Musical in the City - Matilda

Matilda the musical is in town through August 15, 2015.  We didn't have plans to see it at all but we saw it from the orchestra seats for less than half the price.

Matilda is a funny, touching, imaginative and...very funny. The songs and music are also appealing and memorable. For us, this musical is five stars. 

I mentioned we were not planning to see this. It all happened in the span of two hours. 

I took a different shuttle that afternoon, the one that drops off in Civic Center. The Orpheum Theatre is across the street from the drop off point and I saw a short line of people to the box office. Take note that this was two hours before the show began.

Somehow I got curious and fell in line to the box office with the thought of asking if there are balcony tickets available. The helpful ticket agent told me about what they call 'rush tickets'. I've learned that rush tickets are priced at a discount and offered only on some dates or shows. A maximum of two rush tickets per person is allowed. Instead of getting balcony tickets, it is more cost effective to get a rush ticket. In the end, we got Orchestra tickets for a price less than a balcony seat.

  

I got home, freshened up. And left the house right away. The next thing we know is that Mijo and I were on BART on our way to Civic Center. There were already lots of people when we got to the theatre.

We were told the last door in the Orchestra level. Isn't that cool?

 

Here's a picture of the stage before the curtain call. It looks like scrabble tiles dotted with letters from the name Matilda. The show opened with an explosive number but I couldn't understand the words at all. It might be because young kids were singing with an British accent or maybe it was the sound system? In any case, the words seemed funny because a few people laughed. Too bad I couldn't hear. Though, it got better in the later acts.

   

Matilda is story of a little girl called Matilda who is unwanted and neglegted by her family and bullied by the school principal. Matilda is smart, witty, well read, brave and she's got lots of imagination. For being young and little, she already stands up for what she believes. She reminds alot of Hermione Grange in Harry Potter. I especially love her stories about the Escape Artist and the Acrobat!

According to the program, one of the cast members playing Matilda is Filipino named Gabby Gutierrez. Isn't that amazing? Anyway, Matilda was played by Mabel Tyler who did an amazing job. She had a lot of songs and lines and those lines were long. What an amazing memory!

   

The ensemble composed of adults and kids did an amazing job supporting the main characters. Bryce Ryness as Miss Trunchbull was perfect in that role. She's mean but very funny and entertaining. Jennifer Blood as Ms. Honey was sweet and reminded me of Jane Austen.

 

The musical is well thought of, the songs are catchy and the characters supported each other.

I love this musical!

Matilda is playing at the Orpheum Theatre through Aughust 15, 2015.

~rl