever won by a musical, the Broadway smash Matilda: The Musical continues Quad City Music Guild's summer of live performances at Moline's Prospect Park Auditorium, its August 6 through 15 run treating family audiences to a delightful entertainment for all ages that the New York Times called “an exhilarating tale of empowerment” told with “astonishing slyness and grace.”
In the show, Matilda is a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence, and psychokinetic powers who is unloved by her cruel parents but cherished by her endearing yet shy teacher 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 Matilda'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 her rules. But Matilda has courage and cleverness in equal amounts, and could prove to be her fellow pupils' saving grace.
Inspired by the iconic children's book by Roald Dahl, the author of Charlie & the Chocolate Factory and James & the Giant Peach, the Tony-winning Matilda: The Musical is a captivating modern masterpiece that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination, and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life. As stated in the Hollywood Reporter, “This funhouse fairy tale is by turns riotous and poignant, grotesque and menacing, its campy comic exaggeration equaled only by its transporting emotional power.”
Directing Matilda: The Musical for Quad City Music Guild is Heather Beck, whose previous productions for the company have included 2017's The Little Mermaid and 2015's Urinetown. Her creative team includes music director Adam Beck, assistant music director Randin Letendre, choreographer Hillary Erb, costume designer Peggy Freeman, lighting designer Steve Parmley, sound designer Ryan Mandle, prop designer Katy Henderson, producer Anthony Greer, and Kevin Pieper, who serves as assistant director, stage manager, and set designer.
The show's title character is played by area stage veteran Wrigley Mancha, whose other recent performances include the Black Box Theatre's I Never Saw Another Butterfly and the Spotlight Theatre musicals Big, Billy Elliot, and even the 2019 production of Matilda. Lauren VanSpeybroeck, who has enjoyed leading roles in Music Guild's Legally Blonde: The Musical and the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse's The Sound of Music, portrays Miss Honey, while the evil Miss Trunchbull is played by Sara Wegener, a recent veteran of the Spotlight Theatre's The Wedding Singer, the Black Box Theatre's Assassins, and Music Guild's Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
Thirty-one local talents, meanwhile, complete the Matilda: The Musical ensemble: Melissa Anderson-Clark, Traveyon Bland, Miguel Cornelius, Madison Crumbleholme, Grace Engstrom, Ava Ethridge, Colin Hepner, Elise Hiatt, Tony Hiatt, Samantha Hofstetter, Ellerie Hurley, Braeson Jackson, Helena Jackson, Alex King, Ali Knollenberg, Michelle Lefler, Harper Moran, Kate Moran, Alex Pappas, Christian Raya, Kallie Reische, Antoine Richmond, Micah Roldan, Michael Schmidt, Audrey Seneli, Hailie Shemek, Celine Suarez, Dorothy Turner, Keegan Walker, Sam Whan, and Amber Whitaker.
Quad City Music Guild's Matilda: The Musical runs at the Prospect Park Auditorium August 6 through 15, with performances Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.. Admission is $11-16, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)762-6610 and visiting QCMusicGuild.com.
