Sophia Gennusa, Oona Laurence, Bailey Ryon and Milly Shapiro to Lead Broadway's MATILDA!

The Royal Shakespeare Company and The Dodgers today announced the casting of the title role in the RSC's eagerly anticipated Broadway-bound musical Matilda the Musical. Each of the four girls will play the role at difference performances: Sophia Gennusa, Oona Laurence, Bailey Ryon and Milly Shapiro. Each girl will be making her Broadway debut.

MATILDA THE MUSICAL begins performances on March 4 and opens on April 11 2013 at the Shubert Theatre (235 West 44th Street).

The girls sharing the role of Matilda are below (in alphabetical order):

Sophia Gennusa has appeared in the last six productions of The Nutcracker at Purchase College Conservatory of Dance. She started performing at age four and studied ballet for three years. She recently played Puck at the Young Bard's summer camp production of Midsummer Night's Dream. Sophia is thrilled to be making her Broadway debut in Matilda the Musical .

Oona Laurence started acting at age five and has been in graduate films and on stage in both dramatic roles and comedies. She has been reincarnated in Reinc., turned the tables on a kidnapper in the Utah high desert in Penny Dreadful, learned Romanian for Esther, and appeared with F. Murray Abraham and Ralph Macchio in A Little Game, her first feature. She is also a jazz, hip-hop, ballet and modern dancer on merit scholarship with the Harkness Dance Center. Matilda the Musical is her Broadway debut.

Bailey Ryon is a member of The Repertory Dance Ensemble, The Black Box Players, and one of the lead vocalists in the rock band, The Blackjacks. Bailey has been seen onstage in The Fulton Opera House's production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and as Cindy-Lou Who in the 2011 national tour of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical. She enjoys playing with her friends, her four siblings and exploring NYC. Matilda the Musical is her Broadway debut.

Milly Shapiro is delighted to bring 'Matilda', her favorite Ronald Dahl character, to life in her Broadway debut! As a two-year "Ambassador of Storytelling" and an avid reader, Milly connects with Matilda's desire to escape her everyday life and enter other adventures through the joy of reading. Always ready to take on new challenges, Milly loves to participate in many summer and winter sports. Previous professional roles: Annie, Young Cossette, Baby June.

The producers of Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical previously announced that Olivier Award-winner Bertie Carvel will reprise the role of Miss Trunchbull for Broadway.
Bertie Carvel is appearing with the permission of Actors' Equity Association.

Additional casting will be announced in the future.

MATILDA THE MUSICAL is the story of an extraordinary little girl who decides that despite a bad beginning filled with rotten parents, a terrifying school and a vicious head mistress, her story is going to be an astonishing one. With the help of her teacher, her friends and a little bit of imagination, Matilda proves that even if you're little, you can do big things.

MATILDA THE MUSICAL was commissioned by the RSC in 2010, and is the recipient of a record-breaking seven 2012 Olivier Awards including Best Musical and a joint Best Actress Award for the four girls who shared the title role. Based on the beloved story by the brilliantly batty Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox), Matilda the Musical is directed by Tony Award® winner Matthew Warchus (God of Carnage), who helms this exhilarating and ingenious production with book by playwright Dennis Kelly and music and lyrics by Australian comedian, musician and composer Tim Minchin. For Broadway, the RSC is teaming with New York's Dodger Properties. The Dodgers are responsible for a host of major Broadway and West End hits, including the award winning JERSEY BOYS, a major sell-out now in its eighth year on Broadway and in its fifth season in London's West End. Michael David leads for The Dodgers, with André Ptaszynski and Denise Wood, Executive Producers.

MATILDA THE MUSICAL premiered at the RSC's home in Stratford-upon-Avon, playing to sold-out audiences from November 2010 to January 2011. Capturing the imagination of young and old alike, the RSC transferred the production to London's West End in October 2011 where the show continues to play to sold-out houses. Roald Dahl's magical story about a girl with extraordinary powers has been a favorite novel of millions of people across the world since it was published in 1988.

The production has sets and costumes by Rob Howell, with choreography by Peter Darling, orchestrations, additional music and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, and sound by Simon Baker.

Tickets are available at www.telecharge.com.