The Valley Players will present the family-friendly musical “Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka” June 29-July 16 at the Valley Players Theater, 4254 Main Street (Route 100), Waitsfield. Performances will be on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays, July 2 and 16, at 4 p.m. There will be a sensory-friendly show on Sunday July 9 at 2 p.m., sponsored in part by Washington County Mental Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont. More information on the adjustments made for sensory-challenged audience members is available at valleyplayers.com.
“Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka” follows enigmatic candy manufacturer Willy Wonka as he stages a contest by hiding golden tickets in five of his scrumptious candy bars. Whomever comes up with these tickets will win a free tour of the Wonka factory, as well as a lifetime supply of candy. Four of the five winning children are insufferable brats: the fifth is a likeable young lad named Charlie Bucket, who takes the tour in the company of his equally amiable grandfather. The children must learn to follow Mr. Wonka's rules in the factory or suffer the consequences. Featuring songs from the 1971 film starring Gene Wilder and new songs by Leslie Bricusse (Jekyll and Hyde, Doctor Dolittle) and Anthony Newley, “Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka” is a musical guaranteed to delight everyone's sweet tooth.
The cast is led by Wes Olds (Graniteville) as Willy Wonka, Zane Demarais (Websterville) as Charlie Bucket, Clem Turmel (Milton) as Grandpa Joe, who accompanies Charlie on the factory tour, and Ashley Hall (Warren) as The Candy Man/Phineous Trout. The other Golden Ticket winners and their parents are Augustus Gloop, played by Jane Schaefer (Waitsfield) and Mrs. Gloop, played by Carrie Phillips (Waterbury); Veruca Salt, played by Camille Edgcomb (Warren) and Mr. Salt, played by Jordan Streeter (Montpelier); Violet Beauregarde, played by Naomi Niewiadomski (Waitsfield), and Mrs. Beauregarde, played by Charlotte Robinson (Warren); and Mike Teavee, played by Tarin Askew (Warren) and Mrs. Teevee, played by Stefanie Seng (Waterbury).
The other members of Charlie Bucket’s family are Mr. Bucket, played by Matt Bellew (St. Albans); Mrs. Bucket, played by Cassandra Demarais (Websterville); Grandma Josephine, played by Joanne Puente (Worcester); Grandma Georgina, played by Marci Robinson (Warren); and Grandpa George, played by Joe Robinson (Warren). The Oompa Loompas who help to run Wonka’s factory are played by Tommy O’Grady (Waitsfield), Sunny Randall (Moretown), Ava Robinson (Warren), and Elizabeth Treacy (Fayston).
The production team for the show includes artistic director Ruth Ann Pattee (Fayston), music director/conductor Michael Halloran (Barre), stage manager Joanne Puente (Worcester), assistant stage manager Pam Chisholm (Duxbury), set designer Shannon Sanborn (Barre), set build crew chief Doug Bergstein (Warren), lighting designer Irene Halibozek (Williston), and lighting operator/assistant designer Jasper Mayone (Waitsfield).
To purchase tickets, and for more information, go to valleyplayers.com.
“Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka” is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).
