Exclusive! Matilda's 'Special Little Guys and Girls' on Favorite Books, Revolting Habits, Offstage Hobbies & More

The eight anything-but-revolting children in Matilda's ensemble help bring the story the extraordinary title character to life eight times a week at Broadway's Shubert Theatre. Whether they're being spun around by their pigtails, forced eat a gigantic chocolate cake or threatened by evil headmistress Miss Trunchbull, these adorable young actors are a huge reason Matilda is one of the most captivating hits on the Great White Way. Scroll below to get to know the junior members of the Matilda ensemble, and enjoy these enchanting portraits by Broadway.com's Jenny Anderson.


JACK BRODERICK (Bruce)
The naughtiest thing I've ever done is… I can't tell you. 
My favorite subject in school is… English.
My mommy and daddy say that I'm… Full of imagination. 
My favorite book is… The Compound by S.A. Bodeen. 
My favorite show on the telly is… Smash.
When I grow up, I can't wait to… Be a director.
The most revolting thing about me is… I am very loud sometimes. 
Acrostic poem of my name… Juvenile, Artistic, Creative, Kooky. 
To stand out from the crowd I… Sing!
My favorite thing to do when I'm not performing is… Writing.
The funniest person in our cast is… John Mara Jr. 


FRENIE ACOBA (Lavender)
The naughtiest thing I've ever done is… Putting makeup on my brother's face while he was sleeping.  
My favorite subject in school is… Science and art.
My mommy and daddy say that I'm… Talented.
My favorite book is… The Giver by Lois Lowry and Matilda, of course! 
My favorite show on the telly is… I don't really watch TV. 
When I grow up, I can't wait to… Travel around the world. 
The most revolting thing about me is… Burping loudly at a restaurant with my castmates. 
Acrostic poem of my name… Funny, Respectful, Energetic, Nice, Intelligent, Enthusiastic. 
To stand out from the crowd I… Make funny faces. 
My favorite thing to do when I'm not performing is… Drawing, singing and running on the trail near my house. 
The funniest person in our cast is… John Mara Jr., our guardian, is very funny, and Taylor Trensch, who plays Michael, is also funny.  


TED WILSON (Eric)
The naughtiest thing I've ever done is… Forgotten to give our dog his dinner. 
My favorite subject in school is… Math. 
My mommy and daddy say that I'm… A cheeky, cheerful boy. 
My favorite book is… Thomas the Tank Engine. 
My favorite show on the telly is… SpongeBob SquarePants. 
When I grow up, I can't wait to… Be a Formula 1 racing driver. 
The most revolting thing about me is… Burping (and farting) at the table.  
Acrostic poem of my name… Thoughtful, Energetic, Dancer. 
To stand out from the crowd I… Be myself. 
My favorite thing to do when I'm not performing is… Relaxing.
The funniest person in our cast is… John Mara Jr.


EMMA HOWARD (Hortensia)
The naughtiest thing I've ever done is… I fed my dinner to our dogs when my mom wasn't watching!
My favorite subject in school is… Math. I know, weird, huh?
My mommy and daddy say that I'm… A "jumped up little germ"? "Should be against the law"? Oh wait...that's what Matilda's parents say about her. How about this..."My mommy says I'm a miracle. My daddy says I'm his special little girl"? But seriously, my parents say I'm brave.
My favorite book is… Well, of course, my all-time favorites are any Roald Dahl book, but other than those I really like Because of Winn-Dixie. 
My favorite show on the telly is… Dance Moms, Breaking Pointe and So You Think You Can Dance. Do you see a pattern here? 
When I grow up, I can't wait to…Wait! I have to grow up? No fair. It's so much easier being a kid. But if I do have to grow up, I think it would be really cool to walk the red carpet at an awards show.
The most revolting thing about me is… My refusal to go to bed early. 
Acrostic poem of my name… Energetic, Musical, Motivated, Artistic. 
To stand out from the crowd I… Dance and sing like no one is watching or listening. 
My favorite thing to do when I'm not performing is… DANCE CLASS! Any kind...ballet, lyrical, hip-hop, tap, leaps and turns, modern, jazz...it's all good. I LOVE to dance.
The funniest person in our cast is… I think Taylor Trensch is the "funniest = ha, ha" member of our cast. 


