Casting Announced For MATILDA THE MUSICAL At Drury Lane

Wonder and amazement abound! Drury Lane Theatre announces casting for its Regional Premiere of Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical, featuring Chicago resident Audrey Edwards and Warrenville native Natalie Galla sharing the title role. With book by Dennis Kelly, music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, and orchestrations and additional music by Chris Nightingale, Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical is directed and choreographed by Mitch Sebastian and runs April 26 June 23, 2019, at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. The press opening is scheduled for Thursday, May 2 at 8:00 p.m.

Based on the beloved novel, Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical tells the tale of a precocious 5-year-old girl with exceptional talents. Facing a family that does not appreciate her and a headmistress who does not appreciate any child, bookworm Matilda befriends her teacher, Miss Honey, who recognizes and appreciates Matilda's extraordinary personality. The school's headmistress, Miss Trunchbull believes children should be seen and not heard, and views Matilda as a rule breaker and Trunchbull just loves thinking up new punishments for those who break the rules. Armed with her powers and wise beyond her years, Matilda is more than ready to end Trunchbull's reign of terror. Tied for the most Olivier Awards in history, including Best New Musical, Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical won five Tony Awards, including Best Book of a Musical.

The cast of Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical includes Audrey Edwards and Natalie Galla in the title role of Matilda as well as Eben K. Logan (Miss Honey), Sean Fortunato (Miss Trunchbull), Jackson Evans (Mr. Wormwood), Stephanie Gibson (Mrs. Wormwood), and Linda Bright Clay (Mrs. Phelps). The ensemble of children includes Nathaniel Buescher, Saige Chaseley, Andrea Crisp, Anna Fox, Carter Graf, Nolan Maddox, Patrick Scott McDermott, Bailey Mosbacher, Lilliana Rene Renteria, Ava Tommasone, and Joshua Zingerman. The adult ensemble includes Alex Benoit, Lydia Burke, Andrea Collier, Lexis Danca, Evan C. Dolan, Annie Jo Ermel, Austin Ryan Hunt, Paul-Jordan Jansen, Andrew MacNaughton, Liam Quealy, and Casey Sanders.

The creative team includes Roberta Duchak (Music Director), Jeffrey D. Kmiec (Scenic Designer), Theresa Ham (Costume Designer), Driscoll Otto (Lighting and Projections Designer), Ray Nardelli (Sound Designer), Miguel Armstrong (Wig Designer), and Kate DeVore (Dialect Coach). Larry Baker is the Production Stage Manager.

Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical is rated PG.

About the Artists

AUDREY EDWARDS (Matilda) is making her Drury Lane debut. Previous theater credits include The Wizard of Oz (Paramount Theatre), The Audience (TimeLine Theatre), The Year I Didn't Go to School (Chicago Children's Theatre), Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Provision Theater), Seussical (Beverly Theatre Guild), and Mary Poppins (The Drama Group), and she has various commercial and film credits. Audrey is a sixth grader from Chicago and represented by Paonessa Talent.

NATALIE GALLA (Matilda) is making her Drury Lane debut as Matilda. Natalie hails from Warrenville, Illinois, and is in fifth grade at St. Michael School. Her acting coach is Stacey Flaster, and she takes music lessons with Julie Petrando. She is a competitive dancer and avid tumbler.

EBEN K. LOGAN (Miss Honey) is making her Drury debut. Originally from Maryland, Eben was last seen in The Producers at Paramount Theatre and Sweet Charity at Marriott. Past shows include Ragtime, A Christmas Carol, American Idiot, Memphis, and Avenue Q.

Sean Fortunato (Miss Trunchbull) returns to Drury Lane where he played Detective Cioffi in Curtains. Other credits include Malvolio in Twelfth Night, Death of a Streetcar Named Virginia Woolf, The Diary of Anne Frank, Hedda Gabler, Henry in The Real Thing, Aunt Augusta in Travels with my Aunt (Writers Theatre); Joseph in Book of Joseph, King Charles III (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); 2666, Measure for Measure (Goodman Theatre); Emcee in Cabaret (Theatre at the Center); and work at Court Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Timeline Theatre, Marriott Theatre, Remy Bumppo Theatre, About Face Theatre, Old Globe Theatre, CA, Intiman Theatre, WA, The Duke on 42nd, NY, and thirteen seasons with Peninsula Players, WI, where he played George in Sunday in the Park with George. TV/Film credits include: Chicago PD, Chicago Med (NBC) and The Merry Gentleman directed by Michael Keaton. Sean has received six Joseph Jefferson nominations and an After Dark Award.

Jackson Evans (Mr. Wormwood) is back with Drury Lane after having appeared in Spamalot, Hairspray, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and The Boys from Syracuse. Regional credits include: My Fair Lady (Lyric Opera of Chicago); Ride the Cyclone, Seussical, and Short Shakespeare! The Taming of the Shrew (Chicago Shakespeare); Bunny Bunny and Avenue Q (Mercury); Singin' in the Rain, High School Musical, Pinocchio, and Cinderella (Marriott Lincolnshire); Peter and the Starcatcher and The Full Monty (Peninsula Players); The Producers (McLeod Summer Playhouse); Matilda, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Big, and Seussical (First Stage Milwaukee); Knute Rockne: All American, La Cage Aux Folles, and Crazy For You (Theatre at the Center); and touring the country with The Realish Housewives with Second City. Television credits include: Chicago PD and Sirens. He is a graduate of Northwestern University and Equity member.

Stephanie Gibson (Mrs. Wormwood) appeared on Broadway in Cinderella (Gabrielle), Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (Cherry Sunday), Addams Family, and Spamalot. National Tour credits include: A Chorus Line (Judy), Happy Days (Lori Beth). TV/Film: Happy! (Pixley), Person of Interest, Up All Night, The Union, You Must Be Joking, The Audition, All My Children, Guiding Light. Other New York/Regional credits include: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Maggie Baltimore Center Stage, dir: Judith Ivey), Anyone Can Whistle (City Center Encores!), Into the Woods (Bakers Wife TUTS), Cabaret (Sally Bowles Cape Playhouse), Young Frankenstein (Inga MUNY), Glitter Goblets & Gato" & Glitter Goblets & Gatos Too (Original One Woman Shows at Feinstein's/54 Below), Show Boat World-Premiere Concert Adaptation. (Ellie Bucks County Playhouse), Empire (Frankie Peterson La Mirada), and Rocky Horror Picture Show (Janet BCP). Web credits include Dates, Mates & Clean Slates.

Linda Bright Clay (Mrs. Phelps) has appeared in To Catch a Fish (TimeLine Theatre); Breach, A Wonder in My Soul, The House That Will Not Stand (Victory Gardens Theater); The Project(s) (BTAA & Jeff Award, American Theatre Co.); For My Brothers (Writers Theatre); Having Our Say, Permanent Collection (Madison Rep); Home (BTAA Best Actress, Chicago Theatre Co.); Joe Turner's Come and Gone (Goodman Theatre); The Gold Shop, and Crossing Against the Red Light (People's Choice Award, Chicago Cultural Center). Film credits include: Seven Psychopaths, Halfway, Nothing Like Thanksgiving. TV: Chicago Med, Empire, and Missing Persons. Commercials include: Colonial Penn, US Bank, ComEd, and Ace Hardware.

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