Finding Their Voice on Stage: OJH Musical Theatre Students Taken on ‘Matilda’ for Spring Musical

Laughter echoes through the Ozark Junior High as students rehearse choreography, practice lines, and fine-tune musical numbers. For the second year, the junior high musical theatre class is bringing a full-scale production to life. This spring’s show, “Matilda Jr.”, is giving students far more than a chance to perform. It’s giving them confidence, connection and a place to belong.

The musical theatre class is co-taught by junior high theatre teacher Olivia Ingamells and choir teacher Alicia Campbell. Designed as a semester-long class, musical theatre allows every enrolled student to be part of the production.

“One of the really nice things about this class is that it is a class,” Ingamells said. “Every kid that’s enrolled is guaranteed a role of some sort.”

That structure makes the experience accessible and intentional. Students audition, learn choreography, rehearse music, and study characters during class time, with additional after-school rehearsals as the performance gets closer. The goal is preparation, not just for the show, but for what comes next.

“We’re really preparing them for what they can do at the high school level,” Campbell said. “How to audition, how to pick a song, how to receive feedback. Those are skills they’ll use long after junior high.”

This year’s cast includes nearly 80 students, a number that speaks to growing interest in the program. For many students, the excitement goes beyond being on stage.

“I’m really excited about the dance and choreography,” said eighth-grader Sammy Lopez, who is part of the ensemble. “But also just being around all of my friends and important people in my life. I’ve gotten to know so many new people in just a few weeks. It’s been really great having some of my close friends be with me.”

For students like seven-grader Lauren McNew, who plays Matilda, musical theatre combines creativity with personal growth. 

“It can grow your confidence a lot,” she said. “You can also grow relationships with other people that you didn’t know before.”

Confidence is a recurring theme, for both students and teachers. Ingamells believes theatre offers a safe space for self-expression.

“At the junior high level, everything feels big,” she said. “We’re teaching them how to communicate, how to accept feedback, how to handle disappointment, and how to fall in love with the part they get, even if it wasn’t the one they imagined.”

Eighth-grader Eliza Lowe, who plays Miss Honey, says being part of the production has been rewarding from the very beginning. 

“I’m just excited to be part of something as a group,” she said. “It’s so fun to put together a show with amazing people who are all into the same things I am.”

The message of Matilda itself resonates strongly with both students and staff. Themes of self-belief, advocacy, kindness and standing up for others feel especially relevant.

“We love that Matilda is about being yourself and advocating for others,” Campbell said. “Those messages matter, especially right now.”

As opening night approaches, the teachers hope audiences walk away impressed, not just by the show, but by what junior high students are capable of.

“I hope audiences take away how capable junior high students are,” Campbell said. “They often get discounted, but they can rise to really high expectations. If you don’t tell them something is hard, they don’t know it’s hard, they just do it.”

Students agree.

 “I hope audiences feel the fun energy from Matilda,” Lowe said. “And that they see how much we love doing this.”

“Matilda Jr.” will be performed May 7 and 8 at 7 p.m., in the junior high gym. Ticket information will be posted on social media once available.