Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical
at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

Reviewed on April 30, 2022

Charley Braceland
W. T. Woodson High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Get your nose out of your book and turn your attention to the stage. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) invites you to enjoy their spectacular performance of Matilda, brimming with joy, sadness, and revolution.

In 2010, Roald Dahl's beloved children's book Matilda took to the stage as a musical by the same name, adapted by Dennis Kelly with music by Tim Minchin. Staying true to Dahl's tale, the musical tells the story of Matilda, a young girl favored with both fantastical smarts and unusual powers. Taking control of her own destiny, Matilda stands up for what is right, be it against her parents or her principal.

TJHSST's Matilda was masterfully played by Sarina Saran, who captured the childlike defiance of Matilda's character perfectly. Portraying such a young character is no easy feat, and Saran executed each line flawlessly with untiring energy throughout the entire show. In her songs "Naughty" and "Quiet," Saran maintained her characterization of Matilda, staying consistent with her accent. Saran blew the audience away in the finale with her consummate ability to speak a foreign language so faultlessly.

Saran's performance was only strengthened by the ensemble of Matilda's Classmates. Their chemistry with Saran was natural, making every character interaction feel real. Micaela Wells, performing as Matilda's best friend Lavender, brought the bright energy of a child to the stage, and charmed the audience with a fun acrobatic trick. Another of Matilda's classmates, Bruce, was played by Cyrus Rivers, a magnificently talented individual. Rivers was the icing on the cake with his devoted acting, stunning vocals, and magnificent dance numbers, enthralling the audience in songs such as "Bruce" and "Revolting Children."

Contrasting Saran's character was Ryan Lien as Mrs. Trunchbull. A tricky part to play, Lien gave a remarkable display of Mrs. Trunchbull's grotesque and belligerent attitude. Lien depicted his character's crazed deportment to the extreme, leaping about the stage and snarling like a wild animal, never breaking character once in the entire show. Lien's performance was strikingly skillful, captivating and entertaining the audience throughout the whole performance.

TJHSST's actors were not the only brilliant ones, as their technical crew exceedingly outdid themselves. Lighting by Ryan Lien, Rachel Kwon, Cullan Kelley, and Charles Bucher was enchanting, flashing bright lights onstage and in the audience, creating moving rainbows and patterns of color behind the actors, and showing accomplished understanding of complex lighting techniques. Their greatest work was shown through the songs "Loud," "Quiet," and "Revolting Children," though their professional knowledge of lighting was exhibited throughout the whole show.

Sets by Hannah Frieden, Mira Singh, Champe Mitchell, and Dani Hunter were dazzling, capturing the whimsy of lighthearted scenes with vivid colors, and accenting scarier scenes with meticulously designed set pieces, such as the formidable and climbable school gate in "School Song." Mayuka Valluri, Leydi Cris Cobo Cordon, Jason Klein, and Charles Bucher worked together to combine STEM with Theatre Arts, constructing magnificent columns on stage and writing hundreds of lines of code in order to program signs to pop out of each column to indicate a scene change. With such a unique addition to this show, the columns were admirable not only for their design and construction, but for their inventiveness as well.

TJHSST's production of Matilda was an unforgettable performance, using the cast and crew's individual expertise to truly make the musical their own. Every aspect amazingly and exquisitely delivered this story of courage and justice to its delighted audience.

Aislinn Moore
St. Stephens & St. Agnes School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Magical powers, books, evil parents, and a big fat bully…Thomas Jefferson High School's Production of Matilda had all someone needs to be a little bit "Naughty."

Matilda is about one exceptionally smart girl, Matilda (Sarina Saran), with special powers, born to two parents who are quite the opposite. Matilda loves books and learning, but her parents love the telly and think Miss Trunchbull (Ryan Lien) will be able to fix Matilda's "broken behavior." At Matilda's new school, she meets the sweetest teacher, Ms. Honey (Riva Jain) who understands her. Matilda was originally a novel written by Roald Dahl and published in 1988. The book was then adapted into a film in 1996 starring Danny DeVito as Mr. Wormwood. The musical was further adapted by Dennis Kelly and first put on stage in 2010. Matilda is popular on the West End and made it to Broadway in 2013 to 2017. Matilda explores themes of family, power, and education.

