Breaking News: West End's Bertie Carvel to Reprise 'Miss Trunchbull' in MATILDA on Broadway

The producers of Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical announced today that Olivier Award-winner Bertie Carvel will reprise the role of Miss Trunchbull in the Broadway production of the Royal Shakespeare Company's eagerly anticipated musical which begins performances on March 4 and opens on April 11 at the Shubert Theatre (235 West 44th Street). Carvel received rave reviews for his iconic performance and won the 2012 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

Carvel's performance as Trunchbull was hailed as "devastatingly original" by Time Out London, "at once terrifying and hilarious" by the Daily Telegraph," and "a gem" by The Times (London). The Daily Telegraph called it "a comic tour-de-force" and The New York Times called it "wonderfully unwinking."

Carvel, who attended RADA, has quietly emerged as one of the most extraordinary British actors of his generation. Often totally unrecognizable from one role to the next, his work has been consistently acclaimed by the critics and recognized year after year in the major awards nominations. He received his first Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical in 2008, as the lead in the original London cast of Rob Ashford's Parade at the Donmar Warehouse. He also starred in the Royal Court's Olivier Award-winning show The Pride in 2009 and gave a memorably haunting performance in Rope for The Almeida Theatre in 2010. Other theater credits include the Rufus Norris/Damon Albarn collaboration Doctor Dee for the Manchester International Festival; Damned By Despair, The Man of Mode, The Life of Galileo and Coram Boy, all for the Royal National Theatre. On screen, Bertie has played a series of memorable roles: most recently as the detestable banker Seb Wilkes in Sherlock, the amicable Uncle Neville in Just William and the lascivious Ashwell in The Crimson Petal and the White, all for the BBC. Other TV credits include Hidden, Dr Who and The Genius of Beethoven, also for the BBC. Bertie has recorded over 50 radio plays with the BBC, narrated audiobooks and read collections of poetry, as well as performing on the original cast albums for Parade, Matilda and Doctor Dee. He also voices the ongoing series of the Star Wars: The Old Republic computer game for Lucas Films. In 2013, Bertie will be seen playing opposite Anne Hathaway as Bamatabois in Tom Hooper's feature film adaptation of Les Misérables.

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, Executive Producer, for the RSC.

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.

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