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Williams Lake high school musical Matilda a sold out success

A musical being led by students, for students, was sold out before the first curtain went up

The musical production of Matilda directed by Ella Kruus was set for a sold-out success as of opening weekend Jan. 18.

All the tickets were sold and so the Tribune could only catch a glimpse of what was in store for audiences, as Kruus and the show's star, Addison Fairburn, who plays Matilda, chatted backstage before the final dress rehearsal.

Kruus was quick to credit her cast for making the musical ready for the stage, after months of preparations.

"I'm so impressed," Kruus said of the cast and crew, all of whom she described as "very very dedicated."

"I'm very proud of everyone."

Despite some technical glitches still to finalize as they prepped for the dress rehearsal, she said the actors and crew were ready. 

Kruus also said the crew and cast showed so much growth and improvement throughout the process, and everyone worked through challenges as they came up - including having to play more than one part due to a smaller cast.

Fairburn, a Grade 10 student, said the film version of Matilda was her "comfort movie" and she also liked the Netflix musical version. Fairburn said she began to gain an interest in musical theatre in Grade 8, but this is her on stage debut.

As the cast prepared for the curtain to go up, Krista Blackwood of Blackwood Beauty Studio was also there helping with makeup. Blackwood said she got her start in the same backstage when she was part of the theatre program during her high school years, so helping was a natural fit. 

"I happened to have a specific set of skills," said the makeup artist.

Kruus directed and got the ball rolling for the musical as a way to support her fellow students, due to there no longer being those types of opportunities through the school anymore. 

She hopes to continue to participate in theatre when she heads to university next year, but with no set agenda yet.

Already accepted to two schools, Kruus is still waiting to hear back from her first choice, McGill, where she hopes to be studying music, political science and English, along with doing some theatre.

 



Ruth Lloyd

About the Author: Ruth Lloyd

I moved back to my hometown of Williams Lake after living away and joined the amazing team at the Williams Lake Tribune in 2021.
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