Everyone in Thomas Jefferson High School's substantial cast was able to hold the great and infectious energy needed throughout the whole production making the show entertaining to watch. Everything was so well thought out and strategic that one could not wait to see what was going to happen next.

Sarina Saran (Matilda) was able to hold her versatile role well. She juggled having to be funny, cunning, and clever with ease. She especially did well creating suspense during her storytelling of the Acrobat (Evelyne Breed) and the Escapologist (Sri Vellakkat). The audience was on the edge of their seat along with the librarian, Mrs. Phelps (Hannah Frieden).

A pivotal part to the story, Ryan Lien (Miss Trunchbull), was effortlessly hilarious and had the audience in constant laughter. Lien did exactly the perfect action at the perfect time. His vocals were also extremely impressive considering he continuously was using a high voice and doing extravagant dance and gymnastic moves, especially during "The Smell of Rebellion". Another very memorable number was Mrs. Wormwood's (Aafreen Ali) song "Loud". Her energy was impressively vivacious throughout the show, and she really shined during "Loud". Her ability to stay loud with all her fantastic dancing was spectacular. Cyrus Rivers, as Bruce, was also able to draw the eye to him and gave a spectacular performance in "Revolting Children" and "Bruce".

The lighting in this show was phenomenal. The lights were always on point, especially during songs like "Loud", where the backdrop was neon pink and orange. The seemingly gibberish word tiles up the side of the stage were ingeniously used during the remarkable "Revolting Children" number. The scrambled letters were lit up to spell words in this song and it was a super exciting part of the show. The props used in the show were unique and key parts of the show. The gymnastic equipment used in "The Smell of Rebellion" was real equipment that transformed the stage into a jungle gym. The gate to the school was also particularly notable, especially during the scene when the letters were dropped into it. It was very smoothly done. Finally, the costumes were very strategic. Miss Trunchbull's shining tracksuit was hilarious, and Mrs. Wormwood's pull away orange dress to a shiny pink dress was stunning and well executed.

Thomas Jefferson High School's Production of Matilda was strategically rib-tickling and showed the audience how to stand up to the bullies.

Aeryn Dahm
South County High School
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is nationally renowned for its STEM prowess, but what some might be surprised to learn is that its capability stretches into the world of the arts as well. To a great extent, the TJ Theatre Arts program showed this off in their recent production of Matilda: The Musical.

"Matilda," Roald Dahl's famous book-turned-movie about a young girl with telekinetic powers, first opened its musical form on the West End in 2011. In 2013, it made the journey to Broadway, snagging five Tony awards. The story follows Matilda, an incredibly intelligent five-year-old girl who loves to read. She lives with her parents, who couldn't care less for her, and attends a school led by the iron-fisted Miss Trunchbull. Her only reprieve is the kind Miss Honey, and Matilda soon begins to learn that even little children have the means to fight back against what isn't right, if only they're willing to let themselves be "a little bit naughty."

Sarina Saran played the titular role in TJ's production, managing to balance Matilda's youth with her wisdom. Though all her skills in performance shone through, Saran's greatest achievement was her captivating storytelling. During sequences where Matilda recounted a harrowing tale to the local librarian, Saran faced the audience full on and, using dynamic narration and a strong stature, wound the story through until every soul was on the edge of their seat. She spoke clearly and directly to the audience, catching their attention like a spider catches flies in a web, and when the sequences finished, she slid right back into the scene as though she had woken from a trance.

Another remarkable performance was that of Ryan Lien in the role of Miss Trunchbull. From the moment Lien paraded onto the stage, his presence was undeniable, and through his challenging choreography, high-energy songs, and larger-than-life acting, he showed a level of commitment that is highly difficult to achieve, creating a hilarious character that no one will soon forget.

Praise must be given to the phenomenal use of tech present in TJ's Matilda. Not only were the sets beyond worthy of a high school performance, but light, sound, and costumes all came together to make Matilda into the success it was. The color palettes linked to each character (such as the neon orange and green of Mr. & Mrs. Wormwood) showed off the collaboration between lighting and costumes, as the color worn by a character would consistently be displayed in the color of the lights. There was also clear collaboration between lighting and sound (including the live orchestra) which could be seen in the coordinated lighting changes that happened on-beat with the music.

