JACKSON TWP. ‒ Ava Kimble commanded the stage of Players Guild Theatre during a recent rehearsal.
The 13-year-old Doylestown resident delivered her lines loud and with confidence, maintaining a smile and directing her gaze at spectators in the mostly empty auditorium.
Even during practice, fellow cast members who looked out from the side of the stage erupted into applause. And the same response is expected when the child performs the lead role in “Matilda the Musical” starting May 15 at the Mary J. Timken Theatre on the campus of Kent State University at Stark.
Based on the 1988 children’s novel by Roald Dahl, the theater says “Matilda” is a “thrilling tale of a brilliant young girl, the power of courage, and standing up to injustice, all wrapped in magic, mischief and unforgettable music.”
Ava will shine in the role, said Daryl Robinson, executive director of Players Guild Theatre.
“Ava is just so polished and so talented and so driven,” he said. “She has done so many things in theater, and she brings with her a level of professionalism. She’s just so talented and poised.”
‘Born to do this.’
Ava said she enjoys slipping into the skin of a character.
“I think it’s most definitely like escaping reality,” the actor said. “You get to become this completely different person that doesn’t have to be you.
“Especially with people always having (electronic) devices in front of them or using devices, a show or musical or a play always has a main message or story for the audience,” she added. “And being able to relate to that is something that you cannot relate to on your phone or device.”
Bart Herman, director of “Matilda,” said Ava is “born to do this.”
“I guarantee she’ll be a working actress the rest of her life,” he said during a break from rehearsal. “She already has the work ethic, and she has the talent. She’ll definitely be doing this for a living.”
‘Dramatic and theatrical’
Dani Kimble, Ava’s mother, said she sometimes must ask her daughter to pace herself and make time for life outside theater. Ava is the oldest of five siblings and a student at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School in Wadsworth.
She was introduced to the arts while still in the womb.
“I grew up in the performing arts, but I was a dancer,” Dani Kimble said. “Ava went into dance (practice) with me when I was seven months pregnant (and performing in a local dance company).”
Ava sang around the house constantly when she was 4 or 5 years old.
“And she was always very dramatic and theatrical,” said the mother, a 2005 graduate of Jackson High School.
Past roles include ‘Frozen Jr.’ and ‘School of Rock’
Ava has taken vocal lessons for several years.
She first acted at Rubber City Theatre in Akron in the youth theater program, including one of the lead roles in “Frozen Jr.” In 2024, Ava performed in “Annie” at Kent State University’s Porthouse Theatre. Last year, she portrayed “Tomika” in “School of Rock” at Porthouse.
Previous Players Guild productions include a role in “Mary Poppins.”
“I don’t want to be a stage mom,” Dani Kimble said with a smile. “But I honestly can’t imagine her doing anything else. She’s passionate about it, she works really hard at it, and it’s all she really wants to do.”
Theater is more than a hobby, Ava said. “This is my life. I get home from school and sing and dance.”
‘There’s so many things I want to do.’
Ava is represented by an agency and has been video auditioning for roles in TV and film, including Netflix and Disney, her mother said. She’s also interested in songwriting.
“There’s so many things I want to do,” Ava said during an interview at rehearsal. “I’ve definitely thought about TV and film.”
Broadway is another aspiration.
“I feel like when I’m on stage, I’ve never had stage fright,” she said. “When it’s a show and everything goes dark, I feel … that it’s not Matilda, it’s like me being Matilda.”
Reach Ed at ebalint@gannett.com. On Instagram at ed_balint and TikTok @edwardbalint
If you go
What: “Matilda the Musical”
Where: Players Guild Theatre at Kent State University at Stark, 6000 Frank Ave. NW in Jackson Township
When: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays from May 15 to May 31 in the Mary J. Timken Theatre in the Fine Arts Building
Admission: Tickets, $25 to $45, can be purchased at https://playersguildtheatre.com. The Players Guild can be reached at 330-244-3224.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: ‘Born to do this.’ Aspiring actor stars in ‘Matilda’ at Players Guild
Reporting by Ed Balint, Canton Repository / The Repository
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