Meet the three young stars who bring Matilda to life in Toronto’s hit musical

The Mirvish production of Matilda is one of the finest family shows to hit the city in some time. Both my daughter and I loved the clever lead character who unspools a mystery and stands up to bullies of all shapes and sizes.

For this production, three actors — Toronto’s Hannah Levinson as well as Jaime MacLean and Jenna Weir — share the role of Matilda and rotate performances throughout the week. The show also stars a number of local actors, including Dan Chameroy as the evil Miss Trunchbull and Paula Brancati as Miss Honey.

We decided to get to know the Matilda girls a bit better and set up a time to chat about the show.

How would you describe the character of Matilda?
Hannah:
Matilda is a very powerful human being who is not afraid to put things right. She knows the consequences that could happen, but she’s just so powerful and has this brilliant mind and she’s very feisty.

Jenna: I would describe Matilda as a bold, strong, brilliant character with an amazing mind who is not afraid to stand up for what she believes in.

Jaime: I would describe Matilda as very determined. She is not afraid to put it right. When she wants to, she’ll do it, she’s very determined and not scared.

Do you ever get nervous before a performance?
Jenna:
I do get nervous a lot before every show, but what I do is take lots of deep breaths and I also have brave thoughts. That means if I have a worry thought and I know what I’m worried about, then I would say my worry thought in my head once, and then I would have three or four brave thoughts and say them to myself over and over again, and they go into my head, and it makes me not scared and helps me get onstage.

What’s an example of a brave thought?
Jenna: Like, I have already done 13 shows already and nothing bad happened so why would anything bad happen now?

Jaime: If I’m getting nervous before a show, I take my nervous thoughts and push them down to make positive energy in a way. I use my nerves to make energy, and it helps me be more feisty and strong.

What’s your favourite scene?
Hannah: I really like “Naughty” because it gets me into the character as Matilda because it brings out her mischievous side. People think she’s more of a serious girl who is all about academics, so it’s fun to show people what plans she has up her sleeve.

Jenna: I like “Quiet” near the end of Act 2, maybe in the middle, I think because in Act 2 everything unfolds, and it gets really intense and crazy, and with “Quiet” you get to stand there, breathe and calm down completely and just feel the happiness of being onstage and doing what we love, and knowing that you’re standing there is just an amazing feeling. Sometimes the theatre is so dark I can’t even see the audience. I don’t even try to look. I just close my eyes and go to my quiet spot. We all have our own quiet spot, something that represents us, where we love to be, and it just calms us down.

Jaime: My favourite scene is called “Honey House,” when Matilda goes to Miss Honey’s house and they have a talk. And it’s at a point in the play where it goes from something small to like finding out a huge part in the play where everything unfolds. It’s very emotional that scene, too, for Ms. honey, Matilda not so much. She gets so emotional, and the song is beautiful too. I love that song.

What is Ms. Trunchbull like offstage? 
Jaime: Dan is literally a fluffy bunny inside. He’s so sweet and funny and the complete opposite of Miss Trunchbull. Literally, Miss Trunchbull onstage and then Dan, it’s like a before and after — it kind of blows my mind sometimes. Like how do you do that? I’m almost opposite to Matilda because I’m very smiley and giggly. But someone like Dan, he has to go from a man to a woman, but a very manly woman.

What do you hope the audience takes away from seeing Matilda?
Hannah: I hope that they take away a belief in themselves. A lot of young girls don’t have faith in themselves, and that’s a really important thing to always believe in yourself and always be strong and stand up for people no mater what.

Jenna: One of our music teachers once said there will be at least one person, somebody in the audience, who is dealing with something in their life, at the moment, that they are afraid of. Like, their boss or in school or a bully, someone they are too afraid to stand up to, but coming to the show, I think people will learn that Matilda is so little but also so big. She is strong, and she can put things right, and I hope people leave and say, “You know what, I’m going to stand up to this person.”

Jaime: I think the same, but also  to inspire kids to do musical theatre. I think it’s just amazing to inspire them.

Matilda runs until Jan. 8, 2017 at the Ed Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria St., www.mirvish.com. 

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