Timp Arts Presents Matilda the Musical • June 29, 2026 • Valentine Theater
Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe
Photographed by Jane Smith
I could feel the anticipation for this one. Timp Arts production of Matilda the Musical has had some real buzz around town. I could tell people were definitely making plans to attend this show. This should come as no surprise. First of all, Matilda has become a favorite story for children of all ages. Whether it be the book by Roald Dahl, the 1996 film, the 2013 Broadway Musical, or the 2022 film adaptation of the musical, people love the story of Matilda. Secondly, Timp Arts has been on a real hot streak as of late. Their productions have been of the utmost quality, displaying some of the best rising talent in the area. And Matilda the Musical was no exception.
The Timp Arts production of Matilda the Musical was double-cast. I saw the Red Cast on Monday, June 29. I always love walking into the Valentine Theatre in American Fork. The staff is always friendly and somehow always kindly convinces me to purchase something from concessions. Which I never regret. My seats were perfect, and as I sat down, I noticed how great the set looked. I was excited to see what they would do with it.
My initial thought with a show like this, where children make up a large part of the cast and are at the center of the story, is how can anyone pull this off? The cynical part of my brain starts to convince itself that I’ll have to go in and just accept that this cast is full of children and that I’ll have to let things slide because they’re just getting their feet wet in the theater world. Which would have been fine. I always want to leave space in the community theater world to keep the understanding that these are local actors who are learning and don’t do this as a career.
Any cynicism or preconceived notions were dispensed within minutes of curtain up. The stage presence and energy of this young cast far exceeded my expectations. There were moments in the show where the thought hit me that I couldn’t imagine a professional touring cast doing any better than what I was seeing. From the blocking to the choreography, everything seemed precise and natural. They must have worked so hard on this.
Brooklyn Alley, who played the role of Matilda in the Red Cast, completely blew me away. Before the show, as I read through the program, I was informed that this was her theatrical debut. I would have never guessed. She was perfectly cast in the role. The role of Matilda is a demanding one. In my opinion, this would be a challenging role even for an adult. But for a child, I was totally impressed with Brookyn’s portrayal of the title character. She was funny, she was dramatic, and she was inspiring.
In a classic “The show must go on” moment, Alley truly showed her chops. There was a part in the show where the set changed to be the bathroom in Matilda’s family home. As the scene was playing out, a prop fell on top of Brooklyn’s head. There was a gasp from the audience. Concerned if she was ok or not. The prop didn’t appear to be too heavy, but it wasn’t a small piece either.
I don’t think anyone would have blamed her or the production for stopping the show momentarily. But that’s not what happened. The show went on; Brooklyn continued the scene as if nothing happened. Not a flubbed line, not a stammer, not even a moment to remember what her next line was. It was as if the incident never happened. I was beyond impressed. I think Brooklyn Alley is a talented performer that we will be seeing for as long as she wants to do this.
While the children were the clear stars of the show, the adults were no slouches either. Emma Austin had the perfect disposition to play Miss Honey. Her relationship with her cast drew me into the story and allowed me to feel how much Miss Honey wanted to protect and connect with these children. Ally Johnson was an excellent Mrs. Phelps. She seemed so engaged with Matilda and her story. She made me feel as if she had heard it for the first time.
Emma-Claire Riddle as Mrs. Wormwood, Josh Tenney as Mr. Wormwood, and Eli May brought comic relief as Matilda’s family. It’s a strange thing to say how funny they were because they were also incredibly awful. As they’re supposed to be. But they made me laugh, and they had the familial chemistry needed for these roles in order for us to both loathe and laugh at them at the same time.
Then there was Miss Trunchbull. I’ll admit I was a little surprised to see that Miss Trunchbull was being portrayed by Bryson Alley. Can’t say I expected that. But I thought Alley brought big laughs from the crowd and was all Trunchbull in my book. Another character that is impossible not to despise. And yet there are comedic moments that brought a roar of laughter from the audience. I was definitely entertained by Bryson Alley as Miss Trunchbull.
As I mentioned, the set was excellent. The show calls for a few special effects. I loved the way these were done. There were some effects that I still don’t know how they did them, others that were done cleverly, and other effects that were done in an intentionally hilarious way. I love the balance between these and added so much to the show.
I do have one complaint. And it really has nothing to do with the show itself. The Valentine Theater has cement floors. Which normally is not a big deal. However, many patrons will bring their metal water bottles to the show. Without fail, many of those water bottles tip over and clank on the cement floor. This is an obvious distraction to those watching the show, but more importantly, it’s not fair to those performing. We turn off our cell phones (Or at least are supposed to), and for the most part everyone is quiet and respectful. But these blasted bottles fell multiple times. I couldn’t help but feel for the actors whenever this happened. I’m not sure what the solution is.
I’m not sure if asking theatergoers to not bring outside food or drink is possible, but I do feel like it’s an issue that needs to be addressed for the sake of future shows.
The co-direction by Chip Brown and Andrew Jeffries was fantastic. Their choices throughout the show brought fresh and interesting perspectives to this beloved show. I admire their work. Alisa Farnsworth did an exceptional job with the choreography. Again, I think my thought was that the choreography would be simple enough for children to pull off, but nothing that would stand out. I was definitely wrong. The big production numbers were in no way simplified or watered down. These kids could dance, and Farnsworth did an amazing job of displaying these talents.
If you’re a fan of Matilda, The Timp Arts production of Matilda the Musical is definitely a show you need to see. If you’re not familiar with the story of Matilda, I still highly recommend this production. They tell the story in a beautiful way.
The Timp Arts production of Matilda the Musical is playing at the Valentine Theater in American Fork until July 18. For information about the show and to purchase tickets, click here.