Conundrum Theatre Company Presents: Roald Dahl's MATILDA THE MUSICAL JR

Conundrum Theatre Company and the Burbank Community YMCA are excited to announce the upcoming production of Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical JR., a captivating musical that embraces the anarchy of childhood and celebrates the power of imagination. This thrilling theatrical experience will take place at The Victory Theatre on July 29th at 12 pm and 5 pm.

Matilda JR. tells the story of a remarkable young girl, Matilda, who possesses astonishing wit, intelligence, and even special powers. Neglected by her cruel parents, she finds solace and inspiration in her compassionate schoolteacher, Miss Honey. However, her journey is not without challenges, as the school's menacing headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, takes delight in imposing strict rules and punishments on the children. Matilda's courage, cleverness, and her alliance with a group of "revolting children" lead to an empowering and heartwarming tale of standing up for what's right.

Matilda JR. is part of Conundrum's "Little Riddles" summer theater camp, where youth voices are centered in all aspects of the production, helping them develop strong voices and confidence that can carry into other aspects of their lives. Director Kate Clarke solicits participant ideas about set design and costumes while facilitating discussions about emotions and feelings. Clarke states, "The goal of Little Riddles is to help children not only put on a completed production, but to involve them in every step of the process. We wanted to foster individuals who can appreciate the arts at any level, from the stage or behind the scenes. It was important that kids be exposed to everything a theatrical performance entails, from brainstorming blocking ideas to designing their costumes to helping build the props. Not every child wants to be center stage, and Riddles allows them to build on top of singing, acting, and dancing by giving them a sense of ownership and pride in the final product. In Matilda, we are going to be working largely with found and recycled materials, teaching the kids about sustainability, when working on our sets and props. In addition, each character will add small costume elements of their own design to their costumes to represent the emotional journey of each character through the show."

This is the second year of the Little Riddles program in collaboration with the Burbank Community YMCA, an organization that has been at the heart of the Burbank community for almost 100 years. Both the YMCA and Conundrum actively discuss the needs of our community in terms of mental and physical health, gaps in current offerings, and accessibility to the arts. The mental health of our youth is a crucial priority, and with the Y's expertise we ensure that the impact of Little Riddles goes beyond a performing arts camp.

Matilda JR. features an exceptional cast of 25 talented young performers, predominantly local talents from Burbank and the surrounding areas. Conundrum and the Y are proud to provide a platform for these budding stars to showcase their passion and creativity on stage. This collaboration has allowed us to create a truly inclusive and engaging production, fostering creativity and providing a platform for local talent to shine.

Matilda JR. is directed by Kate Clarke, assistant directed by Elisabeth Grossman, and choreographed by LA County Department of Arts and Culture intern Wyatt Larrabee.

Conundrum Theatre Company is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Burbank, CA since 2015. Conundrum's mission is to generate opportunities for experienced actors with traditional day jobs to create, produce, and perform in innovative, high-quality theatrical productions in Los Angeles County while building a collaborative, diverse community of writers and actors. For more information, visit www.conundrumtheatreco.com.

The Burbank Community YMCA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides crucial programs and services to residents and surrounding cities of Burbank every year. Everyone knows the Y as a place to camp, swim, or exercise, but they're so much more. They're working side-by-side with our neighbors to address critical community needs that help kids develop into smart, resilient adults, for people to improve their health and build a sense of community, and for our most vulnerable young people to get the care and support they need. The Y's mission is to provide people of all ages lifelong opportunities to become stronger in spirit, mind and body. For more information, visit www.burbankymca.org.

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