The student-led choreography was one of the most outstanding factors of TJ's "Matilda." Each number was unique and professional, with dancing that not only reflected the individual characters and the messages of the songs as a whole, but also felt cohesive with one another and expertly displayed the energy of the show.

Between all these factors and more, TJHSST has successfully proved that technology and the arts are not mutually exclusive, and that sometimes, when the two come together, they can create a final product that gleams like gold.

Lauren Irish
St. Stephens & St. Agnes School
Submitted for publication to Patch (Fairfax/Alexandria)

A certain "Smell of Rebellion" wafted through Alexandria on the night of April 30th. Its source? Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology! With technical prowess, the high school theater production team brought a technologically avant-garde Matilda to the stage, surprising the audience with their innovations while maintaining the classic tale of a little girl who wishes to be loved.

Written in 1988, the musical exploded in popularity upon reaching the Broadway stage in 2013. The story is about a little girl named Matilda and her family who condemns her gender and intelligence. Only when she goes to school is her intellectual potential recognized by her teacher and many of her peers (to the dismay of her principal, Miss Trunchbull). Most dance numbers in this piece require childlike movements while the children dance along, and because the story takes place in Great Britain, a British accent is firmly required both in speaking and singing. Additionally, the set must be flexible as it changes alongside her words, due to Matilda's storytelling throughout the musical.

This musical requires a production team to be able to recognize and execute the smaller aspects of the show to fully portray all of the themes that run throughout it, and the Thomas Jefferson team took this challenge head-on and excelled. Each song was choreographed with careful consideration to the mood and characters performing, and every musical number included interaction with the set, creating a dynamically realistic experience for the audience. As expected from a school that prides itself on its intense STEM program, technology and engineered props and set parts were incorporated into nearly every aspect of the production. From swings that descended from the ceiling, to blocks that lit up following the lyrics of "Revolting Children", the TJ production team pulled out all the stops in order to present to the audience a fresh take on the story of Matilda that went past what was expected of a high school theater program.

Sarina Saran, portraying the curious and imaginative Matilda, maintained a British accent throughout the entire show, even when songs required vocal difficulty. Despite being a senior at Thomas Jefferson, Saran was able to control her pitch and body posture and act brilliantly as a six-year old girl who could act mature beyond her years.

With the parents of Matilda written to be cruel and abusive, it is difficult to portray another villain to be harsher and more feared than the former characters. The role of Miss Agatha Trunchbull is a difficult one with songs such as "The Smell of Rebellion" containing many tongue-twisting and fast-paced lyrics that can trip up any amateur actor or actress. Ryan Lien could not have been a more perfect fit to play this tricky character and conquered the difficult lines and choreography with ease.

Regarding special effects and technology, the Thomas Jefferson team went above and beyond in these aspects. Along with the working swings and light-up blocks, they incorporated smoke effects (to mimic a burp when Bruce, played by Cyrus Rivers, eats a massive slice of cake), a disco ball, and a gate that characters could climb on and that lit up letters of the alphabet that slid down the cracks like Connect 4 pieces.

It was a technological "Miracle" on stage and a performance that demonstrated what a high school production team can be capable of if they put their minds to it.

Claudia Braesch
W. T. Woodson High School
Submitted for publication to Insidenova - Sun Gazette

A girl, far smarter than her family, and stuck in a school run by a violent and vengeful headmistress. She influences her school, the students, her teacher, and her flawless ensemble of classmates. With phenomenal acting and jaw dropping tech moments, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST's production of Matilda was gripping from curtain to curtain.

Matilda was originally written by Roald Dahl in 1988, but the compelling story was turned into a movie and subsequently a musical. It premiered in England in 2010 and jumped the ocean in 2013 to open on Broadway. The story grips parents and children alike, and the stage show is pure energy. It's clear why this story continues to stay relevant.

The technical aspects of this show were clean, sharp, and so effective in aiding the story. Mrs. Wormwood's hair and makeup was exactly the right amount of cartoony and tacky. Designed by Mahika Rawat, she had long gloves with fake nails attached and long eyelashes to match. The costuming was equally clever. The characters took on and took off layers as their stories progressed. Ms. Honey took off her oversized quilted cardigan to wear a skirt and shirt for Act II, while Matilda donned a blazer over her play dress making her look more grown up as she ventured to school. The most surprising technical elements were the letter blocks lining the stage. A stunning display on their own, in the song "Revolting Children" the letters lit up to spell out certain words, including the title words of the song.

