The Girls' Farewell Matilda Performance

It's hard to believe it, but the girls wrapped up their 10-month commitment today with Matilda and being a company member at NWTL.  It has been an amazing experience and so much fun for them, but the girls and I are ready for a well-needed break.  Since performing the full-length production of Matilda last August, they were required to attend weekly theater classes (when they were available) and a Saturday rehearsal from September through May.  In addition, they also performed in a holiday musical review in December, competed at JTF in Atlanta in January by performing a 15-minute cut of Matilda for adjudicators, performed in another valentine-themed musical review in March, and then visited two elementary schools today to perform their Matilda cut at an assembly.  Although I did not go and watch them at the first assembly this morning, Emmett, my mom, and I drove down to watch them in the second assembly this afternoon.  Just by coincidence, their second assembly was scheduled at our own elementary school, so Ella was able to perform in front of all of the third to six grade classes which included her own class and Logan's class.  In addition, Lia was able to perform in front of some of her former, elementary school teachers.  As a result, this made the entire experience that much more meaningful and fun.  Since I absolutely love their 15-minute cut of Matilda, I loved being able to watch them perform it one last time.  In addition, Ella surprised me by doing a beautiful roundoff, double back handspring in the song, "The Smell of Rebellion," which is a gymnastics skill she just recently mastered.  While I was watching my girls perform this amazing combination of Matilda songs with such incredible choreography, I was overcome by a wave of sadness that this chapter in their lives is ending.  As much money, time, and energy as it took for them to be in company this past year, I am truly grateful that they were able to share this amazing experience together.  Well done, girls!  Now, it's time for a break!

Before they presented their Matilda cut, they performed two small plays based on two stories that were submitted by students at Ella's school.  Ella was chosen to play the lead role in the first play called "Keeping Secrets" and did a really good job.  Here she is talking to some of the other students in this play while sitting down on a couch made by two of the older boys kneeling down.

Lia performing in "Smell of Rebellion" during the Matilda cut.

Ella dancing and singing in "Revolting Children."

A final group photo we got of the Matilda cast after the assembly was over.

Ella posing with her two closest friends she made from Matilda, Evie and Neah.

Lia posing with her closest company buddy, Abbie.