Talking to the Co-Directors of Desert Stages' production of ROALD DAHL'S MATILDA, JR

by Gil Benbrook

Alexis Archer and Noah Sucato are both high school students who recently appeared as Bonnie and Clyde in Bonnie & Clyde at Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre. They are also dating and co-directing Desert Stages' production of Roald Dahl's Matilda, JR, which opens tonight and runs through October 9th.

Alexis is a 17 year old senior at Horizon High School who has been involved in several productions around the valley, including playing Sheila in A Chorus Line at Desert Stages, as well as appearing in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and 13 at Spotlight Youth Theatre, and Freaky Friday at the Herberger with Valley Youth Theatre. Noah is an 18 year old Senior at Arcadia High School who has been involved in local theatre since he was eight years old, appearing in The Diary of Anne Frank and playing Crutchie in Newsies and Rich in Be More Chill  at Desert Stages.

In between final rehearsals for this production, they sat down to answer some questions about the show and what the experience of co-directing it has been like.

For someone who hasn’t heard of Matilda, what would you tell them it’s about?

Alexis Archer: "Matilda is the story of an unbelievably smart little girl who, despite growing up with a rude and very unconventional family, teaches her friends at school the importance of standing up for what is right. Together, Matilda, her classmates, and her teacher, Miss Honey, challenge an abusive headmistress who believes 'children are maggots.' "

Noah Sucato: "Matilda is about a young girl who loves to read but has grown up in an anti-learning home; but when she's finally old enough for school, she faces a principal who thinks children are maggots and a teacher who recognizes the brain Matilda has."

What themes or parts of this show resonate with you, and why?

Archer: "The theme that resonates most with me in this show is breaking the chain of negative familial influences. Both Matilda and Miss Honey in the show experience familial trauma that they must break free from and grow out of, and this is something I can connect very deeply with. The stresses and effects that childhood abandonment and emotional/physical abuse cause can be very great, and I think the characters Matilda and Miss Honey are very inspiring because of how beautifully they show that it is possible to stop the cycle and be true to themselves."

Sucato: "Matilda is about a young girl who loves to read but has grown up in an anti-learning home; but when she's finally old enough for school, she faces a principal who thinks children are maggots and a teacher who recognizes the brain Matilda has."The song Quiet performed by Anna Scales, always seems to resonate with me the most. The song is all about being overwhelmed and how your mind can be racing with so many different thoughts, and at the moment, you wish you could just have silence. The performance given is something every audience member will walk out feeling in some kind of way.

Why did you want to direct a youth production at Desert Stages Theatre?

Archer: "As someone who got into theatre through acting, I was really interested in exploring different parts of the process, especially the creative process, but moreover, I wanted to work with and grow closer to the younger generation of actors in the valley. I love collaborating with different artists and working together to create something we can all be proud of, and I really think that the production team, crew, and cast were able to do that with this show, which has been so rewarding."

Sucato: "I wanted to direct a youth production because, through covid, I felt disconnected from the rising generation of talent in the valley. I didn't really get to know many of them. As someone who was in two student-led productions at Desert Stages, directed by Sam Primack and Sarah Pansing, I know how important it is to have the older theatre kids as mentors. At the time, I was in Be More Chill at Desert Stages, and we were told the season announcement was coming on our opening. The thought of directing had been in my mind for a while now, so I went to my amazing girlfriend, Alexis Archer, and brought up the idea, and the next day we were in a meeting with Ellen and Walt (the executive and artistic directors), and 6 months later we’re here right before opening night."

Were there challenges to directing that you did not expect?

Archer: "The biggest challenge to directing was trying to ensure that work was getting done, but simultaneously making sure the kids were not burning out. There’s a clear balance between working and having fun, and it was at times difficult to have to be the bad guy when the kids were all play and no work."

Sucato:  "The one challenge I faced was getting the kids to focus and not steer off task! As funny and talented as they all are, they like to talk ALOT. Being on this side of the production, I now realize director's frustration with talking."

So far, what is your favorite memory about this experience?

Archer: "My favorite memory about this experience was seeing the cast run the show in costumes with full lights and sound for the first time. The proud, excited faces as they started the opening number, and their phenomenal energy that night was so inspiring and made me so proud of them and their progress. I can not wait for them to share their excitement with audiences the next three weekends."

Sucato:  "My favorite memory about the experience has got to be seeing the show completely done for the first time. Something about the cast’s performance for that first time was really special. I think of them at the callbacks, and it just makes me feel so proud of these kids in this cast and how far they have come since then. The bondage between this cast has been a bright light in my life for the past 2 months."

Any “least favorite” memories?

Archer: "I can’t say I have a least favorite moment because every experience has been a good learning opportunity for me."

Sucato: "My least favorite memories I have was getting news that cast members were sick during the process. Living in a post covid world, actors getting sick is very scary! You never know who else could be sick or if we have to stop rehearsals. Luckily everything was very minor, and we had no stops during the rehearsal process."

You both are seniors in high school. Do you know what your plans are for next year?

Archer: "I’m currently in the middle of the very long and stressful process of applying to colleges out of state in hopes of pursuing a Bachelors in Fine Arts in Musical Theatre or Acting. We’ll see where life takes me, but I know the arts will be there no matter what path I go down."

Sucato: "Currently, I am in the middle of the college audition process. I'm planning on going to college and getting a B.F.A  in musical theatre or acting. The process is very long and tedious and very, very stressful. So many deadlines, prescreens, and traveling in the next coming year. Hopefully, this time next year, I will be studying the arts somewhere in New York."

What do you hope audience members will take away from seeing Matilda Jr at Desert Stages?

Archer: "I hope audience members will leave Matilda Jr. remembering the importance of generosity, curiosity, love, and standing up for what is right!"

Sucato: "I hope audience members take away that kindness and love can go so far."

CLICK HERE for more information on Roald Dahl's Matilda, JR at Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre