Flashing lights, powerful music, and lovable characters. A great show, an amazing cast and crew, and a satisfied audience—Wilson’s production of “Matilda” has it all. 

The musical tells the story of a smart young girl, Matilda Wormwood (senior Maya Eng-Garcia), with cruel and neglectful parents. She goes to school with a terrifying principal, Ms. Trunchbull (senior Jamie Steinman), but befriends her teacher, Ms. Honey (senior Izzy Weimer). 

Whether it was the amazing harmonization of the opening song, “Miracle,” Eng-Garcia’s beautiful voice, or the British accents of each and every character that sold the audience, every single detail of this magical performance was a highlight. The flashing lights to emphasize the horror of Ms. Trunchbull were very impressive and unexpected. I loved Rudolpho (sophomore Hiram Valladares), Mrs. Wormwood’s slick and hilarious dance partner. 

There is no such thing as a show without flaws, but it was hard to find any. The first act was about Matilda’s birth and early childhood, including her first day of school. However, there could have been a bit more action in this part. The first hour of the show seemed long, but the second segment completely made up for it. So much excitement in one hour had the audience on the edge of their seats. Even if I had watched the movie five times, I would have been anxious to know what was going to happen next. 

From Trunchbull’s horrible punishments like Chokey, a dreaded place where students were rumored to have been tortured, to Matilda’s nail-biting stories, I was captivated. For example, when Matilda was telling her librarian (senior Rema Haile) the fascinating love story between the escapologist (sophomore John Joire) and the acrobat (senior Sophia Kennedy), the crowd was just as intrigued as the librarian was. 

The relationship between Mr. Wormwood (senior Woodfen McLean) and Mrs. Wormwood (senior Lily Perez) was so amusing; it all felt so real. Overall, Matilda is a great show created from hard work and brilliance. I absolutely recommend going to see it while you can!