playbill vip

Welcome to the revised Broadway-style musical Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka, right here in Phil-Mont’s Hamel Auditorium. Audiences of all ages will delight in this hysterical children’s literature classic with award-winning songs like “The Candyman” and “Pure Imagination” by Anthony Newley and Leslie Briscusse. Laughter will follow the wry comments of the mysterious Willy Wonka, the wild antics of some very difficult children, and the song-and-dance lessons of the Oompa Loompas. Yes, those odd chocolate factory workers still exist in this version as well! And everyone will share in the beauty of the support given to little Charlie Bucket by a loving family. 

Why this particular show? Well, while it certainly is an enjoyable, beautiful musical in its series of “mini morality plays,” there was a lot to learn as well. Jesus understood how important parables were in teaching his disciples about the Lord and his kingdom. He spoke beautifully of a wounded man being helped by a good Samaritan or a wayward son being welcomed back by his delighted father, stories of effective compassion and total forgiveness. Jesus knew that truth can become more understandable to hearers when given context by powerful examples. Roald Dahl employs the same pedagogical technique in many of his well-known books.

In many of Dahl’s works, wicked parents often lead to wicked children and poor choices lead to challenging ends. In Willy Wonka, one child is a glutton, while another is spoiled and greedy. One little girl is ill-mannered and another boy is consumed by television and video games. And soon each child receives an absurd but appropriate penalty, each a mini-parable of “what happens when you go down the wrong path.” Then after each demise, the Oompa Loompas enter to sharpen our understanding of how this came to be. Only Charlie, a girl in our version, does her very best. After an error in judgment, she confesses and we are then reminded:

“There is a problem with lots of our youth, Not everyone likes telling the truth! Telling the truth starts a beautiful buzz – Isn’t it nice when someone does? It could be contagious.”

Seniors Garty Bowersox and Sam Shaw are featured as Willy Wonka and Grandpa Joe, the guides and protectors for little Charlie played by 6th-grader Raigan Latinis. Willy’s satirical observations, Grandpa’s loving support, and Charlie’s innocence and child-like wonder are the bedrock of a show that features thirty-five talented students from grades six through twelve and a crew of twenty. There are warnings for children, reprimands for parents, and a wild picture frame of lights, sounds, settings, costumes, and surprises to make the lessons ones we’ll hear, enjoy, and remember. Truly it is a world of Pure Imagination!

From the Director, Will Liegel