Matilda the Musical (Aviano Community and Schools Theater )

Matilda Wormwood does her best with the cards she has been dealt. Between her family of fools and a headmistress who thinks school is boot camp, Matilda finds some special powers in kindness and love.

Matilda the Musical (Aviano Community and Schools Theater )

Matilda the Musical, directed by Katie Pawlik of the Aviano Community and Schools Theater group, was true to the contradictory nature of Roald Dahl’s novel. Seamlessly flowing from funny to serious, good to malevolent, the production team created an emotional rollercoaster that audiences were happy to ride.

Matilda is a bright, precocious young girl who is championed by her teacher, Miss Honey, and antagonized by her headmistress, the domineering Miss Trunchbull. Empowered by her newly discovered telekinesis, Matilda is able to stop the cycles of bullying and find a happy life for herself and her teacher.

Hosted at the Aviano Schools Complex Broadway-style stage, a space TOPPERS judges have called the best stage in Europe, the Matilda set featured a turning platform that became a classroom, a library and a gawdy living room as needed. The costumes were spot-on with school uniforms, wacky parent outfits, and, of course, the incredible Trunchbull uniform.

The serious topics of bullying, injustice and family dysfunction were balanced with hysterical scenes that satirize the antagonists. In “Loud,” Mrs. Wormwood, Matilda’s self-absorbed mother, dances with Rudolpho, played by talented Zuriel Krause, while belting out the reasons it is better to be showy than smart. It was a crowd favorite! Annika Haas as Mrs. Wormwood and Zachary Jakel as Mr. Wormwood inserted the raucous comic relief needed for the show, including harsh accents and shifty behavior that made you love to hate them.

Matilda the Musical (Aviano Community and Schools Theater )

School-age performers took the performance out into the house during, “The Smell of Rebellion.” Forced to do extreme exercises by headmistress Trunchbull, the young actors nailed the choreography. The whole show was an incredible display of children overcoming adversity. So let’s talk about enemy #1: The Trunchbull. She is vicious and Andrew Santoro nailed the hysterical tyranny that this cross-dressing role requires.

On the other end of the spectrum, meek, sweet and pretty Miss Honey, played by Emely Pinzon entranced with her incredible singing talent. And then there was Matilda. Mollie Palmrose rocked the British accent and proved to everyone that “sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty.”

Matilda the Musical (Aviano Community and Schools Theater )

Matilda the Musical (Aviano Community and Schools Theater )

Matilda the Musical (Aviano Community and Schools Theater )

Matilda the Musical (Aviano Community and Schools Theater )