Matilda the Musical coming to Broadway

The Royal Shakespeare Company are to bring their production of Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical to Broadway in early 2013, at a theatre to be announced. Further production information will be announced in the near future.

Matilda the Musical is written by the playwright Dennis Kelly, with music and lyrics by the Australian comedian, musician and composer Tim Minchin, with direction is by Tony Award-winner Matthew Warchus and choreography by Peter Darling.

The show premiered at The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, home of the RSC, playing to sold-out audiences for twelve weeks from Nov 2010 to Jan 2011. The production transferred to the Cambridge Theatre in London's West End on 25 Oct 2011.

The musical opened on the West End to excellent notices: "Hugely enjoyable and cracking ... fun" (londontheatre.co.uk); "The best new British musical since Billy Elliot" (The Telegraph); "It's an evening of unadulterated bliss." (The Guardian).

The musical tells the story of a very bright and rebellious little girl, with special powers. Matilda's parents, Mr and Mrs Wormwood, have no time for her and treat her as a nuisance. She spends most of her time reading books from the library astonishingly quickly, whilst they watch the telly and Mr Wormwood sells dodgy used cars. At school things are no better as despite the care and support of her teacher, the lovely Miss Honey, Matilda has to contend with the terrifying headmistress Miss Trunchbull who rules the school with cruelty and fear. Matilda fights against the injustices at home and at school. Eventually she decides the grown-ups should be taught a lesson and in the process discovers her supernatural powers.

The production is designed by Rob Howell, orchestrations, additional music and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, sound by Simon Baker and special effects and illusions are by Paul Kieve.

The children's novel Matilda, published in 1998, was written by popular British children's author Ronald Dahl. The book was was adapted into a screenplay in 1996 by Nicholas Kazan and Robin Swicord, directed by Danny DeVito.