Matilda, the hit Broadway musical, will launch a North American tour in May 2015, and sometime after that, it’ll be coming to the Winspear Opera House as part of the 2015-16 season.
Which means dates and tickets and prices and whatnot aren’t available yet. They’re just teasing us, taunting us — kind of like the meanspirited kids in Matilda’s school.
Winner of four Tony Awards, Matilda originated with the Royal Shakespeare Company as an adaptation of the darkly comic children’s novel by Roald Dahl (author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). And believe it or not, the guy who directed the dreadful Ghost, currently in North Texas, directed Matilda. Matthew Warchus even got a Tony nomination for best direction. So maybe he’ll redeem himself. In any event, he did win Tonys for best book, best lighting and set design, while the four young actresses who rotated in the title role won a special ‘Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre.’
But the real casting question will be who’s playing Miss Trunchbull, the wittiest, meanest, most monstrous schoolteacher you’ll ever meet. On Broadway, Trunchbull was a drag role, performed by Bertie Carvel, and he received the kind of notices and media attention (and a Tony Award) that you can’t buy.
Also worth noting: By the time, Matilda gets here, it won’t be the “Lexus Broadway Series” anymore. Hey, maybe it’ll become the Globe Life Broadway Series. In any event, here’s the official caution about the name change:
For now, the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 season will be known as the Broadway Series. A new naming sponsor will be announced when the selection is complete. The series will continue to be known as the Lexus Broadway Series through the current 2013/2014 season. Lexus is continuing its generous support and partnership with the AT&T Performing Arts Center and its resident companies.
Here’s the full release:
The AT&T Performing Arts Center Announces
2015-2016 Broadway Series Dallas Debut
“REJOICE. It is even more glorious than promised.”
– New York Times
“Once in a blue moon, a show comes out blazing and restores your faith in Broadway.”
– New York Post
MATILDA THE MUSICAL
DALLAS (February 6, 2014) – The AT&T Performing Arts Center announced today that a North American Tour of MATILDA THE MUSICAL, produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Dodgers, will commence in May 2015. After technical rehearsals and performances in New Haven at the Shubert Theater, the show will officially open at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles and include San Francisco/SHN, Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre and will play Dallas as part of the 2015/2016 Broadway Series season at the AT&T Performing Arts Center’s Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House in the Dallas Arts District.
MATILDA THE MUSICAL opened in April 2013 at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre to rapturous reviews and has been celebrated on 10 “Top Ten” lists for 2013, including TIME Magazine’s #1 Show of the Year.
The production has received four Tony Awards and a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theater for each of the four girls who shared the title role, two Outer Critics Circle Awards, five Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical.
The original Broadway cast recording has received a Grammy Award nomination, and is produced by Broadway Records/Yellow Sound Label.
Winner of a record-breaking seven Olivier Awards including Best Musical, MATILDA THE MUSICAL is based on the beloved novel by best-selling author Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox). It is the story of an extraordinary girl who dreams of a better life. Armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, Matilda dares to take a stand and change her destiny.
MATILDA THE MUSICAL is directed by Tony Award® winner Matthew Warchus (God of Carnage), who helms this production with a book by Tony Award®-winning playwright Dennis Kelly and music and lyrics by Australian comedian, musician and composer Tim Minchin.
The production has sets and costumes by Tony Award® winner Rob Howell, with choreography by Peter Darling, orchestrations, additional music and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale, lighting by Tony Award® winner Hugh Vanstone, and sound by Simon Baker.
www.matildathemusical.com/tour
www.facebook.com/MatildaOnBroadway
The RSC Literary Department is generously supported by THE DRUE HEINZ TRUST.
American Airlines is the preferred airline for MATILDA THE MUSICAL.
Performance dates and prices for MATILDA THE MUSICAL will be announced in early 2015 when the entire 2015-2016 Broadway Series season is announced. Subscribers to the 2014-2015 season will receive first priority to purchase subscriptions to the full season which will be announced at a later date.
COMMENTS