Local talents nab lead roles in Actors Training Center’s summer show ‘Matilda, Jr.!’

Three North Shore girls will star in Actors Training Center’s upcoming production of “Matilda, Jr.!” as part of the center’s Wilmette-based Junior Musical Theatre Intensive summer program.

Tessa Mae Pundsack, 11, of Wilmette, Avelyn Choi, 10, of Glenview, and Evie Hsu, 13, of Northfield, have landed the parts of Matilda, Miss Honey and Miss Trunchbull, respectively.

The program seeks to bridge the gap between educational theater and professional theater for children Grades 4-8. Over just three weeks, the 20 cast members from across Chicagoland will rehearse from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily to prepare for the show’s two performances: 7 p.m. on July 25 and 2 p.m. on July 26 at North Shore Country Day School, 310 Green Bay Road, Winnetka.

Tickets to see “Matilda, Jr.!” are available now online.

“We work at a really accelerated pace and we’re trying, as much as possible, to really mimic what happens in the real world,” director Christina Ramirez said following the first day of rehearsal. “These kids have so far exceeded expectations. Every single one of them showed up today completely on their A game, really clearly having spent time with the material.”

Following auditions and callbacks this spring, students were assigned their roles a few weeks before the program’s start on July 7. Ramirez said casting is like a puzzle, but after the first day of rehearsal she was “beaming ear to ear” with how perfect the pieces fit.

Ramirez said she knew the three main roles — Matilda, Miss Honey and Miss Trunchbull — would be competitive. When evaluating auditions, Ramirez looks for actors who make a bold choice.

“It speaks volumes in an audition when a kid can trust their instincts and go for it and really show you as the director, show us as a creative team, ‘This is my version of this character,’” she said.

To close out her callback for Matilda, Tessa — whose prior experience includes roles at Porchlight Music Theatre, Devonshire Playhouse and Metropolis Performing Arts Centre — decided to do a self-choreographed routine for the song’s ending musical tag. Ramirez said this creative choice sealed the deal for Tessa’s casting.

“When someone’s vision of it is so clear and it also aligns with your vision of it as the director, then it’s a match made in heaven,” Ramirez said.

Avelyn faced an unexpected request during callbacks: to sing a song she did not prepare for Miss Honey although she was called back for Matilda.

“She just went for it. She didn’t get in her head about it. She didn’t think twice about it,” Ramirez said. “She was on the Broadway national tour of ‘Frozen’ for two years so it’s not like it’s her first time in a callback where somebody throws her a curveball.”

Avelyn played Young Anna (2023) and Young Elsa (2024) in the Broadway National Tour of “Frozen.” She has also participated in other productions across Illinois.

Evie too has experience across stage, screen and voice acting. She has appeared at Chicago Shakespeare, as a voice actor in AppleTV “Eva the Owlet” and most recently the feature film “Do No Harm.”

As one of the older actors in the cast, Evie was qualified for many of the roles, but Ramirez wanted to give her a challenge.

“I’ve never really played anything like Miss Trunchbull,” Evie said. “I don’t think (my voice) sounds super evil and gruff and raspy and everything. Miss Trunchbull is going to be a little harder when I’m singing to sound a little meaner than usual, but I’m really excited.”

Ramirez said each summer ATC seeks to “level up” the program’s difficulty. “Matilda, Jr.!” felt like a challenge the young actors were ready for but also a show they could connect to, she added. Every actor wants to be there and is taking it just as seriously as the next, Ramirez said, which is what makes ATC special.

“At the end, it’s amazing, everybody chipping in to do their part and giving 100%,” said Tessa, who has spent three summers with ATC. “It’s really awesome because all of these child actors are coming together and making this incredible thing.”

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