Rebellion is in the air at Mainstage’s production of Matilda Jr.

Gloucester Township, NJ — The Dennis Flyer Theater will be filled by the smell of rebellion when Mainstage Center for the Arts presents Roald Dahl’s Matilda Jr. on August 4-5 at 7:00pm. Based on the beloved book “Matilda” by Roald Dahl and adapted from the award-winning full-length musical, Roald Dahl’s Matilda Jr. tells the story of an extraordinary girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny. Matilda Jr. is sponsored by the Bank of Princeton, Bowman and Company LLC, the Lampost Diner and the Meadows Diner.

Matilda (Novalee Seward), a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers, lives with her cruel parents, Mr. Wormwood (Tyler McFarlane) and Mrs. Wormwood (Daisy Belmonte), who find her to be a nuisance, a lousy little worm, and a bore.

“Playing Matilda is both nerve-wracking and exciting! I’m not really like Matilda, she reads a lot of books, so it's fun getting to play someone different than myself,” said Seward. “One of my favorite things about Matilda is how she is really tough!”

When Matilda enters her first term at school, she captures the attention of Miss Honey (Charlotte Capie), a kind teacher, and the two form a wonderful friendship.

“Miss Honey is an interesting change to the bold characters I’ve played previously. I don’t think I’ve ever played such a caring role before,” said Capie. “Everyone should come see Matilda because it’s a story of standing up for what’s right even when it might be really difficult. It is a story that audiences can learn from and apply to the real world.”

Unfortunately, the school is ruled by a tempestuous and mean headmistress named Miss Trunchbull (Michael Thompson), who hates children and delivers cruel and unjust punishments to all her charges.

“Miss Trunchbull is completely out of my comfort zone and a role I never thought I could play. It is also my first time playing the villain,” said Thompson. “The cast has put in so much work and effort and all of their energy radiates on the stage.”

Matilda is determined to change her story, but will her cleverness and courage be enough to withstand the reign of Miss Trunchbull?

Online ticket prices: $16 adults, $13 senior citizens/children 12 and under. To purchase tickets, visit www.mainstage.org

Matilda Jr. runs August 4 and 5, at 7:00pm in the Dennis Flyer Theater of Camden County College in Blackwood, NJ.

In addition to Matilda Jr. being sponsored by the Bank of Princeton, Bowman and Company LLC, the Lampost Diner and the Meadows Diner, the Summer Stage season is sponsored by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, A. P. Construction, OceanFirst Foundation and Comegno Law Group.