Fort Myers Dinner Theatre opened “Matilda” over the weekend in its new space inside Gator Lanes. New stage. New seating area. Bigger space than the theater’s other location on San Carlos Boulevard. The bigger stage gives Fort Myers Theatre’s creative team a lot more to work with says, actor Kevin Crumpler.
“When you're dealing with a smaller space, the cast has to be smaller or fewer people on stage and more have to go backstage,” said Crumpler. “When you have a larger stage, it's an exciting dream for a choreographer. They get to have a huge spectacle, multiple people, different levels on platforms.”
Amy Fenicle plays Mrs. Wormwood. She has several far-flung dance scenes in “Matilda.” The larger stage translates into more cohesive, fluid dance routines and better sight lines for audiences, says Fenicle.
“It makes us feel more comfortable on stage and creates a better picture for the audience,” said Fenicle.
Dancers are adaptable. They can work in small spaces, but the wider, deeper stage has allowed choreographer Michelle Kuntze to stage more intricate, acrobatic dance numbers in this production of “Matilda.”
“It's all about spacing,” noted Crumpler. “When you're doing your pirouettes … you can all spread out. Your regular ensemble on the main stage can be doing things as well. So, you've got so much to look at rather than just in a small space. It's almost like sky's the limit.”
“You can feel like you're dancing full out without being afraid of hitting somebody next to you,” Fenicle elaborated. “So, it just creates a more cohesive picture as far as blocking and what the audience sees.”
Seeing is believing.
“Matilda” is onstage through Sept. 20.
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The musical follows Matilda, the daughter of verbally abusive and criminally neglectful parents. She finds refuge in library books, which she reads quickly and voraciously. Her parents put her in an oppressive school, Crunchem Hall, whose motto is “Bambinatum est Magitum,” or “Children are Maggots.” She finds companionship in her teacher, Miss Honey, who, though well-intentioned, is shy and fragile, and must face off with the school’s tyrannical and cruel headmistress, Miss Trunchbull. Brave little Matilda knows she has to stand up against the adults in her world, and in doing so, discovers her own remarkable powers. Matilda’s bravery teaches Miss Honey and her classmates an important lesson — that even though life can be hard, “nobody but me is gonna change my story” so “sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty.”
“Matilda” represents the inaugural show of the Fort Myers Dinner Theatre in the former location of Ter-Tini’s lounge in Gator Lanes Bowling Alley.
This week’s performances are Thursday, Sept. 17 at 6:30 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 18 at 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 19 at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.; and Sunday, Sept. 20 at 2 p.m. For tickets, telephone 239-323-6570 or visit https://ftmyerstheatre.com/.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
