Cast members are divided into three companies: Youth Mainstage Company (ages 7–15), Emerging Artists Company (ages 14–23), and the Adult Company. All performers receive a featured solo speaking and/or singing role, with casting based on age, height, and role requirements.
COMPANY BREAKDOWN:
Adult Company:
Miss Trunchbull, Miss Honey, Mr. Wormwood, Mrs. Wormwood, Mrs. Phelps, Rudolpho / Sergei / Doctor
Emerging Artists Company (Ages 14–23):
Michael Wormwood, The Escapologist, The Acrobat, Children’s Entertainer, Cook, Henchmen, Parents & Babysitters, Older Students
Youth Mainstage Company (Ages 7–15):
Matilda, Bruce, Nigel, Eric, Tommy, Lavender, Amanda, Alice, Hortensia
Most Youth Mainstage Company and Emerging Artists Company actors can expect to perform in 2–3 shows, with a minimum of two performances guaranteed. Some roles may require performers to appear in every show.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
STUDENTS
(Youth Mainstage Company)
Matilda Wormwood [Female, age 8–12]
Brilliant, observant, and emotionally older than her years. Matilda is underestimated by every adult in her life, so she learns to survive through imagination, wit, and quiet rebellion. She’s not “cute,” she’s driven—with a huge inner life and a longing for fairness and love. Must balance childlike wonder with real emotional stakes.
Lavender [Female, age 8–14]
Matilda’s best friend: bold, curious, mischievous, and delighted by rule-breaking. Lavender has the “let’s do it” energy that helps Matilda act on her ideas. She’s brave in a kid way—impulsive, playful, and loyal. Strong comedic instincts.
Bruce [Male, age 8–14]
A classmate who becomes an unlikely hero. Bruce’s defining trait is guts—he’s scared, but he chooses to stand his ground. The actor needs confidence, big reactions, and the ability to hold a high-profile comic set-piece. Strong vocalist.
Nigel [Male, age 8–14]
Nervous, jumpy, and easily frightened—Nigel embodies what Trunchbull’s terror does to kids. Actor should lean into vulnerability, physical comedy, and sincerity. *This actor will understudy Bruce.
Amanda [Male, age 8–12]
Sweet, innocent, and memorable—often placed at the center of a major Trunchbull cruelty moment. Requires confident stage movement and big, truthful reactions in stylized staging.
Hortensia [Female, age 12–15]
A seasoned troublemaker and self-appointed expert on surviving Trunchbull’s school. Sharp, street-smart, and fearless—she’s the one who tells it like it is. Often a leader among the kids: bold voice, strong presence, great timing.
Alice [Female, age 10–14]
A student with a vivid personality who helps shape the “world of the classroom.” Often part of the kid leadership circle. Should feel specific: confident opinions, quick reactions, and strong ensemble instincts.
Tommy [Any Gender, age 12–15]
A student who contributes to the classroom “kid society”—sometimes eager, sometimes anxious, always under pressure. Great role for a child actor with character choices and strong group work.
Eric [Any Gender, age 8–12]
A shy and sweet classmate, often used for quick comedic beats and reactions. Needs alert listening, strong timing, and clean delivery of lines.
Onstage Swings [Any gender, age 7–15]
Cover 2–3 student tracks (lines and music, not blocking) and perform in all student scenes and group numbers, including solo moments. They gain professional experience covering roles and appear onstage in two performances.
FEATURED ROLES
(EMERGING ARTISTS Company)
**All roles below will play multiple featured parts and have solo lines and singing.
Michael Wormwood [Male, age 14+]
Matilda’s brother: not particularly bright, easily influenced, and happy to follow the family’s “don’t think too hard” philosophy. Often comic, sometimes surprisingly sweet, but rarely self-aware. Works best when played with sincerity rather than “cartoon dumb.” Speaking role.
The Acrobat [Female, age 18+]
A graceful, storybook figure from Matilda’s imagination. Gentle, loving, and tragic, she represents the emotional heart of Matilda’s inner world. Movement and physical storytelling are key. Speaking and singing role.
The Escapologist [Male, age 18+]
A romantic, theatrical hero from Matilda’s imagined tale. Brave, expressive, and sincere — he feels larger than life, like a classic stage adventurer. Speaking and singing role.
Doctor [Any gender, age 18+]
A practical professional at Matilda’s birth. A quick cameo role played for dry comedy and confident timing. Strong singer.
Children’s Entertainer [Any gender, age 16+]
A forced-cheerful performer hired to amuse children. Overly bright, artificial, and slightly ridiculous; a comic contrast to the kids’ real emotions. Strong singer.
Cook [Any gender, age 14+]
A school staff member used to Trunchbull’s rule. Observant and cautious, often reacting silently to chaos around them. Speaking role.
Big Kids [Any gender, age 14+]
Older students hardened by years at the school. Tough, sarcastic, and street-smart, but still kids underneath the bravado. Big personalities and sharp movements. Dancing a plus! Solo speaking and singing.
Parents & Babysitters [Any gender, age 14+]
Celebrating their “perfect” children in the opening number. Over-the-top pride, competitive energy, and forced cheerfulness drive the comedy. Solo speaking and singing.
Henchmen [Any gender, age 14+]
Sergei’s intimidating assistants. They function as comic villains — tough on the surface but exaggerated and theatrical. Strong physical presence and deadpan reactions heighten the humor of the scenes. Solo speaking.
Principal Understudies [Any gender, age 18+]
Learn the full principal track as emergency coverage, with no guaranteed performance in that role. They perform their regularly assigned track unless scheduled to go on. This position provides valuable experience rehearsing a principal role.
Adult PRINCIPALS
(ADULT Company)
Miss Agatha Trunchbull [Any gender, adult]
A towering force of intimidation: rigid, cruel, and theatrically frightening. She treats childhood like a disease to be cured through punishment. The role lives in extremes—comic terror, explosive temper, and physical dominance. Needs commanding presence, stamina, and fearless character acting.
Vocal Range: Character alto/baritone; powerful delivery
Miss Honey [Female, 20s–30s]
Matilda’s teacher: gentle, careful, and empathetic, with a buried strength she doesn’t realize she has. Miss Honey is the show’s quiet heart—warmth without weakness. Actor must communicate a life shaped by fear and the gradual choice to fight back.
Vocal Range: Lyric soprano/mezzo; expressive, controlled
Mr. Wormwood [Male, 30s–40s]
Matilda’s father: loud, smug, and aggressively proud of being ignorant. A fast-talking, slippery salesman type who loves being “right,” even when he’s obviously wrong. Comedic engine role—big personality, sharp timing, and lots of bluster. He’s not evil so much as selfish and ridiculous.
Vocal Range: Character tenor/baritone; strong comic vocals
Mrs. Wormwood [Female, 30s–40s]
Matilda’s mother: vain, status-obsessed, and allergic to responsibility. She’s flamboyant, performative, and always “on,” using glamour and fantasy to avoid reality. Often dance-forward and comedy-forward. Actor should lean into bold choices, ego, and big physical storytelling.
Vocal Range: Mezzo/belt; flashy comedic singing
Mrs. Phelps [Female, adult]
The librarian: calm, kind, and genuinely interested in Matilda’s mind. She becomes a safe harbor—an adult who listens. Understated warmth is key; she’s nurturing without being saccharine.
Vocal Range: Mezzo/alto; character singer