PRESS RELEASE THURSDAY 16 MAY 2013 THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY’S EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES THE EIGHT SHORTLISTED SCHOOLS FROM THE NATIONAL WRITING CHALLENGE EACH SCHOOL WILL WATCH CAST MEMBERS FROM MATILDA THE MUSICAL PERFORM THE SELECTED SCENES AND SONGS IN A ONE-OFF PERFORMANCE ON TUESDAY 11 JUNE AT THE CAMBRIDGE THEATRE To celebrate the launch of Write Here Write Now with Matilda, the groundbreaking free online resource for schools, the RSC set a National Writing Challenge inviting students aged between eight and thirteen to create an original script or song to be performed live in a special performance by the West End cast at London’s Cambridge Theatre in June 2013. Over 200 entries from schools across the UK were received and have been through a full script selection process by the RSC’s Literary and Education Departments, before the show’s creators Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin, helped to choose the final shortlist. The carefully selected scenes and songs will be fully rehearsed by members of the Matilda company before being performed on stage in front of the students and their classmates on Tuesday 11 June, all of whom will stay on to see Matilda The Musical that evening. Inspired by the themes of Matilda The Musical, the RSC Education Department created the free online resource to give schools insight into the creative process of staging this award-winning musical, and invites children to create their own scripts and songs. Write Here Write Now with Matilda is an interactive website that is inspiring children to become creative writers, imaginative playwrights and avid readers. Through filmed interviews with the show’s writer Dennis Kelly and music and lyricist Tim Minchin, together with comprehensive teacher notes for use in the classroom, this innovative website helps to make storytelling vivid, accessible and enjoyable for children and their teachers. The eight shortlisted schools whose work will be performed on stage are Appleton Academy, Bradford; Bittern Park School, Southampton; Pates Grammar School, Cheltenham; Richmond Park Academy, East Sheen, London; Scorton C of E Primary School, Preston, Lancashire; St Mary’s C of E (aided) Primary School, Pulborough, West Sussex; St Paul with St Luke C of E Primary School, Tower Hamlets, London and Treorchy Comprehensive School, Treorchy, Mid Glamorgan. Ten highly commended entries will each receive a Family Golden Ticket and a goody bag from The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire. Additionally, and building on the highly successful active teaching approaches to Shakespeare developed by the Royal Shakespeare Company, Write Here Write Now with Matilda also offers Teacher Professional Development days, providing teachers with practical approaches to creative writing using Matilda The Musical as a springboard. The Royal Shakespeare Company’s world premiere production of Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical has captured the imagination of young and old alike and continues to play to packed houses at London’s Cambridge Theatre. Having swept the board at last year’s Laurence Olivier Awards, winning a record-breaking seven awards, the Broadway production of Matilda The Musical has received 12 Tony Award® nominations including Best Musical. The New York production of Matilda The Musical, produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company and The Dodgers, began previews on 4 March 2013 with opening night on 11 April 2013 at the Shubert Theatre. Matilda The Musical was commissioned by the RSC and played to sold-out audiences at the RSC’s The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon for twelve weeks from November 2010 to January 2011. It transferred to London’s West End in October 2011. Matilda The Musical is written by playwright Dennis Kelly, with music and lyrics by the anarchic Australian comedian, musician and composer Tim Minchin, and direction by Matthew Warchus. The production is designed by Rob Howell, with choreography by Peter Darling, orchestrations additional music and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, sound by Simon Baker and the special effects and illusions are by Paul Kieve. LISTINGS INFORMATION MATILDA THE MUSICAL Cambridge Theatre, Earlham Street, WC2H 9HU Booking until 25 May 2014 Box Office: Cambridge Theatre 0844 412 4652 / RSC Ticket Hotline 0844 800 1110 To book online visit: www.matildathemusical.com Schools groups 10+: £25 for Tuesday to Thursday performances including Wednesday matinees. ENDS Press Representative: Ryan Petersen and Chloe Pritchard-Gordon at The Corner Shop PR on 020 7831 7657 [email protected] / [email protected] For further information please visit: www.matildawritenow.org.uk Images and footage from the London production are available from The Corner Shop The current cast: Sharing the title role are Elise Blake, Cristina Fray, Chloe Hawthorn and Lara Wollington The current adult cast includes: Fabian Aloise, Marc Antolin, Verity Bentham, Charles Brunton, Billy Cullum, Joseph Davenport, Lara Denning, Haley Flaherty, Steve Furst, Mark Goldthorp, Jack Greaves, Madeleine Harland, Joshua Lay, David Leonard, Melanie La Barrie, Annette McLaughlin, Katy Monk, Rachel Moran, Leanne Pinder, Nick Searle and Tommy Sherlock. The three teams of young performers who currently play the roles of Bruce, Lavender, Amanda, Nigel, Eric and the other pupils at Crunchem Hall are as follows: Ella Bartman, Cally Callaghan, Amy Charlton, Harry Collett, Rhianna Dorris, Oliver Finnegan, James Gardner, Freddie Haggerty, Madeleine Haynes, Holly Hazelton, Michael Higgins, Nathan Howland, Noga Inspector, Uwan Lam, George Littell, Alfie Manser, Marcus May, Tahj Miles, Syakira Moeladi, Sophie Naglik, Emily Robins, Joshua Tikare, Ella Tweed, Red Walker and Ella Yard. The original cast recording of Matilda the Musical is available from iTunes and on CD. Recorded in a studio by the original Stratford-upon-Avon cast, the album includes 17 original numbers from the production, including When I Grow Up, Revolting Children and The Smell of Rebellion. The CD is available from the RSC Shop - www.rsc.org.uk/shop, iTunes, or via the Matilda The Musical website www.matildathemusical.com Matilda The Musical is produced in the West End by the Royal Shakespeare Company with André Ptaszynski and Denise Wood as Executive Producers. This production was developed with the support of Company Dramaturg Jeanie O'Hare and the RSC Literary Department. The work of the RSC Literary Department is generously supported by THE DRUE HEINZ TRUST American Airlines is the preferred airline for Matilda The Musical .