Miss Honey

Miss Honey is Matilda's class teacher and the only adult in the story who sees her for who she really is. She is gentle, patient, and quietly heartbroken. Her aunt is Miss Trunchbull, who stole her inheritance and her confidence. Miss Honey lives in a tiny cottage with almost nothing, but she gives her students everything. By the end of the show, Matilda saves her just as much as she saves Matilda.

Personality for Dance

Miss Honey moves like someone who has spent years trying to take up as little space as possible. Her gestures are small, contained, pulled in close to her body. She holds her hands together, she keeps her elbows tucked, she steps lightly. But when she is with her students, she opens up. Her arms extend to welcome them, her steps become lighter, and her face lifts. The emotional journey is physical. She starts the show folded in on herself and ends it standing tall. The shift happens gradually through each scene. After Matilda defeats Trunchbull, Miss Honey finally breathes. Her shoulders drop, her arms hang loose, and she takes up the space she has been denied her whole life.

The Outfit

Top

A modest, soft cardigan in pale yellow, lavender, or dusty pink over a simple floral blouse. The colors are gentle and warm but slightly faded, like someone who shops at charity shops because that is all she can afford. The cardigan is slightly too big, as though she is hiding inside it. Sleeves pushed up to the elbows when she is teaching, pulled down when Trunchbull is near.

Bottom

A mid-length A-line skirt in a muted tone, soft brown, dusty blue, or sage green. It should move freely and allow for the contemporary and lyrical choreography in her scenes. Nothing tight, nothing bold. Miss Honey dresses to disappear, not to be noticed.

Accessories

A simple pendant necklace, something small and meaningful that she touches when she is nervous or thinking about her past. Reading glasses she puts on when helping students. A worn leather satchel or cloth bag with papers spilling out. She carries the weight of her job and her past in that bag.

Shoes

Flat ballet pumps or soft jazz shoes in nude or light brown. She moves silently. When Trunchbull's boots shake the stage, Miss Honey's feet make no sound at all. The contrast is deliberate. Flat shoes also keep her physically smaller than Trunchbull in their scenes together.

Hair

Soft, loose waves or a gentle half-up style in brown or honey blonde. Nothing severe, nothing fussy. Her hair should look like she put it up quickly before school and a few strands have come loose. A simple clip or ribbon holds it in place. By the finale, her hair can be fully down and flowing, a visual release that matches her emotional freedom.

Special Details

Miss Honey's costume should evolve subtly. In early scenes, the cardigan is buttoned up, the colors are muted, and she looks small. After Trunchbull is defeated, she sheds the cardigan, the blouse underneath is a brighter color, and she stands taller. If you can manage a subtle costume change for the finale, put her in a slightly brighter version of her earlier outfit. The audience should feel the change even if they cannot pinpoint exactly what shifted.

Movement Tips

My House, Miss Honey's solo about her tiny cottage and lost childhood, is pure contemporary. Start small and grounded, sitting on the floor or curled on a single chair. As the memories surface, she unfolds. Reach upward, extend through the fingertips, use the space around her as though she is remembering how big the world used to feel.
In classroom scenes, Miss Honey's choreography is all about her students. She turns their way, she bends to their level, she mirrors their movements slightly. She is always reacting to them, never centring herself. Position her at the edges of group formations, watching, guiding, stepping in only when needed.
When Trunchbull enters, Miss Honey physically shrinks. Her shoulders come up, her arms cross, she steps behind the children or the furniture. Choreograph this retreat consistently so the audience sees the pattern and understands what Trunchbull has done to her.
The moment Miss Honey tells Matilda the truth about her past should be still. No big choreography. Two people sitting, facing each other, one hand reaching out. The power is in the simplicity. After a show full of big ensemble numbers, this quiet scene will silence the audience.
In the finale, Miss Honey dances with freedom for the first time. Her movement should feel released, lyrical, expansive. Arms wide, spins that take up space, jumps she would never have attempted before. She has been set free and her body shows it.

Age Recommendations

Best for ages 13-17. Miss Honey needs a dancer with strong lyrical and contemporary training who can convey vulnerability without looking weak. The role is deeply emotional and requires a performer who can tell a story through subtle physical shifts rather than big, flashy choreography. Cast someone who can be genuinely gentle on stage. Younger teens aged 12-13 can play Miss Honey effectively if they have the emotional maturity and the contrast with a younger Matilda still works visually.