You can join the ASTRA Youth from Junction City Middle School on Friday evening as they present Matilda Jr. at 7 p.m. There is no admission charge.
The ASTRA Program is an after-school theatre program held at the CL Hoover Opera House, funded by the R2B4 Bramlage Family Foundation. The middle school students come to the Opera House three afternoons a week and work with the show Directors. Here they learn theatre techniques in vocals, choreography, improv, script reading, stage management, character roles, and set design. The Lead Director, and Education Director at the Opera House, Melissa Ford, along with our Kansas State University Students, Jackson Welsh, Assistant Director, Annelise Mock and Jenna Bicklehaupt, Associate Directors, work with the youth to instill and create their best qualities in everything theatre.
This is the first first major production for the Astra youth since the pandemic. Last year our youth participated in ASTRA via ZOOM, and were not able to create a live performance, so this is an exciting time for the kids.
Matilda JR is the story of an extraordinary little girl, with unusual powers. Matilda (played by Faye Fortner) finds refuge in library books, which she reads quickly and then creates her own stories. Matilda has wit, intelligence, and special powers! She's unloved by her harsh parents, the Wormwoods (played by Sally Noles and Juls Hodge) but impresses her schoolteacher, the highly loveable Miss Honey (played by Elliadora Ibarra). Matilda's school life isn't easy, as the school's mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull (played by Cara Pond) hates children and enjoys new punishments for those who won’t follow her rules. This show is high-energy with dance numbers and incredibly captivating songs from local Middle School youth.
Doors for the show open at 6:30 p.m.