Launching September 21, 2018, in Buffalo, New York, the tour of the Broadway musical production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has found its cast. The previously announced Noah Weisber (playing Willy Wonka) will be joined by Henry Boshart, Collin Jeffery, and Rueby Wood rotating through the title role. Also onboard will be James Young as Grandpa Joe, Amanda Rose as Mrs. Bucket, Jessica Cohen as Veruca Salt, Madeleine Doherty as Mrs. Teavee, Kathy Fitzgerald as Mrs. Gloop, Nathaniel Hackmann as Mr. Salt, Daniel Quadrino as Mike Teavee, David Samuel as Mr. Beauregarde, Brynn Williamsas Violet Beauregarde, Matt Wood as Augustus Gloop.
The ensemble for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will include Sarah Bowden, Elijah Dillehay, Alex Dreschke, Jess Fry, David R. Gordon, Chavon Hampton, Sabrina Harper, Benjamin Howes, Karen Hyland, Lily Kaufmann, David Paul Kidder, Jennifer Jill Malenke, Joe Moeller, Tanisha Moore, Claire Neumann, Caylie Rose Newcom, Joel Newsome, Kevin Nietzel, Kristin Piro, Clyde Voce, Armando Yearwood Jr., and Borris Anthony York.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has a score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, with additional songs culled from the 1971 Leslie Bricusse/Anthony Newley score for the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The musical’s book is by David Greig, adapted from the popular Roald Dahl novel of the same name. The creative team also includes direction by Jack O’Brien, and choreography by Joshua Bergasse. Scenic and costume design for the show is by Mark Thompson, with lighting design by Japhy Weideman. Sound design is provided by Andrew Keister, puppet design by Basil Twist, projection design by Jeff Sugg, orchestrations by Doug Besterman, and music direction and supervision by Nicholas Skilbeck.
A version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory opened in London’s West End in 2013, with Tony-winner Douglas Hodge playing Willy Wonka and Sam Mendes directing. With some revisions and a new director (O’Brien), the production opened at Broadway’s Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on April 23, 2017. With Christian Borle in the role of the infamous candy-maker, the production ran for 305 performances.
Mark Robinson is the author of the two-volume encyclopedia The World of Musicals, The Disney Song Encyclopedia, and The Encyclopedia of Television Theme Songs. He maintains a theater and entertainment blog at markrobinsonwrites.com.