# 58 Student-Artists Join Company of 2024 Grand Theatre High School Project: MATILDA the Musical ![Neela Noble as Matilda, leaning against a brick wall.](/sites/default/files/styles/hero/public/2024-05/Neela%20Noble%20as%20Matilda.%20Styled%20by%20Lisa%20Wright.%20Grand%20Theatre%2C%202024.%20Photography%20by%20Mai%20Tilson.%20Matilda0099.jpg?h=f2373019&itok=VfVRfrrz) **Megan Watson and Neela Noble return to Spriet Stage with London Proud Company Announcement** **May 30, 2024 – London ON** – The next generation of theatre is looking tremendously bright, with a record number of young artists auditioning for the **Grand Theatre High School Project**. This year’s production of Roald Dahl’s ***MATILDA the Musical*** will feature the talents of a cast of 35 students, 19 students behind the scenes, as well as four student musicians. The production will see the return of 20 students from previous Grand Theatre High School Project productions, and welcome **38 new students who will be making their Grand debut**. Throughout the audition process, we were thrilled to welcome students heading into grades 9 through 13, from the Thames Valley District School Board, London District Catholic School Board, Waterloo Region District School Board, and Lambton Kent District School Board, as well as home school students. This September’s production of ***MATILDA The Musical*** will truly be **London Proud**. **Megan Watson**, sought after nationally and living locally, will make her return to the Grand and helm the production as Director. Megan is well known as the Grand Theatre’s Artistic Associate (2015 – 2022) and as the director of several past productions at the Grand including *A Christmas Carol (2018)* and *Mary Poppins* on the Spriet Stage, *The Glass Menagerie* on the Auburn Stage*,* *Shakespeare: The Mixtape* and *Julius Caesar* as previous High School Project productions, *Juno’s Reward* as part of the 100 Schools initiative, and curator of the Re-Opening Festival in 2021. H.B. Beal Secondary School student, **Neela Noble**, who made her Grand debut as Charlie Bucket in our 2023/24 holiday production, *Charlie and the Chocolate Factory*, now makes her High School Project debut as Matilda! Neela is joined by **Marissa Allen** as Lavender, **Charlie Burnett** as Bruce, **Theone Damue** as Mrs. Phelps, **Shakotshanunyatha Doxtator** as Michael Wormwood, **Piper Jesney** as Mrs. Wormwood, **Ethan Pickett** as Rudolpho, **Una Roulston** as Miss Honey, **Mackenna VanMassenhoven** as Miss Agatha Trunchbull, and **James Wright** as Mr. Wormwood with **Miraya Agrawal**, **Ava Alcaidinho**, **Sophia Belleth**, **Leland Chafee**, **Michael Dodge**, **Evan Doerr**, **Sawyer Eidt**, **Hosna Emami**, **Greta Fleet**, **Billie Gould**, **Abby Hall**, **Isabelle Hiltz**, **Aya Holzberg**, **Alexis Khanna**, **Jasmine Melo**, **Erica Mota**, **Danica Novo**, **Isabelle Parent**, **Erin Prouty**, **Leticia Rodrigues**, **Olivia Schiedel**, **Isaac Sellars**, **Alyssa Skiffington**, **Isaac Szoldatitis**, and **Desi vanBeek-Paterson**. Students making up the production team include **Marlie Klompstra-White**, **Chloe Laporte**, **Aislynn Pinelli**, **Corinne Smeenk**, and **Kate Telfer** (Props); **Ayat Reza**, **Bea Snider** (Scenic Art); **Grace Tang**, **Quentin Vieira** (Stage Management); **Morrigan Beharriell**, **Reagan Berdan**, **Meyer Liston**, **Eris Marles**, **Virginia McCallum**, **Maggie McHardy** (Wardrobe); **Angelina Moses** (Photography and Marketing); **Luis Garcia**, **Joni Lau** (Sound); and **Adelaide Alcantara** (Lighting). The company further includes returning student-musicians **Riley Hales** on Woodwinds, **Franz Marsolais Hernandez** and **Ryan Shaw** on Keys, and introducing **Emily Peacock** in the role of Music Assistant. The student company is mentored by professional guest artists and coaches, culminating in a production staged on the Grand’s 839-seat Spriet Stage. The creative team of guest artists for this year’s High School Project, *MATILDA the Musical,* includes **Megan Watson** as Director, **Stephen Cota** as Choreographer, **Scott Penner** as Set Design Consultant, **Lisa Wright** as Costume Designer, **Jareth Li** as Lighting Designer, **Aaron Ouellette** as Sound Designer, and **Jess Gordon** as Assistant Stage Manager. Additional members of the creative team will be announced in the near future. The 2024 Grand Theatre High School Project, Roald Dahl’s ***MATILDA The Musical,*** plays on the **Spriet Stage** from **September 17 to 28, 2024.** Tickets are currently available to 2024/25 Grand Theatre season subscribers only. Subscribers save 15% when they add the Grand Theatre High School Project, *MATILDA the Musical*, to their season. Single tickets will be available to the general public as of June 17, 2024. The Grand Theatre is grateful to offer **Canada Life Pay-What-You-Can** pricing, presented on Sunday, September 22 at 2:00 p.m. The Grand Theatre gratefully acknowledges Season Sponsor **BMO**, Downtown Community Partner **Old Oak Properties**, Title Sponsor **Western Fair District**, and Grand Theatre High School Project Program Sponsors **Thames Valley District School Board, London District Catholic School Board**, and **Westminster College Foundation.