Matilda, played by Sarina Saran, was impossible to look away from. Her facial expressions gave a perfect window into her inner thoughts. She seemed to sing and dance with ease. When she spoke to Ms. Phelps, or her family, you could see her demeanor change to match and her charming vocal performance was an undeniable highlight of the show. She was supported excellently by one her classmates, Bruce, played by Cyrus Rivers. An actor's commitment is what makes the show an enjoyable experience. Rivers, despite the relatively few lines, was so memorable; even from the beginning, eyes were drawn to Rivers in every ensemble number. And when Rivers got up to sing during "Revolting Children," the audience could not contain their excitement.

The commitment from the actors, the flawless technical design, and the consistently good vocal performance, made TJHSST's Matilda a joy to watch, and an immersive and thrilling show.

Lacey Vailikit
W. T. Woodson High School
Submitted for publication to Alexandria Times

Revolting children, found family, fantastical stories, and a bright young girl. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology's production of Matilda the Musical was genuinely charming and delightful.

Matilda the Musical, based off the classic 1988 Roald Dahl book, premiered in England in 2010. It follows the story of Matilda, a gifted child unfortunately stuck with a crude and vulgar family. Throughout the show, Matilda finds people who truly support her and develops a strong sense of confidence.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology's impeccable ensemble, choreography, efficiently run crew, and well-timed transitions seamlessly immersed the audience into the show. They perfectly portrayed the serious and the playful, ridiculous sides of the story.

Sarina Saran brought a lively energy to the stage as Matilda. Saran's expressions of curiosity and quirky mannerisms reflected the true essence of everything Matilda. The garish couple of Mr. Wormwood (Gabriel Ascoli) and Mrs. Wormwood (Aafreen Ali) was a sight to behold on stage. Their obnoxious, over the top presence clashed wonderfully with Saran's down to earth demeanor. Ali presented a vivacious and invigorating performance in "Loud," maintaining stable vocal control while dancing a fast-paced salsa.

Notable performances include those of Miss Trunchbull (Ryan Lien) and Miss Honey (Riva Jain). Jain's gentle and soft-spoken nature provided an anchor among all of the chaos on stage. Lien was not afraid to go all in on the obscene character of Miss Trunchbull. From getting down on all fours to crawl around the stage, aggressively sniffing and snorting in the faces of other actors, and fully committing to bold, bizarre gestures, Lien created a memorable and comical performance.

The show's success was largely credited to the outstanding ensemble. Matilda's classmates carried through vocally and physically. Each ensemble member showed a deep understanding of their characters and the show, this being visible in every moment they had on stage. "Revolting Children" and "When I Grow Up" were performed with striking energy.

Lighting, done by Rachel Kwon, Ryan Lien, Cullan Kelley, and Charles Bucher was visually stunning and reflective of the plot of the show, making it nothing short of exceptional. Through the lights, the show was brought to a new level. The elaborate and cohesive set was produced by Hannah Frieden, Mira Singh, Champe Mitchell, and Dani Hunter. Memorable pieces were Matilda's room, represented by a large book with colorful letters flying off the pages, and Miss Honey's adorably imperfect shed.

Matilda the Musical was given new life by Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. Their use of space through set and choreography, well rounded cast members, diligent technicians, and energy allowed for a well-executed performance of the classic tale of Matilda.

Rachel Sper
W. T. Woodson High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

Roald Dahl's classic Matilda tells the story of a neglected and brilliantly clever girl who uses the power of smarts and a tad of telekinesis to end the corruption caused by adults around her. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology's production of the 2010 British show was a step above a typical high school's technical expectations. The outstanding technical aspects of the show paired with the choreography and community of the ensemble combined to create a truly impressive production.