JUDAH BELLAMY (Tommy)
The naughtiest thing I've ever done is… Classified and stored in a Top Secret folder by the government. 
My favorite subject in school is… Definitely social studies or world history. 
My mommy and daddy say that I'm… A really cool and well-mannered guy. ;)
My favorite book is… Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. 
My favorite show on the telly is… Breaking Bad or Smallville. 
When I grow up, I can't wait to… Be an actor, get married and raise a family with my wife on a farm. Also, build my own house!
The most revolting thing about me is… I'm a control freak. I intend to change that trait of mine. ;)
Acrostic poem of my name… Just Me, Unowned, Diligent, Actor, Healthy. 
To stand out from the crowd I… Am myself.
My favorite thing to do when I'm not performing is… Read. I am currently enjoying the 14-book series called The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. 
The funniest person in our cast is… Betsy Struxness, in my opinion. 


BEATRICE TULCHIN (Amanda)
The naughtiest thing I've ever done is… I brought my dog, Pearl, into my bed with me before she was housebroken and she wet the bed. I didn't want to get her or myself in trouble, so I didn't tell anyone. Eventually, after searching for my puppy, my mom found me asleep, Pearl awake and a big wet puddle in my bed!
My favorite subject in school is… English language arts because I like to write stories to entertain my friends and because I love to read about imaginary places or places and things on Earth I've never heard about.  
My mommy and daddy say that I'm… "She's just delightful, and insightful!" Musical, imaginative, observant, quietly outrageous, a perfectionist, intelligent, energetic, coordinated, expressive, brave, funny, kind, thoughtful, cuddly, sweet, smart, ethical, curious, gentle, loving, lovable, caring, hardworking, respectful, perceptive, interesting, humble, gracious, attentive, interested, memorable and unique. 
My favorite book is… The Little Women series. I like how Louisa May Alcott's writing is not cheesy and it tells about a different period of time and the life one would lead. 
My favorite show on the telly is… Dance Moms! 
When I grow up, I can't wait to… Have a big trampoline at my house! 
The most revolting thing about me is… I share my food with my dogs. 
Acrostic poem of my name… Blonde Hair on Stage, Energetic, Active, Theatrical, Radiant, Intelligent, Caring, Entertaining. 
To stand out from the crowd I… Wear PINK and sparkles! 
My favorite thing to do when I'm not performing is… Playing tennis, swimming, camping, bike riding, going to the playground, running, skiing and gymnastics. 
The funniest person in our cast is… Out of the children, Jack Broderick. I have funny memories with most everybody at the theater. It's a very happy place! 


JARED PARKER (Nigel)
The naughtiest thing I've ever done is… Stay up late past my bedtime. 
My favorite subject in school is… Latin. 
My mommy and daddy say that I'm… A lot of fun. 
My favorite book is… Wonder by R.J. Palacio. 
My favorite show on the telly is… Food Network Star. 
When I grow up, I can't wait to… Start making more of my own decisions. 
The most revolting thing about me is… I can make fart noises under my knee. 
Acrostic poem of my name… Joyful, Athletic, Resourceful, Empathetic, Dedicated. 
To stand out from the crowd I… Do my best. 
My favorite thing to do when I'm not performing is… Watch TV. 
The funniest person in our cast is… Frenie Acoba. 


AVA DEMARY (Alice)
The naughtiest thing I've ever done is… Write "my room" on my mom and dad's dresser with a pink pen. 
My favorite subject in school is… Math. 
My mommy and daddy say that I'm… Funny.
My favorite book is… The Hunger Games. 
My favorite show on the telly is… Dance Moms. 
When I grow up, I can't wait to… Travel the world. 
The most revolting thing about me is… I like to dip my French fries in my milkshake. 
Acrostic poem of my name… Artistic, Vibrant, Ambitious. 
To stand out from the crowd I… Dance like nobody is watching! 
My favorite thing to do when I'm not performing is… Draw and make videos on iMovie with my friends. 
The funniest person in our cast is… Frenie Acoba.

See Jack, Frenie, Ted, Emma, Judah, Beatrice, Jared and Ava in Matilda at the Shubert Theatre.