FOLEY — Miss Agatha Trunchbull feels she hasn't been too hard on her students, yet.

"They are pukers." She practically spits out the words. "I don't like them at all."

Her utter disdain for children lingers heavy in the air.

With the snap of a finger Diane Irwin, of Gulf Shores, petite and smiling, becomes the bully principal that children at Crunchem Hall must face each day.

It is Irwin's first turn in an Exit Stage Left cast as the theater company presents "Matilda" this weekend.

The show is directed by Chase S. Morrisette with choreography by Ashley Campbell and musical direction by Greg Engell.

Initially unfamiliar with the script, Irwin said she thought the character who can easily be argued as the worst teacher of all time, would be fun to try.

And she was inspired to build the Trunch, as she is lovingly referred to by her students, a backstory. She's just a girl who was raised in a tough residential treatment center where being mean meant surviving.

Hence, the adult, child hating Trunch comes to life.

Irwin comes to Gulf Shores after a career in theater and performing in New York City. There she performed in several national tours, night clubs and off-off-Broadway shows, designated by theaters that have less than 99 seats.

Now, Baldwin County audiences will delight in her darkness, which she says will only deepen as the spotlight on the Trunch shines this weekend.

"There is certainly more to come," she says.

The cast of "Matilda" includes Mary Burt, Ashley Campbell, Autumn Chunn, Bailee Cosette, Jacie Cotten, Jocelyn Cotten, Hailey Gentry, Lily Grace Gordon, Raylynn Hughes, Diane Irwin, Elizabeth Jones, Logan Lane, Van Litton, Cailey Mize, Pearl Nelson, Cooper Newby, Logan Newby, Selena Panfil, Anna-Frances Roberson, Jonah Schrader, Karis Sherman, Cherydan Stewart, Joy Avigail Tingle and Allana Wheeler.

The stage crew for "Matilda" is Cailey Mize, Rena McCoy, Ethan Harris and Brenden McCoy.

The show runs April 28 - 30 at Foley Civic Center. Tickets exitstageleft.og