and
Book by Dennis Kelly
Music and Lyrics by Tim Minchin
Orchestrations
Music by Chris Nightingale
Principal’s Welcome
Our final Junior School musical production of Matilda Jr is something that I have been looking forward to since it was announced last year! It always brings me so much joy to see our youngest students on the stage. How wonderful that we get to watch, celebrate, and enjoy their incredible talent, commitment, and creativity through such a tremendous show. It really is fitting that Matilda Jr is our final show, as Matilda herself teaches us the importance of being strong and courageous especially when life doesn’t seem fair. These qualities resonate very deeply amongst Shelford students.
I know that putting a show together of this quality and scale does not happen without many, many, hours of planning, sourcing and making props and costumes, scheduling, and rehearsals. I am incredibly indebted to and grateful for the hard work, energy and creativity of Kelsey Holden, Director/Choreographer/Producer and Anya McLeod, Music Director. I have been in awe of the work that they have put into this production over many months.
Heartfelt thanks to the cast and crew for their commitment and to the many people behind the scenes who have brought Matilda Jr to life, thank you!
Enjoy the show!
Pauline Cutajar Principal
Director’s Note
As I reflect on our time with Matilda Jr, I am filled with both joy and a deep sense of pride. This production marks the final performance of Shelford’s long and proud tradition of Junior School musicals, and I could not be more honoured to have worked with such an incredible group of students on this magical show. These girls have brought so much energy, creativity, and dedication to their roles. It has been a true privilege to watch them grow not only as performers but as individuals, embracing the story of Matilda with a passion that has brought this beloved tale to life.
Their talent and enthusiasm are a testament to the spirit of Shelford, a school that has always nurtured and celebrated the arts. As we approach the end of this experience, I hope the memories made during the production will be ones they look back on fondly, long after they leave Shelford. May these experiences inspire them to be brave, kind, and to stand up for what they believe in — just like Matilda herself. As Matilda says, “Even if you’re little, you can do a lot!” I also hope that the lessons they’ve learned and the confidence they’ve gained will help prepare them for their next adventure. As we take our final bow, I want to thank the students, staff, and families for their unwavering support. The journey we’ve shared will stay with us long after the final curtain falls.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Kelsey Holden Director and Choreographer
Matilda Emily Bond-Fuller
Miss Honey
Misha Pandey
Agatha Trunchbull
Perrine Bernard
Bruce Aiai Wang
Lavender
Grace Newitt
Nigel Alicia Nguyen
Tommy Miranda Sun
Eric Katerina Batzios
Amanda Ariana Fais
Alice Clem Droulez
Hortensia
Scarlett Coco
Mr Wormwood
Karen Ta
Mrs Wormwood
Astrid Hegarty
Michael Chloe Bui
Mrs Phelps Queenie Xu
Escapologist
Aurora Ambrose
Acrobat
Emma Zhang
Rudolpho Holly Henderson
Mechanic
Jessin Yu
Sergei Emma Hobbs
Cook Zehra Aydogan
Big Kid 1
Chloe Wang
Big Kid 2
Luisa Rafaniello
Big Kid 3
Juliana Heng
Russian Sophia Massarin
Russian Maggie Cowle
Ensemble
Matilda Bates
Clémence Bernard
Sofiia Bryndak
Chloe Bui
Avery Charles
Ellie Chen
Maggie Cowle
Emma Ding
Kaitlyn Ding
Amelia Galindo
Jaylene Hoang
Anna Kang
Aimee Leong
Kate Lim
Grace Liu
Wenqian Lyu
Sophia Massarin
Zara McGuire
Christina Moreton
Anna Nguyen
Zoe Pan
Myra Pandey
Olivia Sun
Xicong Wang
Xiqing Wang
Alice Yang
Mabel Yong
Angela Yoshith
Stephanie Yu
Sofia Zhang
Yvonne Zhao
Backstage Crew
Prisha Srivastava
Genevieve
Asher Kirkilis Greta Ambrose Matilda Cowle Isabelle Macky
Macky Serena Zhang Phoebe Whitehead Isabella Shan Vivienne
Smythe Mandy Chen Luna Wang Laura Li Anastasia Vatca Olivia Banerjee (Not pictured)
Musical Numbers
Miracle
Naughty
Acrobat Story I (Part 1)
School Song
The Hammer
Naughty - Superglue (Part 2)
The Chokey Chant
This Little Girl
Bruce (Part 1)
When I Grow Up
The Smell of Rebellion
Quiet
Revolting Children
Bows
Little Kids, Year 1 - 5
Matilda
Matilda, Escapologist, Acrobat
Year 6
Trunchbull, Miss Honey, Sheltones
Matilda
Year 6
Miss Honey
Trunchbull, Miss Honey, Year 1-5
Miss Honey, Matilda, Year 1-5
Trunchbull, Year 3 - 5
Matilda
Year 6
All
Production
Director / Choreographer / Producer Kelsey Holden
Music Director Anya McLeod
Performing Arts Teacher Stephanie Veber
Set / Costume Design Kelsey Holden and Anya McLeod
Set Construction Kaine Hilton and Sirus Kia
Set Painting Kelsey Holden and Anya McLeod
Lighting Eddie from Creative Vision and Audio
Audio Outlook Communications
Filming and Projections Andrew Zhang
Marketing Jessica Coffey
Photography / Program Design Jenny Collins
Ticketing Kirsten Ehrenberg
Thank you
In the spirit of reconciliation Shelford Girls’ Grammar acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
• Thank you to Pauline Cutajar, Karen Whelan, Jacqui Sidaway and Vicky Gemmell for their continued support of this final Junior School Production
• Thank you to all the Junior School classroom teachers for their assistance throughout rehearsals and performances
• Thank you to the dedicated parents for early morning drop-offs, lunches, and love for our hard-working cast of students
• Thank you to Kilbreda College, Michelle Rae School of Dance and Caulfied Grammar School for providing some set and costume items
• Thank you to MTI for the rights to this magical show
• Thank you to Creative Visual and Audio for their professional lighting production and management
• Thank you to Outlook Communications for their work on sound and audio
• And finally, thank you to Shelford Parents’ Association for subsidising our amazing t-shirts and for providing drinks and snacks at both performances
Matilda was first commissioned and produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company and premiered at The Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, England on 9 November 2010. It transferred to the Cambridge Theatre in the West End of London on 25 October 2011 and received its US premiere at the Shubert Theatre, Broadway, USA on 4 March 2013.
