From November 20-23rd, over 40 members of the Agnes Irwin community took part in this year’s musical: Matilda. With students on-stage, in the wings, in the booth, and building and painting sets, the musical boasted hours of students’ time and dedication. The audience for the four productions was composed of family, friends, and students from the Upper, Middle, and Lower School, all of whom recognized the outstanding result that such a commitment had produced. But the real question, present in the minds of many audience members, was this: What was the secret behind the magic?
Firstly, how did Matilda knock over the cup and pitcher with only her eyes? The secret is this: magnets. While on stage, actresses attached magnets to the inside and outside of both cup and pitcher, and these magnets were attached to a string. The string led offstage into the wings, where a member of stage crew held the other end, and at just the right moment, pulled on the string to knock over both cup and pitcher. The on-stage result was a six-year-old with the power to move objects with her eyes, and a newt released to terrorize the Trunchbull.
Second, how did the chalk move on its own? Now, aside from the obvious answer of Matilda’s powers, there is another answer that may cause you to recognize a theme: once again, magnets. When the chalkboard entered the stage, so did members of the stage crew. Hidden behind the chalkboard were three black-clad students, operating the magic from behind the scenes. The chalk on the front of the blackboard was actually a magnet, connected to another one on the backside. These magnets on the back were the ones moved by the stage crew in order to create the illusion of the chalk moving on its own. In order to hide the words written there, black fabric was placed over them, each row receiving its own cover. So, when cued by actresses and actors on stage, one student moved the chalk magnets and then handed the magnets off in the middle, while another pulled the fabric to reveal the words.
In the end, the true magic of Matilda didn’t come from the power of telekinesis (or should we say magnetism), but the true hard work and dedication of the Agnes Irwin Repertory Community. While magnets, strings, and fabric created the illusions seen onstage, it was thanks to countless hours of preparation, timing, and teamwork between the cast, crew, and the production team that made the magic of Matilda possible!
