Rehearsal image of the youth cast of Matilda.
by Liv Wilson
As a part of its 17th season, Cadence presents Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical, in collaboration with ATLAS Partnership and THE HOUSE. Matilda is based on the beloved book by Roald Dahl, with Book by Dennis Kelly, Music and Lyrics by Tim Minchin, Musical Direction by Dee Lynch, and Choreography by Deandra Clarke. Directed by Matt Polson and featuring Josh Marin as Doctor and Rudolpho, Matilda is sure to be a raucous time with a dash of mischief and sprinkle of magic.
We chatted with Matt and Josh about what it’s like to work together on this delightful musical. Matt Polson has worked with Cadence in various capacities for close to 15 years. He’s directed summer theatre and film camps, worked on their STAGE WRITE program, and was in two shows, Violet (2017) and Gloria (2019), with Cadence. Matt notes, “Anna has one of the sharpest creative minds in town, and Laine Satterfield is one of my oldest friends in Richmond Theatre.”
Matilda is the biggest show Matt has worked on, with a total cast of more than 60 people, including 53 kids. While they are still early in rehearsals, everyone is having a blast, and the work has been very rewarding. Matt reminds us that Matilda is, at its heart, “a big Broadway musical comedy, so we are hoping to get some big belly laughs from our audiences. It also has a lot of heart, and a message that just about anyone can relate to.”
In classic theatre industry style, Matt Polson and Josh Marin have worked together previously. Whilst cast opposite each other in Violet, they became very close, creating nicknames for each other (Matt’s was GumGum, after his character, Montgomery) and socializing outside of the show. Matt recalls that everyone in the entire cast was at the top of their game, and audiences had very positive reactions to the show.
Josh Marin returns to the Richmond stage this December.
Matt Polson directs Matilda.
We asked Matt what it’s like to work with Josh, this time as a director. “Josh Marin probably has more ‘star power’ than anyone I've ever worked with. What I mean by that is he is extremely talented and extremely charming and kind. When I heard he was on the national tour of Hamilton, the only appropriate response was, ‘duh.’ When you're as good as Josh is, and you're easy to work with, the world is your oyster.”
Josh Marin’s career started in Richmond in 2010 with a production of Rent at Firehouse Theatre when he was still in college. Josh, who played Benny, recalls how great the cast was and what a wonderful entrance that was into the professional world of theatre. He has many fond memories of other productions in Richmond, including earning his equity card through The Color Purple and a bus-and-truck traveling production of Thumbelina.
Josh is now based in New York City and is excited to come back to Richmond for this production. Not only is it a joy to return home and see family, but to continue to participate in such high quality productions. Josh posits that the quality of Richmond and New York City productions are on par with each other, even when the budgets may differ.
Josh also has fond memories of the 2017 production of Violet. Josh recalls that having Matt as scene partner gave him so much to work with. He never felt as though had to reach for anything because Matt is such a wonderful artist that Josh felt free to be and exist and react in the moment without having to create the moment. In the show, their characters were at odds with each other, chasing the same girl. Outside of the show, they were chums. Josh remembers how much they laughed together and always had a good time. Josh can’t wait to jump into this project with Matt and all the wonderful creatives a part of this production.
Matt Polson and Josh Marin in Violet, produced by Cadence and Virginia Rep.
Emily J. Cole from ATLAS Partnership.
Emily J. Cole, the Managing Director of ATLAS Partnership and an accomplished actress in the Richmond community, also spoke with us about their involvement in this production.
ATLAS Partnership (Allied Theatre Legacy Artists and Supporters) was founded in 2023 to uphold and protect the rich legacy of theatre in Central Virginia. You can read their official mission and vision here. ATLAS’ primary focus is supporting and adding value to the incredible theatre landscape that already exists in our region for the benefit of future generations.
Emily says, “We feel a sense of urgency and responsibility to steward our region's existing theatre assets, while helping our community understand how Richmond came to punch above its weight theatrically. It didn't happen overnight. It happened over hundreds of years of building, experimenting, and weaving theatre into the very fabric of our communities. Through our work, we celebrate the people and institutions who paved the way, and revive past programs that still have the potential for meaningful impact.”
The primary way ATLAS Partnership accomplishes its mission is through partnerships, supporting Cadence’s production of Annie last season as well as this production of Matilda. While the organization is fairly new, members of the leadership team (Managing Director Emily J. Cole, Program Director Desirée Roots, and Senior Advisors Bruce Miller and Phil Whiteway) have been part of this theatre community for decades. Emily notes how blessed they are to have been able to forge longstanding relationships with people like Anna Senechal Johnson and Laine Satterfield, and organizations like Cadence, which is a cornerstone of the RVA theatre community.
“We see our support of Matilda as an investment in an organization that is a foundational asset of Richmond theatre. They have clearly demonstrated that they're ‘in it for the long haul.’ Cadence makes our region a more culturally vibrant place to live, work, learn and play, while cultivating future generations of actors, artists and theatre-goers. They also understand the importance of knowing where you've come from in order to know where you're going.”
At ATLAS, they subscribe to the “a rising tide lifts all boats” philosophy. “If we can help make it possible for Cadence to do their best possible work through this partnership, the result will have a ripple effect that extends far beyond this production.” We are so grateful for ATLAS partnership’s support to get Matilda The Musical up on stage!
Performances of Matilda run December 11th-20th at the Libby S. Gottwald Playhouse with two different youth casts participating in the production. You can get your tickets below. See you there!
Photos by Jason Collins Photography and Sub/Urban Studios.
