Impressive Character Arcs Delivered in Lipscomb’s Matilda
I have to admit that when I first heard that a college was planning to produce Matilda. I was a bit perplexed. When I saw Matilda in previews on Broadway over a decade ago, I absolutely loved the casting of the young actors and could never really imagine the show being done without actual children at the center of it. (It was no surprise to me that it went on to win five Tony Awards.) Once again, however, director Beki Baker proved that she is thoroughly capable of choosing shows that best highlight the strengths of her current student artists. After the opening scene was done, I no longer found myself viewing these performers as adults portraying kids.
The incredible ensemble of Matilda the Musical. Photography Credit: @nuan.ting_photo
It was very apparent to me that Matilda (Makenzie Cogswell) spent a great deal of time in preparation for this role to make it read convincingly young. The greatest strength of her performance, much to my surprise, came in Act 2 when her father speaks so terribly to her and sends her to be alone yet again. We see her experience the breaking of her pretend play as a coping mechanism morph into facing her awful reality that she is unwanted and unloved by the people who gave her life. (I must not fail to mention that this scene along with others was enhanced greatly by the lighting design created by Coleton Wood. He has a wonderful ability to create unique spaces that guides the audiences’ eye to notice nuanced moments.) This was further developed when she sings “Quiet” expressing a child’s ability to escape mentally out of traumatic environments through the use of books and imagination. At least for a little bit. I myself, being the mother of children adopted out of foster care from an abusive and neglectful situation, was very moved by Ms. Cogswell's ability to convey what seemed like a depth of understanding into childhood trauma and how play therapy can help kids not just cope but actually survive horrific circumstances.
Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood, portrayed by Callie Jean Tysdal and James Wier, had some of the most impressive dialect consistency I have ever heard in a collegiate performance or professional for that matter. Kudos to Nate McIntyre, dialect coach, once again! This kind of detailed work makes a world of difference and I hope Tysdal and Wier get to revisit these roles again post graduation. Ms. Tysdal was born to play this role and she was a force to be reckoned with in her showstopping number “Loud.” Mr. Wormwood's solo song, “All I Know” at the end of intermission was highly entertaining to the entire audience as he heckled someone regarding their reading habits.
Callie Jean Tysdal as Mrs. Wormwood, Anna Jones as Miss Honey, and Jackson Thomas-Clark Martin as Rudolpho. Photography Credit: @nuan.ting_photo
The standout performer of the night for me was hands down Anna Jones in the role of Miss Honey. This young actress was beyond brilliant because the arc that she created for her take on this character showed an ability not possessed by most artists until they are more seasoned performers. She is a masterful storyteller and her vocals are Broadway level. I appreciate that she did not always show off the full powerhouse of her voice until it was appropriate to the storyline. We witnessed her go from awkward and insecure to a woman who has found a new purpose in life - to protect and nurture a child in much need of it. I had goosebumps listening to her rendition of “My House” and I know I was not alone in this surreal moment based on the eruption of applause and verbal praises given upon her final note. She could easily step into this role in a professional production right now. If I had to guess, I would say that Ms. Jones has an incredible career ahead of her.
Incredible ensemble performances were very evident throughout this production. One of my favorite moments came when the new kids arrived at the school and the older kids, quite literally spelt out the alphabet of advice on how to survive the Trunchbull’s dreaded Phys Ed class. The amount of precision they performed this number with as they spelt out each letter of the alphabet using stacks of books at rapid succession was truly exhilarating to witness. This would be a good time to sing my praises to choreographer Kari Smith. In fact, the more I see Lipscomb productions, the more I realize just how strong the dance portion of their musical theatre program truly is. This show in particular had some of the most perfectly synced delivery of choreography and impressive use of acro I have ever seen. You could feel the audience taking it in and the energy both on and off that stage was honestly electric. So many of these student artists are proving themselves to be true triple threats in this industry. With that said, under the capable music director of Christopher Bailey, we got tight harmonies of Tim Minchin’s fantastic score throughout the show, especially impressive on “When I Grow Up.”
Cook (Bowen Sellers) served up some much needed comedic relief during a very uncomfortable moment for Bruce (Dawson Wise) thanks to the extreme disciplinary tactics of Miss Trunchbull (Isabella Wickham). Photography Credit: @nuan.ting_photo
There was not a weak link in this cast so I can’t mention them all but here are a few additional standouts I’d like to mention: The lovely paired Escapologist (Hayden Lindsey) and Acrobat (Mackenzie Gregory); Isabella Wickham as the terribly evil Miss Trunchbull; Jonah Smith as the brain rotted Michael Wormwood; The always joyful youngster, Lavender (Jaidyn Smart); The enthusiastically over the top Rudolpho (Jackson Thomas-Clark Martin); Bulgarian Mafia boss, Sergei (Bowen Sellers).
I left the theater once again deeply moved as I was seeing the musical back in NYC. Beki Baker puts it so eloquently in her director’s note of the program. “I’ve always been drawn to this classic story of a young girl whose courage and brilliant mind shine brightly, even in a world that often feels dark…This production is dedicated to all the brave souls who, like Matilda, have overcome hardship to make the world a brighter place. It is also for the educators who fiercely believe in their students, and for the students who, in turn, continue to teach us.” From the sheer content of this musical, based on Roald Dahl’s classic book, to the superior direction and choreography, this show will wow you. I actually think more colleges might consider producing this show if they saw what this incredible cast, crew, and creative team have done with it. Lipscomb University’s production of Matilda plays through November 16, 2025 at the Collins Alumni Auditorium. For more information, go to: Lipscomb University - Matilda the Musical.