Lucy Maunder to Join MATILDA as 'Miss Honey' in Brisbane and Perth

The Royal Shakespeare Company, Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Michael Watt announced today that Lucy Maunder will join the Australian company as Miss Honey for the Brisbane and Perth seasons of MATILDA THE MUSICAL.

The announcement was made as tickets go on sale to the general public for the Brisbane season. Queenslanders are already embracing Matilda with the waitlist for tickets reaching a record high.

Lucy Maunder is no stranger to the Brisbane stage, having most recently appeared in the QTC/MTC co-production of Ladies in Black. Other credits include Rizzo in the national tour of Grease, and Lara in Doctor Zhivago as well as roles in the Sondheim works, Into the Woods, A Little Night Music, Side by Side by Sondheim and Sondheim on Sondheim. Maunder played Gertrude Laurence in Noël and Gertie, opposite Matilda's James Millar (as Noël Coward) and Polly in Michael Kantor's production of The Threepenny Opera. Maunder played Emma Crew in Jekyll and Hyde and Janet in The Rocky Horror Show (TML Enterprises). She is currently playing Heather Chandler in Heathers - the Musical in Melbourne.

Winner of over 50 major international awards, including 13 for Best Musical, Matilda continues to thrill audiences in London, on Broadway, on tour around North America and is currently enjoying a highly successful season in Melbourne, following similar success in Sydney where the show played for six months

MATILDA THE MUSICAL will play Brisbane's Lyric Theatre at QPAC from November 2016 with tickets on sale from 9.00am EST today, Thursday, May 19 and Perth's Crown Theatre from February 2017 with ticketing details to follow.

MATILDA THE MUSICAL is based on the beloved novel by best-selling author Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox). It is the story of an extraordinary girl who armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny.

Having proven an enormous success internationally, where productions continue to play to packed houses and capture the imagination of young and old alike, MATILDA THE MUSICAL opened to unqualified rave reviews in Sydney last year. The Daily Review described the production as "nothing short of a miracle". The Australian said the show "makes you want to punch the air with delight." and Time Out Sydney pronounced the show "a freaking masterpiece."

MATILDA THE MUSICAL is directed by Tony Award winner Matthew Warchus (God of Carnage), who helms this production with a book by Tony Award-winning playwright Dennis Kelly and music and lyrics by Australian Tim Minchin.

The production has sets and costumes by Tony Award winner Rob Howell, with choreography by Tony Award winner Peter Darling (Billy Elliot), orchestrations, additional music and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale, lighting by Tony Award winner Hugh Vanstone, and sound by Simon Baker.

MATILDA THE MUSICAL was commissioned by the RSC and played to sold-out audiences at the Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon for twelve weeks from November 2010 to January 2011. It transferred to London's West End on Tuesday 25 October 2011 where it opened to rave reviews.

The New York production of MATILDA THE MUSICAL opened on 11 April 2013 at Broadway's Shubert Theatre to rapturous reviews and was celebrated on 10 "Top Ten" lists for 2013, including TIME Magazine's #1 Show of the Year.

MATILDA THE MUSICAL's award-winning success includes sweeping the board at the 2012 Laurence Olivier Awards in London with a record-breaking seven awards, and winning four Tony Awards and a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theater for each of the four girls sharing the title role on Broadway in 2013.

MATILDA THE MUSICAL is produced in Australia by the Royal Shakespeare Company, Louise Withers, Michael Coppel & Michael Watt with André Ptaszynski and Denise Wood as Executive Producers.

Roald Dahl (1916-1990) was one of the world's most inventive, mischievous, and successful storytellers. His stories are currently available in 58 languages and, by a conservative estimate; he has sold more than 200 million books. Many of Roald Dahl's best-loved stories have been adapted for stage and screen. High profile film adaptations include Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), James and the Giant Peach (1996), Matilda (1996), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) and Fantastic Mr Fox (2009). The next movie will be Steven Spielberg's adaptation of The BFG, set for release in July 2016. Roald Dahl Day is marked annually all over the world on - and around - Roald Dahl's birthday, September 13th. In 2016, there will be global celebrations for the Centenary of Roald Dahl's birth.

IF YOU GO:

MATILDA THE MUSICAL

MELBOURNE

PRINCESS THEATRE - NOW PLAYING

TICKETS ON SALE FOR PERFORMANCES THROUGH TO SEPTEMBER 4 2016

Book at Ticketmaster 1300 723 038 www.ticketmaster.com.au
Groups 20+ call 1300 889 278 or groups@ticketmaster.com.au
In person at the Princess Theatre Box Office or any Ticketmaster outlet.

Tickets: $55-$150*

*Transaction fees may apply

BRISBANE

LYRIC THEATRE, QPAC FROM 25 NOVEMBER 2016

Book at QPAC 136 246 or www.qpac.com.au
Groups 20+ call 07-3840 7466 or groups@qpac.com.au
In person at QPAC Box Office

Tickets : $55 - $150*

*Transaction fees may apply

PERTH

CROWN THEATRE FROM FEBRUARY 2017

Ticketing details to follow

Waitlist for Perth tickets now at matildathemusical.com.au