By Drew Butler
dbutler@cherryroad.com

The second installment of the Jim and Ida Williams Summer Youth Theatre will come to life this weekend at the Brass Ring Center for the Performing Arts.

Students in grades 5 through 8 will be performing “Matilda Jr.,” and it’s a fun and funny show. The musical follows the story from the book by Roald Dahl and the 1996 film about a book-loving child prodigy and her unsupportive family and tyrannical school principal. Matilda learns she has telekinetic powers and uses them to deal with the negative people in her life.

Being that this is a stage production, the telekinetic powers are tamed down a bit though there are some cute practical effects such as an incident with a teacup. For the most part Matilda’s hijinks are limited to physical pranks such as when she puts peroxide in her father’s hair tonic and he has to wear a green wig for the rest of the show.

To say that the show’s star, Libby Harvey in the role of Matilda, is a standout is a given, and it’s basically been a given in any show she’s ever been in. Her singing is always top-notch, and she’s a skilled actor. This show gives her a chance to try on a British accent, and she does an excellent job of maintaining it throughout her performance.

Another standout performance comes from Nolan Muniz in the role of Mr. Wormwood, Matilda’s father. Muniz is also a skilled actor and is particularly skilled with comedy such as when he finds out his hair has been turned green.

Performances of Matilda will be at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and at 6:30 p.m. Saturday evening. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at brassringardmore.com.

The Jim and Ida Williams Summer Youth Theatre will conclude next month when the high school students put on “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” July 18-20.