The Middle School musical is a popular after school activity that introduces grades sixth through eighth to the world of musical theater. This year’s production of “Matilda” captured the audience for over two hours. With 70 members of the cast and crew and countless hours spent rehearsing the scenes, music, dances, and immensely important comedic timing, they were able to bring the show to life. Auditions happened in December and rehearsals started shortly after. Students in the middle school poured their hearts into making this show the best it could be, and for many of them, this being their first time experiencing being in a show. Middle School Choir Director, and Music Director of the MS musical Rob Denien, enjoys working with all the students, especially the ones new to Middle School. “The sixth graders always bring such great energy. Also, since the musical is completely new to them they bring their all to every part of the process, which helps motivate everyone involved,” Denien said.
However, for many students the appeal of doing the musical is much more than just the singing and dancing. Being able to enter a different world where your relationships to other actors are completely different outside of the show, helps unite people by working to achieve a common goal: putting on a show that everyone can enjoy. Eighth grader Evan Gourdji who has been a part of all three musicals during his time in middle school said that he has created some of his strongest friendships throughout the years. “The musicals were a great way for me to meet new people across grades, both younger and older,” Gourdji said. Not only was the musical a great way for Middle-Schoolers to meet new people, but “also made me feel comfortable around a lot more people,” Gourdji said.
During the Friday night performance, high school students from the previous 2020 cast of “Matilda,” whose shows were canceled due to COVID-19 were brought to the stage and given a chance to be a part of the show that they spent so much time rehearsing but never got to perform. The former cast members joined the current cast on during the song “When I Grow Up,” which features students dreaming about how they are going to be when they are older.
Bringing in the older members of the 2020 cast was a sentimental moment for both the students and the directors alike, as it shows how time had changed them from being the youngest students on the stage to being the people who the other students on stage look up to. “We thought it would be a meaningful opportunity for the ‘old’ cast of Matilda (2020) to be able to have a small sense of closure to their experience that was cut short by COVID by being invited back to the stage to perform ‘When I Grow Up’ with the ‘new’ cast of “Matilda.” At the very least, we hoped that the US students who were in “Matilda”, as they watched, would think fondly back on their time learning “Matilda” when they were in Middle School.”
In the time that has passed they have all moved on to different things, but they ended up back on the same stage performing the song they learned four years ago. Sophomore Graysen Pendry really enjoyed being back in the world of the show. “It was really fun to be back on stage with the cast of ‘Matilda’ and super sentimental. I’m really happy that they were able to do it again and to be able to bring the cast back for a mini reunion,” Pendry said.
The Middle School Musical was once again a huge success for everyone involved in the show, both past and present.