All that it takes to win over a crowd is a commitment to your character, and Cyrus Rivers as Bruce won over the hearts of everyone sitting in TJ's theater. From the start of his performance, Rivers was in character, the reaction ability and child-like expressions dissolved the line between actor and character, fusing them together. Throughout the show, the upstage antics and constant characterization drew the eye to Bruce, regardless of the scene. In moments such as the self-titled song "Bruce", the dedication shone through as cake was stuffed down the metaphorical gullet and very real chocolate was smeared across the face. In the ensemble, Bruce played in unison with his classmates and created a situation where the audience couldn't help but love the character.

Though a generally unlovable character, Mrs. Wormwood, played by Aafreen Ali, was a large contributor to the comedy of the show. Ali's thick English accent and exaggerated inflections stayed constant throughout all her scenes and were an obvious result of genuine character work. As she danced the salsa during her song "Loud" with the character Rudolpho, (played by Aiden Zurcher), Ali delivered strong vocals while executing difficult dance moves and being what she intended: loud.

TJ is no stranger to impressive technical elements, and this show was no exception. Matilda used a multitude of enormous, complicated props including large columns that echoed a library and intricate set pieces such as the gate that transformed from a jungle gym into a Connect 4 board. The set team, Hannah Frieden, Mira Singh, Champe Mitchell, Dani Hunter, and others created a number of impressive set pieces. Another standout was the open book that functioned as Matilda's room, displaying her genius and love for literature. Yet another display of mind-blowing creativity came from the special effects team of Ryan Lien and Aiden Zurcher as they created the illusion of ghost chalk writing. They created the effect by netting a series of tubing within their board and running milk through it to simulate the writing of words. This idea was created purely by the students and displayed a truly advanced skill in making special effects, resulting in an increasingly impressive production.

The advanced and frankly outstanding technical abilities of this crew were professional quality. The professionalism of the cast paired with the jaw-dropping technical aspects of the show resulted in a production that should not be missed.

Sam Tampubolon
St. Stephens & St. Agnes School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

A little girl with telekinetic powers, a wicked hammer-throwing headmistress, and the Russian mafia-- Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology's production of Matilda the Musical had the audience in amazement with many unique technical elements, hilarious performances, and sentimental moments that melted the audience's hearts.

Matilda the Musical is based off the Roald Dahl 1988 children's novel of the same name. The book was initially adapted into a film starring Mara Wilson as the titular character in 1996, and it was not until 14 years later that the musical with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin and book by Dennis Kelly hit the Royal Shakespeare Company stage, eventually making its way to the West End and Broadway.

The musical follows Matilda (Sarina Saran), a bright five-year-old girl with a voracious love of reading, as she embarks on her first day of school where she is met by her kind-hearted teacher Miss Honey (Riva Jain) and the child-hating headmistress of the school Miss Agatha Trunchbull (Ryan Lien). Despite her dim-witted and often immoral parents and brother (Aafreen Ali, Gabriel Ascoli, and Jack Baisch), Matilda used her voice (and superpowers) in order to unite the students and take Miss Trunchbull down.

Sarina Saran did a wonderful job of portraying the titular role. She was meticulous in her pronunciation, making her British accent one of the strongest in the show. She brought out Matilda's innocence and wonder which made the character much more believable, but where she really shone was in her scenes with the librarian Mrs. Phelps (Hannah Frieden). Her dramatic intonation and large movements built up suspense as she told the story of the Acrobat (Evelyne Breed) and the Escapologist (Sri Vellakkat). Whenever her mother Mrs. Wormwood entered the stage, the audience knew that they were in for a laugh that would leave them gasping for air. With her larger-than-life eyelashes and nails as well as her strong Essex accent, Aafreen Ali was not only hilarious, but also one of the strongest singers and dancers in the production which was on full display in the number "Loud." Contrasting Mrs. Wormwood's abrasiveness, Riva Jain embodied the character of Miss Honey. The relationship she was able to establish between herself and Matilda's class demonstrated Miss Honey's maternal care for her students. Jain had a very sweet voice, both when she was acting and singing, with her song "My House" being one of the sweetest moments of the show. The show also featured strong ensemble members such as Cyrus Rivers, Micaela Wells, and Alex Mather, but a truly standout performance was Ryan Lien, who played the Trunchbull. He had many incredibly hilarious moments, particularly when he was on all fours sniffing around for who ate his cake. His ability to be so funny and ridiculous while maintaining his character was perhaps the most impressive aspect of his performance.