Spartan performers offer didactic tales of childhood through ‘Matilda: the Musical’

Oshkosh North sent waves of “revolting children” to the stage in their production of Matilda: the Musical, February 15-18 at The Grand Opera House.

Junior Hannah Fiser, playing the titular role, enjoyed being part of a more lighthearted musical that highlights some of the joys of childhood.

“The story naturally follows Matilda, and my favorite parts of the show are the ones where all of Matilda and her classmates are at school together interacting like children,” she said.

Fiser finds that Matilda highlights key points, moments and memories of youth, including indulging in some sweet treats.

“My favorite scene is at the end of Act 1, where one of Matilda's friends, Bruce, has to eat an entire chocolate cake,” she said.

However, working on the musical itself wasn’t always a piece of cake.

“I think that the entire cast has had both ups and downs with learning how to have a British accent and being able to portray little kids, although the process has been really fun,” Fiser said.

Fiser’s growth has been with the cast, as well as individually.

“Personally, I think that I have grown the most as an actor and really better my understanding of what it’s like to step into another person’s life and experience,” she said.

Featured ensemble member and junior Izzy Loiacono believes musicals are one of the best ways to improve musical skill.

“I do really enjoy singing, and so it’s just been a lot of fun being able to sing alongside my friends within such a fun musical,” she said. “Having these songs be a part of a story makes them so much more fun to sing and practice. Naturally, I improve my skills during the musical season.”

Junior pit orchestra member and cellist Allan Koji also noticed major improvements in his musical capabilities from being in the show.

“Some of the successes I’ve experienced include my improvements in my musical ability. You really just have to be on your toes and adapt to whatever is happening,” he said. “You never know when a singer might take a fast tempo on a song, or maybe if something goes wrong onstage, you just have to keep playing and adapt to it because the show has to keep moving.”

Although Koji has been playing in orchestras throughout much of his life, both in school and in the community, playing as a part of a show has been unlike any other experience.

“One of the biggest challenges I faced while being in the pit was the music itself. Musical music is nothing like regular orchestral music,” he said. “There’s a lot of weird keys and unique time signatures that I rarely encountered prior.”

Besides encountering new types and styles of music, Koji has gained some skills applicable both to playing music and living life in general.

“While in the pit, I’ve gotten really good at multitasking,” he said. “Instead of just focusing on music and tempo, and stuff like that in a normal orchestra, you really have to focus on how all aspects of all the performances are happening. You have to be on your toes so that you can jump around and adapt to everything that’s happening up on stage.”

Up on stage, Loiacono has really enjoyed the collaboration between all sections of the music department.

“I’ve really enjoyed being able to sing with a lot of my friends and with live music,” she said. “As a cellist, it’s been fun to see my musical worlds come together.”

Koji has had similar enjoyable experiences and sees it as an opportunity to get closer with some of his fellow musicians.

“It’s really cool to see people you know doing really amazing things both onstage and below it,” he said.

“I think my favorite part about the show so far has been our rehearsals in the Grand just because there are so many of us being packed down into the pit where you're forced to get along because if you have a negative mindset, you’re not going to have a good time.”

He believes that this experience will be something that will be remembered fondly.

“It’s been a lot of fun working with everyone,” he said. “One time there was a centipede in the pit and everyone freaked out, but those are memories that you get to keep and remember forever.”

Not only will the memories made while putting the show together be remembered, but also the memories that were influenced by the musical itself.

“This musical has helped me remember to live life like Matilda does,” Loiacono said. “She lives life to the fullest basically every single day and fights strongly for her beliefs. I think that while the musical is definitely light-hearted and entertaining, her character is a good reminder for basically everyone of how we should act towards one another.”

Fiser finds that the musical is not only a youthful, enjoyable piece for younger generations’ entertainment, but also has thought-provoking ideas for those older viewers.

“This show really focuses on the wonders of being a child and the literal and figurative magic that comes along with it, which is something everyone can relate to,” she said. “There is an important message of advocating for what is right even when everyone is against you, and standing by what you believe in.”

By Zosia Bowlus-Jasinski

Published February 26 2024

Oshkosh West Index Volume 120 Issue IV