** To learn more about the **2024 Grand Theatre High School Project, Roald Dahl’s *MATILDA The Musical***, please visit: [grandtheatre.com/event/matilda](https://www.grandtheatre.com/event/matilda). Additional facts, photos and updates can also be found by following **@thegrandlondon** and **\#GrandMatilda** on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok. -30- ## About the Grand Theatre – World Curious. London Proud. The Grand Theatre is known for **world-class theatre created and built in London, Ontario**. As **southwest Ontario’s premiere producing theatre** and **one of the most beautiful theatre spaces in Canada**, the company has deep ties to the community and to its artists, artisans, and technicians. As a vibrant cultural hub and not-for-profit professional theatre, the Grand serves to gather, inspire, and entertain audiences in London and beyond. At our home in downtown London, we create productions on two stages: the Spriet Stage (839 seats) and the Auburn Developments Stage (144 seats). The Grand season of theatrical offerings runs from September to May, and we collaborate with companies and artists across the country through our co-productions that see London-made artistic and creative work travel to audiences nation-wide. Through our successful **COMPASS New Play Development Program**, the Grand is committed to developing and premiering new, original works and supporting the growth and reach of theatre writers and creators. Our recently renovated venue offers a contemporary and welcoming environment that is also home to several successful music series’, community arts rentals, cultural, and special events. A cornerstone of the organization is our place as a teaching theatre, exemplified in our many mentorship programs and highlighted in our annual **Grand Theatre High School Project**. As the only program of its kind in the country and currently in its twenty-sixth year, the High School Project involves as many as one hundred high school participants annually from schools across the region. These students participate at no cost and take on roles both on stage and off, in a fully realized mainstage production under the direction of a professional creative team. For more information, visit: grandtheatre.com. Follow us on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/TheGrandLondon), [X](https://twitter.com/thegrandlondon), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/thegrandlondon/?hl=en), [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGrandTheatre),[ LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-grand-theatre/), and [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@thegrandlondon?lang=en). The Grand Theatre is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak, and Attawandaron Peoples. We acknowledge with gratitude the significant historical and contemporary contributions of local and regional Indigenous Peoples and of all the Original Peoples of Turtle Island (also known as North America). We are honoured to live, work, and tell stories together on this land. **For more information please contact:** Melissa Mae Shipley, Communications and Public Relations Manager mshipley \[at\] grandtheatre.com (mshipley\[at\]grandtheatre\[dot\]com) office: 519-672-9030 ext. 266 cell: 519 280 4008 ## PHOTOGRAPHY ### 2024 High School Project ROALD DAHL'S # *MATILDA The Musical* Book by Dennis Kelly | Music & Lyrics by Tim Minchin Orchestrations and Additional Music by Chris Nightingale Directed by Megan Watson **September 17 to September 28, 2024 | Grand Theatre – Spriet Stage** ## CREATIVE TEAM Director – Megan Watson Choreographer – Stephen Cota Set Design Consultant – Scott Penner Costume Designer – Lisa Wright Lighting Designer – Jareth Li Sound Designer – Aaron Ouellette Assistant Stage Manager – Jess Gordon ## CAST Miraya Agrawal – Ensemble Ava Alcaidinho – Ensemble Marissa Allen – Lavender Sophia Belleth – Ensemble Charlie Burnett – Bruce Leland Chafee – Ensemble Theone Damue – Mrs. Phelps Michael Dodge – Ensemble Evan Doerr – Ensemble Shakotshanunyatha Doxtator – Michael Wormwood Sawyer Eidt – Ensemble Hosna Emami – Ensemble Greta Fleet – Ensemble Billie Gould – Ensemble Abby Hall – Ensemble Isabelle Hiltz – Ensemble Aya Holzberg – Ensemble Piper Jesney – Mrs. Wormwood Alexis Khanna – Ensemble Jasmine Melo – Ensemble Erica Mota – Ensemble Neela Noble – Matilda Danica Novo – Ensemble Isabelle Parent – Ensemble Ethan Pickett – Rudolpho Erin Prouty – Ensemble Leticia Rodrigues – Ensemble Una Roulston – Miss Honey Isaac Sellars – Ensemble Alyssa Skiffington – Ensemble Isaac Szoldatitis – Ensemble Desi vanBeek-Paterson – Ensemble Mackenna VanMassenhoven – Miss Agatha Trunchbull James Wright – Mr. Wormwood Olivia Schiedel – Ensemble ## MUSICIANS Riley Hales – Woodwinds Franz Marsolais Hernandez – Keys Emily Peacock – Music Assistant Ryan Shaw – Keys ## PRODUCTION TEAM Marlie Klompstra-White – Props Chloe Laporte – Props Aislynn Pinelli – Props Corinne Smeenk – Props Kate Telfer – Props Ayat Reza – Scenic Art Bea Snider – Scenic Arts Grace Tang – Stage Management Quentin Vieira – Stage Management Morrigan Beharriell – Wardrobe Reagan Berdan – Wardrobe Meyer Liston – Wardrobe Eris Marles – Wardrobe Virginia McCallum – Wardrobe Maggie McHardy – Wardrobe Angelina Moses – Photography and Marketing Luis Garcia – Sound Joni Lau – Sound Adelaide Alcantara – Lighting Pictured: Neela Noble as Matilda Wormwood. Styled by Lisa Wright. Photography by Mai Tilson.