'Matilda' tour brings veteran Chicago actress home
Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble member Ora Jones has repeatedly proven herself on Chicago stages, tackling both classics and contemporary dramas.
Now she adds singing and dancing to her resume by appearing in the national tour of "Matilda The Musical," which makes its Chicago debut at the Oriental Theatre for a three-week run starting Tuesday, March 22. "Matilda" is an award-winning and critically acclaimed 2010 Royal Shakespeare Company adaptation of the 1988 children's book by Roald Dahl ("The BFG," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory").
"I had never done a tour before," said Jones during a telephone interview from Detroit. "It's not just a chance to do the show. It's an opportunity to travel and see the country and basically be paid for it."
"Matilda" is centered around a smart British schoolgirl who outwits her verbally abusive and proudly ignorant parents, as well as tyrannical school headmistress Miss Trunchbull.
Jones portrays the librarian Mrs. Phelps, who with the kindly and meek schoolteacher Miss Honey (Jennifer Blood) prove to be the only admiring and supportive adults in Matilda's life.
"People think that 'Matilda' is a kid's show, that if you aren't a kid or don't have a kid that you have no reason to be in the theater," Jones said. "But the story itself is quite dark."
Jones admires the fact that Mrs. Phelps is one of the most grounded characters in the show, and that she encourages Matilda for her storytelling abilities. One of the most affecting additions made to the musical's script by Tony Award-winning playwright Dennis Kelly is Mrs. Phelps raptly listening to Matilda telling the tragic tale of a beautiful acrobat, her "escapologist" husband and their woebegone child.
The continuing story grows in emotional and theatrical intensity in director Matthew Warchus' production, and it's one of many big tasks required of Sarah McKinley, Lily Brooks O'Briant and Savannah Grace Elmer, who rotate in the title role.
Jones is impressed at how the show's company of kids can handle Australian rocker Tim Minchin's complex "Matilda" score, and also by all the work they do while traveling across the country.
"They get up and go to school, they go to rehearsal, they do whatever safety rehearsals they need to do before the show, and then they do the show," Jones said. "I look at them some days and shake my head because I don't think I would have the energy for all of that."
Jones joked that her return to Chicago with the "Matilda" tour "might start with a vacation to my mother's house for a couple of weeks to just lie down." But she also said being back in the Windy City should allow her to think about her performing career.
"After all the years I spent in Chicago and had such great opportunities, I now have the opportunity to go across the country and try and discover who I am and what my voice is and how I live in the world when I am not in familiar surroundings," Jones said. "I gave up a lot to do this, and my home has been wherever I've been staying at the time."
“Matilda The Musical”
Location: Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St., Chicago, (800) 775-2000,
Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday (also Sunday, March 27), 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday (also Wednesday, March 30 and April 6); from Tuesday, March 22, through Sunday, April 10
Tickets: $37-$115