With the help of some incredible friends, we are excited to announce our plan to close the Matilda chapter of Kudzu’s legacy thoughtfully and appropriately.

After great consideration, debate, and countless hours of prayer, we have chosen to hold a Matilda Benefit Concert as a fundraiser for the new Wesley W. Williamson college scholarship at Kudzu Playhouse. Our goal is to raise sufficient funds to establish an endowment and be able to begin awarding the scholarship in 2022. This college scholarship, like other Kudzu scholarships, will enable students to attend any school and pursue any degree of their choice.

We hope you will join us on August 14 at either 2 PM or 7 PM as we bring the incredible music of Matilda to life and celebrate our dear friend. This event is Pay What You Can – General Admission, but we encourage you to secure your seats in advance and consider making at least a $20 donation.

Learn more about our incredible cast HERE.

Secure your reservation HERE.

Sponsor this special event HERE.

Donate to Kudzu’s Wesley W. Williamson Memorial Scholarship Fund HERE.

Order the commemorative show shirt HERE.

Wesley was scheduled to direct Matilda as our main stage production at the HPAC in summer 2020. The show was postponed to summer 2021 due to COVID-19. When Wesley passed away unexpectedly earlier this year, we had some emotional and difficult decisions to make.

Given that we lost access to the one venue in the area that could appropriately accommodate a production of this size and do it justice, we were faced with the possibility of postponing another year. Delaying to 2022 would have meant that much of the current cast would be too old (or too tall) for their roles. Finally, the thought of casting a new director was the most heart-wrenching of all since Wesley was so passionate about this cast and this show. This concert allows for the cast that Wesley hand-picked in January 2020 to perform the show, even if in a limited capacity.

There is some poetic irony in the fact that Wesley’s first and last shows with Kudzu were both Roald Dahl favorites. God has truly had His hand on our shoulders.