On October 12, Spotlight Musical Theatre held auditions for this year’s musical, Matilda Jr.
The show dates for Matilda Jr. are March 14 -15, 2026. Spotlight usually holds their shows at South Carol High School and their rehearsals run on Sundays at Parrs Ridge Elementary School, Mount Airy, MD.
Spotlight Musical Theatre was formed by Karen Hilderbrand in 2014. She decided to form it for her two daughters, who were involved with theatre, with no youth theatre in Mount Airy at the time.
In the past 11 years, Spotlight has done a total of 25 full shows. Their first show was Aladdin Jr. which ran in the spring of 2015. Some other popular shows included “Willy Wonka Jr.”, “Frozen Jr.” and “High School Musical Jr.”
In addition to musicals each season, Spotlight also holds summer camps. There is a new selection of shows every summer that usually run for one week. For the one week camp participants write down their top choices of who they want to be and get lines accordingly. It also has a two-week intensive, where people actually have to audition for a part with a song that everyone learns together on the first day of camp. They are assigned a part that night, once they go home.
This year, there are a total of four directors as well as Karen Hilderbrand, although the numbers have varied over the years.
The directors this year are Alli Hilderbrand who has been there since day one as a preformer, Haley Chapman who started when she was in middle school became a camp counselor and production assistant during the full shows, Nicholas Ramirez and, Sarina Kapoor, who were both prior preformers.
Every director handles a different aspect of the show. One may focuses more on singing and others may focuses on choreography or acting.
During all of the rehearsals, but especially the first few the directors encourage the cast to put their own twists on the roles that they play.
“The directors have taught me that it’s okay to be nervous at auditions, which is completely normal, and be yourself with your audition,” Linganore sophomore Tenley Kinloch said. “They also have taught me to add in fun, while focusing on [my] part.”
This year, Spotlight Musical Theater has divided their members into two groups: the junior company and the senior company. However, the junior company was again split into two, so more little kids get the chance to have more lines.
There are a total of 60 seniors, ages 9 & up, and 57 juniors, ages 4-10, in both groups.
“The ages are overlapped to give the parents the option of what type of commitment they feel their 9 year old can make,” Karen Hilderbrand also said “Some prefer to keep them in the Juniors at that age while others feel that their cast member is ready.”
Spotlight Musical Theatre double casts most characters for their seniors, so that more people have a chance to show off their talent. The students who get double cast often become friends with their double castmate.
Throughout the shows, actors have the opportunity to build special bonds with other cast members.
“Spotlight is a place where kids get together if they aren’t good at sports or don’t have friends at school,” Hildebrand said. “Spotlight is a family. I’ve watched kids join when they were 4, and they are now in college and still friends to this day.”
Spotlight is a great way to meet people who share the same interest but may not be in the same crowd at school.
Every year the cast has a fun time working together. The sense of community and feeling of accomplishment is something that sticks with the actors after the curtain falls.
“Spotlight is fun because you get to make new friends and get closer with people,” Mount Airy Middle School 8th grader Lucy Bradham said. “You have so much fun whenever you’re doing it and with whatever you’re doing.”
This group is a place where people can learn to be themselves without anyone judging them. Many learn how to be a part of a team, and to have fun even if they’re in the ensemble.
“I think the atmosphere is awesome. I think I can tell them a lot, and I can perform in front of them and no one will judge me,” Urbana High School Freshman Joseph Hoffman stated.
These shows require a lot of dedication from both the cast and directors. In the end the product is determined by how hard everyone works, and how well they work together.
“Always try your hardest,” Hoffman said. “A small role can still be great if you have fun with it.This show wouldn’t be possible without all of us.”
