First Stage announces complete casting for Roald Dahl’s MATILDA The Musical

Milwaukee, WI–October 25, 2018 – First Stage, one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and families, is pleased to announce the cast and creative team for Roald Dahl’s MATILDA The Musical, featuring music and lyrics by Tim Minchin and book by Dennis Kelly. This will be the first full-length musical First Stage has produced, performing at the Marcus Center’s Todd Wehr Theater January 11 – February 24, 2019. First Stage productions are typically cast with two Young Performer casts; this production will feature two Young Performer casts, with three Young Performers who alternate playing the title role of Matilda. Artistic Director Jeff Frank will direct this production of MATILDA The Musical, Director of Artistic Operations Jeff Schaetzke serves as Music Director and Milwaukee Ballet’s Michael and Jayne Pink will choreograph. Presented by the Molitor Foundation.

The adult cast for Roald Dahl’s MATILDA The Musical at First Stage features: Allie Babich, Member of Actor’s Equity Association, (title roles in HAMLETat Utah Shakespeare Festival and VIOLETat Skylight Musical Theatre/First Stage Alumni) as Acrobat/Ensemble/Understudy for Ms. Doherty; Darrington Clark, Member of Actor’s Equity Association, (last season’s THE WIZ at First Stage) as Escapologist/Doctor/ Ensemble; Jackson Evans, Member of Actor’s Equity Association, (Big Josh in BIG, THE MUSICAL, The Cat in the Hat in SEUSSICAL and the Scarecrow in THE WIZ at First Stage) as Mr. Wormwood; Molly Rhode, Member of Actor’s Equity Association, (Director of THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER: THE MUSICAL this season at First Stage, appeared in production in 2003 and 2009, has directed and choreographed many First Stage productions/First Stage Alumni) as Mrs. Wormwood; Elizabeth Telford, Member of Actor’s Equity Association, (SHREK THE MUSICAL at First Stage) as Miss Honey; Teddy Warren, Member of Actor’s Equity Association, (THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR SHOW, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG and SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE BAKER STREET IRREGULARS at First Stage/First Stage Alumni) as Rudolpho/Ensemble; Kelly Doherty, Member of Actor’s Equity Association, (making her First Stage debut, A LOVELY SUNDAY at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre and SILENT SKY at Next Act Theatre) as Trunchbull; Solana Ramirez-Garcia (First Stage debut, FUN HOME at Forward Theatre Madison) as Mrs. Phelps/Ensemble; Austin Winter (First Stage Alumni, First Stage Artistic Intern) as Ensemble; Elliott Brotherhood as Ensemble; Jamie Mercado (First Stage Alumni, First Stage Artistic Intern) as Ensemble; AJ Magoon as Evans and Understudy for Mr. Clark; Ethan Brittingham as Warren and Understudy for Mr. Winter; KaitlynSerketich as Understudy for Ms. Babich, Ms. Ramirez-Garcia and Ms. Mercado and Stephanie Staszak as Understudy for Ms. Rhode and Ms. Telford.

The Young Performers cast in both the Diligent and Determined Cast are: Taylor Arnstein (from Fox Point) as Matlida; Reese Bell (from Cedarburg) as Matilda and Marina Evans (from Hartland) as Matilda.

Young Performer roles are double cast. Young Performers in the Diligent Cast include: Lucia Santana (from Milwaukee) as Lavendar; Paisley Schroeder (from Waukesha) as Alice; Eloise Bejma (from Shorewood) as Amanda; Elizabeth Kuhnen (Pewaukee) as Hortensia; Ryon Davis (from Milwaukee) as Nigel; William Swoboda (from Whitefish Bay) as Tommy; Max Larson (from Milwaukee) as Bruce; Charles Elliott (from Milwaukee) as Eric; Jonathan Neustifter (from Racine) as Michael; Trinity Escalera (from Milwaukee) as Ensemble; Abby Hanna(from Franklin) as Ensemble; Lilly Frank (from Wauwatosa) as Ensemble; Celeste Hermans (from Saukville) as Ensemble and Sawyer Esten (from Cedarburg) as Ensemble.

Young Performers in the Determined Cast include: Madison Jones (from Milwaukee) as Lavendar; Sailor Ames (from Brookfield) as Alice; Ella Vitrano (from Greendale) as Amanda; Kylee Hennes (from Hubertus) as Hortensia; J. Jackson Vining (from Wauwatosa) as Nigel; Alex Radtke (from Cedarburg) as Tommy; Trygve Gundersen (from Madison) as Bruce; Gavin Miller (from Wauwatosa) as Eric; Nikolai Morrow (from Delafield) as Michael; Asauntee Bynum (from Milwaukee) as Ensemble; Asha Metcalfe (from Milwaukee) as Ensemble; Katie McCaskey (from Waukesha) as Ensemble; Erin Fricker (from Brookfield) as Ensemble and Ben Stull (from Mequon) as Ensemble.

The Artistic Staff for Roald Dahl’s MATILDA The Musical includes: Jeff Frank (Director/First Stage Artistic Director); Jeff Schaetzke (Music Director/First Stage Director of Artistic Operations); Jayne Pink (Choreographer); Michael Pink (Choreographer/Artistic Director Milwaukee Ballet); Samuel Clein (Music Supervisor/Conductor); Tyne Turner (Dialect Coach); Brandon Kirkham (Scenic & Props Designer/First Stage Design Supervisor); Jason Fassl, USAA, (Lighting Designer); Arnold Bueno (Costume Designer); Jaclyn Bjornson (Assistant Costume Designer/First Stage Assistant Costume Shop Manager); Matt Whitmore (Sound Designer); Melissa L. Wanke, Member of Actor’s Equity Association, (Stage Manager); Jade Bruno, Member of Actor’s Equity Association,(Assistant Stage Manager) and Carrie Johns (2^ndAssistant Stage Manager).

Tickets start at $25 – Tickets may be purchased at www.firststage.org or through the Marcus Center box office, in person at 929 N. Water Street in downtown Milwaukee or by phone (414) 273-7206 or toll free at (888) 612-3500. The number for TDD (for deaf and hard of hearing patrons) is (414) 273-3080.

Group Sales– Groups of 10 or more receive 15% off main floor, regular single ticket prices on most First Stage performances at the Marcus Center’s Todd Wehr Theater. Call (414) 267-2964 or email groups@firststage.orgfor more information.

For more information, please visit www.firststage.org or call: (414) 267-2929.

About First Stage
First Stage is one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and families. First Stage touches hearts, engages minds and transforms lives by creating extraordinary theater experiences through professional theater productions that inspire, enlighten and entertain. Its Theater Academy, the nation’s largest high-impact theater training program for young people, fosters life skills through stage skills and serves over 2,100 students each year. As Wisconsin’s leader in arts-integrated education in schools, First Stage’s dynamic Theater in Education programs promote literacy, character building and experiential learning throughout the curriculum, serving over 20,000 students each year. First Stage was selected to participate in the Partners in Education program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (2012), and was the recipient of the Milwaukee Business Journal’sEureka Award, recognizing creativity and innovation in business, education and the arts for its Next Steps program for students on the autism spectrum (2013, 2015). First Stage is a member of TYA/USA, the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, the Wisconsin Alliance for Arts Education, Milwaukee Arts Partners and is a cornerstone member of the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF).

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.