Roald Dahl's 'Matilda' is a kids' favorite and it's on stage in Bloomington Dec. 14-31

Glimpsing Roald Dahl's imagination in action might spur audiences to catch Constellation Stage & Screen's "Matilda the Musical," with performances now through Dec. 31. It's based on Dahl's most beloved children's book, "Matilda," and tells of a bookworm girl whose bingo-addicted mother abandons her each day and whose father wonders why a girl would want a book! — when, by gosh, they have a TV.

Since "Matilda" the novel emerged in 1988, 17million copies have sold throughout the world. It has also become a movie and this commercially successful musical.

Author Dahl, a fighter pilot and spy, also studied chocolate's history and designed medical supplies. According to roalddahl.com, while he was a boarding-school student, a chocolate factory asked pupils to taste test chocolate bars. As a grownup, Dahl published his legendary children's story "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

"Matilda" was among the many other stories he wrote, including books for adults. His works have been translated into 68 languages the world over, and scholars consider him one of the globe's best tellers of tales.

Dahl's outrageous wit and bravery

Dahl books grow more sought after each year, as children and adults discover his outlandish wit and brave takes. His themes radiate positivity, kindness and strength of character, all through his frank word-smithery.

From the book comes this: “Parents never underestimated the abilities of their own children. Quite the reverse. Sometimes it was well nigh impossible for a teacher to convince the proud father or mother that their beloved offspring was a complete nitwit.”

Having had five of his own children, and assuming none was a nitwit, Dahl recognized a truth: Kids want to read about kids. He learned too that children love reading about passing gas, helpful dragons, teachers looking foolish —and diabolical adults. Many of his stories deal with children navigating worlds of cruel or simply irresolute grownups.

Parents (don't) always cherish their children

Matilda consumes books. She's also a genius and sensitive. Her tale starts by highlighting this dreary myth: Parents always cherish their children.

Matilda can also solve complex math problems. Even at age 4 she studies fractions when she's not whizzing through Charles Dickens. Her distracted and annoyed parents await the day they can be rid of this "scab and blister."

"There’s nothin’ you can get from a book," her father says in the novel, "that you can’t get from a television fastah!”

Two different Matildas in this cast

Constellation Stage and Screen's production has cast two children to play Matilda: Miriam Spillman and Noey Krothe take turns. Noey can be seen on the company's trailer for the show.

Miriam, an 11-year-old homeschooled student, hopes perhaps to pursue theater in college. (Her mother, Sara, majored in theater at Hannibal-LaGrange University, a private four-year Christian university.) Sara believes it might be a good choice for Miriam, too.)

"Theater could be a way for me to minister to the community," Miriam said over the phone. "I could be in some plays, direct some plays and also spread the love of Jesus."

Matilda is the role Miriam has dreamt of, ever since she watched her cousin perform it.

There's only one problem with Miriam getting her "Matilda" dream role. "The story's about a poor, mistreated child," Miriam said. "An abused child. And I am not an abused child."

Miriam is so un-abused that in her 11 years, she said she has never come across one atrocious adult. So how to get into the role? Her mother has been role playing, saying things such as, "OK, Miriam, now what would you do if you thought I were about to hurt you?" Miriam is sliding so smoothly into Matilda, that Miriam's newly learned British accent is seeping into other areas of her life.

"I'm in the Christmas program at church, "she said, "and I keep using my ("Matilda") British accent."

Matildas work through double casting

Double casting can create tension, or at least awkwardness, between the actors splitting a role. Noey and Miriam worked through that in early rehearsals and now feel comfortable doing their own versions of a mistreated bookworm with special powers.

Luckily, Miriam's own best friend, Sophia Linville, is playing Matilda's best friend, Lavender, in this production.

Competing for theatrical roles is always formidable. How do kids handle the pressure? "During the auditions it didn't seem like a competition," Miriam said, "because (Sophia Linville and I) were doing it together."

If you go

WHAT: Roald Dahl’s "Matilda the Musical," (Tony Award winner on Broadway), with book by Dennis Kelly, music and lyrics by Tim Minchin

WHEN: Dec. 14-31. For specific dates and times, go to buskirkchumley.org.

WHERE: Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave.

TICKETS: Starting at $32 for adults, $20 for students and $17 for children. On sale through Constellation’s website, seeconstellation.org, or call 812-336-9300 (noon-5 p.m. Monday-Friday) or in person at 122 S. Walnut St. (open noon-5p.m. Wednesday-Friday). Tickets can be purchased in person at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater Box Office, during regular box office hours.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: 'Matilda the Musical' comes to Bloomington's Buskirk-Chumley Theater