Actors Technique NY/ATNY to Present MATILDA: THE MUSICAL

Actors Technique NY/ATNY (Todd Etelson and Carl Anthony Tramon, Producers), will present the Post-Broadway Manhattan Premiere of _Matilda: The Musical_, based on the novel by Roald Dahl with a book adapted by Dennis Kelly, and music and lyrics by Tim Minchin. Every kid's favorite fable will be brought to life in an inventive new turn on the story with the help of a member of the original Broadway production, along with other Broadway veterans who have all joined with ATNY, the premiere acting school in NYC, and some of the most astonishing young talent in the country.

Produced by TV & Film veteran Todd Etelson, Carl Anthony Tramon, and Michelle Marceau, with mind-bending new direction by Mr. Tramon (Peter Pan, Fame) and explosive choreography by Robert Taylor Jr. ("So You Think You Can Dance," SpongeBob SquarePants), Matilda: The Musical will be performed at A.R.T./NY Theatres (502 West 53rd Street -10th Avenue & 53rd Street) for weekend matinee and evening performances beginning Saturday, December 7th (through December 22nd). Reserved seating ($17/$20), as well as fun "Pillow Seating" ($15) in front of the stage, is available here. Come get swept away in time, music, and magic with MATILDA!

In a statement Mr. Tramon said "Milly Shapiro, one of the original TONY Award-winning Matilda' s from Broadway, has been an integral part of this company and has lent her inspiring insights. Full circle! A number of visions came to me from the outset of directing this. In our original Broadway production, Matilda didn't show a hint of supernatural powers until halfway through Act II, briefly, and then they just poof go away. This always bothered me. Also, that production utilized freezes and slo-mo's (as most shows do), however they felt a bit unconnected to Matilda, like she had little to do with it. For me, she drives everything. Not just in the theatrical sense, but more importantly, in the journey of her life. She manipulates her entire environment - much to the incomprehension of those around her - until she chooses to let them in on it, mostly to save the life of her teacher. Matilda has a few lines in the show that are tucked away so deeply amidst monologue or lyric, that no one ever thinks anything of them. But to me, they tell a deeper story. For example, at one point she offhandedly says, "The one thing that no one is the master of, is time". Another example is, in the song, "Quiet", she sings:
"If we are travelling at almost the speed of light,
And we're holding a light,
That light would still travel away from us
At the full speed of light".
Then soon after, she sings:
"But this noise becomes anger,
And the anger is light."

"I am a fan of physics, and these are both references to TIME. So, was it psychokinesis, as the people around her like to explain it? Or was it psycho-TEMPORAL? Was she simply manipulating time, focused in chosen ways? There are intense clues that I feel Roald Dahl left in his original book, that I've never heard anyone pick up on. When it first hit me, the discovery was rather astonishing."

"Both our Matilda's (we have 2 rotating), Clara Stack and Natalia Artigas, are extraordinary, way beyond you can even imagine. One of them is from Mexico - in fact, she missed her "little Christmas" there to do this show. I feel that it's such a beautiful metaphor for Matilda, because she is indeed almost alien, and it reminds us of that sense of "otherness" often felt by those coming from foreign lands."

"Speaking of otherness, this may be the most diverse cast every assembled. The "evil" character of Miss Trunchbull is written to be played, interestingly, by a man, surely because she is big and powerful and terrifying and intimidating. I wanted to try it with a woman - who can be every BIT as big and powerful and terrifying and intimidating as ANY man could ever be!! We also played with the ethnicity of her, as two of our Trunchbull's- Zakiya Baptiste and Alexis Dobynes - are women of color, and the third Gisela Ribeiro is Hispanic. Our Doctor Hailey Morales is a female of color. One of our two Bruce's Zihan Zhao is Chinese, and the other, Sebastian Cubillas, is Hispanic. And that list goes on and on..."

"I feel so fortunate to be bringing this to life with this amazing group, both in the cast and at ATNY. There's a reason they have the reputation that they do."

Bios

Todd Etelson (Producer) is a Top NYC Kids and Teens acting coach, specializing in on-Camera television, film, and audition technique. In 2004, he founded Actors Technique NY (ATNY), a TV and film school for serious young actors. He works closely with most of the top NYC agents, managers, and casting directors. His students have boasted numerous major successes in network TV, film, and other commercial and stage projects. He began his career working at Dick Clark Productions in Los Angeles on such hits as "The Academy of Country Music Awards," "Puttin' on the Hits" and "American Bandstand." He has performed on network television, film and stage. He travels nationally and internationally to speak and teaches regional acting workshops.

Carl Anthony Tramon (Director/Producer) is an award-winning Broadway actor, producer, and regional director, who has also been known to break out into song and dance with very little encouragement. By the age of three Carl had the stage under his feet. Broadway, National Tours, and Equity Regional productions include: Fame, the Musical; Amadeus (as Mozart); What Makes Sammy Run (title role); Peter Pan; Gypsy (w/Angela Lansbury); Rags (directed by Stephen Schwartz); etc. Carl received the coveted Best Actor award nomination by the Broadway League. Carl's most recent Broadway producing credits include Matilda and the TONY-nominated hit Be More Chill, which boasts a record-breaking number of audio downloads for a musical. Carl's directorial credits include: Rocket Boys (New York City, Theatre West Virginia, Huntsville AL, and ASCAP Disney Workshop, NY); Plain Beautiful (Freeman Stage, DE); Flyer (The Freeman Stage and The Lamb's Theatre, NY); Einstein's Breakfast (Delaware PAC);Coconut Road (World Premiere, Delaware PAC); Fame, the Musical (Bardavon Opera House, Poughkeepsie, NY); The Jeweler's Shop (Carnegie Hall & The United Nations, NY); Grease (Somerville, NJ), etc. Principal TV roles include "Saturday Night Live," "One Life to Live" (recurring), "Saved by the Bell"; "Growing Pains," and over 50 national commercials. Feature films include: Pizza Palace, The Lackluster Syndrome, Aladdin(w/Barry Bostwick, Disney Channel), and Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead. Carl is an alumnus of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England.

Actors Technique NY (ATNY) was established in 2003 as a way to help all actors in the progression of their careers. They work with New York's most prestigious agents, managers and casting directors daily and boast the highest number of young actor TV/Film bookings and representation in New York City. Their focus is On-Camera Acting and Audition Technique, and they've expanded to Musical Theatre and Adult Classes. Their exclusive coaches are experienced, passionate and fun. Classes are professional, as they expect professionalism and growth. They're judged by the agents and managers who recommend their kids to their facility. Their successful actors are found in national television series, major films, commercials, stage, voice-overs and print. They've worked with major stars, such as Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Christopher Lloyd and others. Their NYC Industry Showcases will allow your child the opportunity to be seen and show off what they've learned. They guarantee all their services and leave their phone open for free parent's guidance. Let them help you navigate your child's career.

www.actorstechniqueny.com

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