Matilda: Mountain Mama Jessica Surprises her Mama

When we went to Utah to see Mountain Mama Jessica's family perform in Matilda, we knew that Titan had a major role but that was about it. Jessica told me rather vaguely that she was in several scenes as "an adult/mom" but she kept secret that she actually had a minor role in the production.

The whole family was in the opening number (Jessica in green with Cambria; Andrew in the blue jacket with Titan).

Jessica (plaid dress) next was in the dance competition scene as Rodolpho wowed the crowd with his dance partner, Matilda's mother.

She was again on stage (orange outfit) during the playground scene at Matilda's school supervising the merry-go-round. (Jessie told me that role came to her because the kids were having too much fun on the merry-go-round during the scene and needed supervision during the show.)

But I was caught off guard when the first flashback scene happened and a younger Mrs. Trunchbull (the evil headmistress) walked out on stage and began yelling.

She was mean, she was nasty, she was unreasonable. She was also my daughter!

Clearly Jessie had not lost her acting chops despite the fact that she had not been onstage for quite some time!

After I got over my surprise of her playing this role, 

I wanted to stand up and tell the audience that she really was a very nice person and not mean at all!

Jessica in her final role in the show wearing a grey wig and playing a grandmother dancing and singing my favorite song, Revolting Children.

Curtain call!

The Trunchbull "twins" in their "trunchcoats." Both the "current" and "flashback" Trunchbulls really were very kind ladies. (The current Mrs. Trunchbull actually broke her platform shoes in rehearsal and took a bad fall.)

Congratulating Jessie after the show.

Andrew, Craig, Jessie, Me, and Cambria and Titan in the front.