The story has dispensed a lot of sweetness through the years, without the empty calories. Welsh-born author Roald Dahl published Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 1964, and it quickly became a classic of children’s literature. It was made into two movies, one with Gene Wilder and the other with Johnny Depp, the former, a musical with songs by Leslie Bricusse (including The Candy Man, which was also a hit).
The stage musical, Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka, with newer songs by Bricusse and Anthony Newley, gets a Steampunk stage treatment at
What Dahl was driving at in the book was that even though the Buckets were hard-pressed to survive financially, “having love, support, and the encouragement of others to think positively in the face of adversity can contribute to a person’s ability to endure and hopefully overcome life’s challenges. I also think that gratitude is a quality we often fall too short of today.”
And the Buckets provide a terrific example, being there for Charlie, through challenging times. “They remind us,” says Bennett, “that there is joy to be found even in the smallest of gifts.
“For me, the outcome of Willy Wonka’s search to find the perfect child to inherit his factory, in Act Two, is more about the importance of accountability, honesty and integrity.”
Nowhere is that better embodied than in the closeness of Charlie to his Grandpa Joe. But, Bennett adds, there’s also a lot of excitement in among all the warm and fuzzy parts.
“Of course the vocal, dance, and acting talent is stellar, but the custom Steampunk costumes and props, for example: the Steampunk goggles, mechanical arm and jetpack, all created by the students, are equally exceptional and really make this production unique. The biggest thrill though, hands down, is our Steampunk Bicycle Airship that ‘flies’ Charlie, Willy Wonka, and Grandpa Joe out of the Wonka Factory!”
Bennett attributes the show’s success to Eastview’s new Performing Arts and Production 3-Credit Focus Program.
In the first semester, “students learned all about stage design and contributed their ideas and designs for the show’s Steampunk aesthetic vision. This semester they’re learning so much as they work together to build all of the custom designed set pieces, costumes, and props and they are thrilled to get to see their ideas fully executed up on the stage. A great majority of the students are also performing in the show as well.”
It’s that mind-blowing magic the youngsters have created over the last few months that Bennett hopes communicates to the folks in the audience.
“We hope (they) leave with a renewed sense of the importance of imagination and wonder and a firm confidence in the potential of our youth culture and the arts to transform us all into better versions of ourselves.
“Finally, we hope perhaps a few little ones in the audience might just imagine themselves up on stage bringing joy to future audiences!”
Tickets are $20 and can be purchased, Monday through Friday in the Eastview S.S. main office (
Evening performances of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka run June 7, 8, and 9 at 7 p.m. The matinee performance is 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 9.
