Marietta High School students bring ‘Matilda’ to life
Mahlen Becker, playing Matilda, performs a solo in Marietta High School’s production of “Matilda the Musical.” (Photo Provided)
Kenzie Smith performs a song about the miracle of birth in Marietta High School’s production of “Matilda the Musical.” (Photo Provided)
Maeghan O’Neill, playing Miss Trunchbull, performs in Marietta High School’s production of “Matilda the Musical.” (Photo Provided)
Finn Hall and Lyanna Smith, playing Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood, act out a scene in which they get a lot of money during Marietta High School’s production of “Matilda the Musical.” (Photo Provided)
Elliot Schramm, left, playing a student, and Maeghan O’Neill, playing Miss Trunchbull, perform a scene in which Elliot’s character has to eat a whole cake during a rehearsal for Marietta High School’s production of “Matilda the Musical.” (Photo Provided)
Christopher McIntire, left, playing a Russian mobster, and Mahlen Becker, playing Matilda, perform a scene in Marietta High School’s production of “Matilda the Musical.” (Photo Provided)
Mahlen Becker, playing Matilda, performs a solo in Marietta High School’s production of “Matilda the Musical.” (Photo Provided)
Kenzie Smith performs a song about the miracle of birth in Marietta High School’s production of “Matilda the Musical.” (Photo Provided)
Maeghan O’Neill, playing Miss Trunchbull, performs in Marietta High School’s production of “Matilda the Musical.” (Photo Provided)
Finn Hall and Lyanna Smith, playing Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood, act out a scene in which they get a lot of money during Marietta High School’s production of “Matilda the Musical.” (Photo Provided)
Elliot Schramm, left, playing a student, and Maeghan O’Neill, playing Miss Trunchbull, perform a scene in which Elliot’s character has to eat a whole cake during a rehearsal for Marietta High School’s production of “Matilda the Musical.” (Photo Provided)
Christopher McIntire, left, playing a Russian mobster, and Mahlen Becker, playing Matilda, perform a scene in Marietta High School’s production of “Matilda the Musical.” (Photo Provided)
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MARIETTA -- The cast of Marietta High School's "Matilda the Musical" started preparing the show in November and had rehearsal nearly every day for the last two weeks.
From Friday through Sunday, that work paid off with three performances.
"The students have put in around 100 hours of work since January," said Scott Reider, co-director of the musical with Darci Miller and a choir teacher at the high school.
Based on Roald Dahl's classic story, the musical follows a young girl as she fights back against bullies and finds her voice.
"This musical is really important because it teaches kids that bullies can be adults too," senior Maeghan O'Neill said.
O'Neill played Miss Trunchbull, one of the villains in the story and the headmistress of the school in which the story takes place. O'Neill has been doing theater since she was 4 years old and has been in more than 50 shows.
"The role of Miss Trunchbull was an exhausting one," O'Neill said. "To be able to portray a character that is both evil and funny is tough. I do think I've learned a lot of things from this character."
Senior Finn Hall said he also learned from the musical.
"I was pleasantly surprised," he said. "The musical was really exciting as well as inspiring."
Hall played Harry Wormwood, Matilda's father and another one of the story's antagonists. His wife, Mrs. Zinnia Wormwood, was played by senior Lyanna Smith. She has been in theater for 13 years and this show was her 35th.
"It was an amazing experience. It was probably one of the most fun shows that I have done," Smith said. "I am thankful that Marietta does this. I think that theater is important; it communicates stories."
The main character, Matilda, was played by Mahlen Becker, a junior at Marietta in only her second year of theater.
"I've learned a lot through this experience," Becker said. "I have learned to be more confident, and I have become close with the cast."
Clara Noelle can be reached at intern@newsandsentinel.com.