Being naughty is nice this holiday season when “Matilda: The Musical” comes to town, through Nov. 29 at the Academy of Music.
Based on the beloved novel by Roald Dahl, who also wrote the kids’ classic “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Matilda” tells the story of the titular character, a brilliant 5-year-old girl who has to overcome obstacles both at school and at home to find happiness.
Out actor Jaquez Andre Sims plays the role of Rudolpho in the production, a friend of Matilda’s neglectful and self-absorbed mother.
“He is Mrs. Wormwood’s dance instructor,” Sims said. “Rudolpho has a self-affirmed, overly self-confident image and he really prides himself on his image and being that macho-male salsa dancer. And he also gets his confidence by putting down others.”
Sims said the Tony Award-winning play is attracting fans of the classic book as well as the 1996 film adaption of the novel.
“I’m finding there are a lot of people connected to the film, which is inspired by the book,” he said. “It definitely has a cross-generational appeal. There are a lot of children in the cast but, unlike most musicals with lots of children in the cast, it takes a darker approach. So there’s something for everyone. There’s great fun and upbeat numbers. There’s also people with a dark edge that kind of scares some of the children who come to see the show but entertain a lot of the adults. So it’s a great show for a broad section of people.”
Sims said Matilda’s unflappable spirit and self-determination make the show resonate with audiences around the world.
“A lot of people feel kind of helpless about what is going on and feel like there are things that they can’t really change,” he said about current events. “There’s a saying in the show, ‘Even if you are little, you can go a lot.’ And that holds true throughout the show. Matilda is a young girl coming up from a family who does not want their child. But she makes so much change in her school and her life just by being strong and forthcoming with her ideas and embracing her differences.”
Sims added that Matilda can also be seen as an inspiration to the LGBT community.
“She’s faced with so much adversity from birth,” he said. “Her family sees her genius as something negative and something they need to change. I feel like we in the LGBT community face inherent adversity, which is definitely systematic. Matilda’s story affirms that being different is strength and not a weakness.”
Broadway Philadelphia presents “Matilda: The Musical” through Nov. 29 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 250 S. Broad St.