Sioux Falls offers a wide variety of activities for people of all ages, whether it is riding bikes along the miles of trails or attending plays and musicals at The Washington Pavilion. “Matilda the Musical” was one of the multiple shows playing at the Pavilion this year and it is an inspiring show everyone must see.

“Matilda the Musical” is based off of the book “Matilda” by Roald Dahl, which was also turned into the popular movie that came out in 1996. In it, a 5 year-old who has a love for books and an abnormally high I.Q. has to deal with her mom, Mrs. Wormwood, who only cares about ballroom dancing, and her dad, Mr. Wormwood, a sly car salesman who fails to acknowledge that his daughter is in fact a girl, not a boy. Along with her parents, Matilda also has to deal with her school’s headmistress, the cruel and frightening Miss Trunchbull, who just so happens to be a former Olympic hammer thrower. Luckily, Matilda’s teacher Miss Honey is able to see her gift and the power of her exceptional mind. Together, Matilda and Miss Honey are able to overcome their struggles and find what they had been searching for all along, family.

The first half of the play goes from the Wormwood home to Matilda’s school and the local library, where she entertains the librarian with her story about an acrobat and escape artist couple. In the second half, viewers come to find out that all of Matilda’s stories she has been telling to the librarian are not just stories, they are real. Through the help of her friends, Miss Honey and her love of books and stories, Matilda is able to change her story and live the life she has always wanted.

Yes, “Matilda the Musical” was extremely entertaining, but it was also a strong tale of empowerment. Even though her home life was less than glamorous and at school she had to deal with the menacing Trunchbull, Matilda is able to overcome those obstacles through her books and stories and she delivers a message for everyone: you can be the creator of your own story.