Community volunteers and parents have been busy sewing costumes, building set pieces, painting backdrops, selling tickets, and completing the hundreds of tasks necessary to bring together a full length musical of this scope.
Technical director, Paul Fourshee, remarked that, “While this show is the most technically challenging we have done to date, it’s been very rewarding to work with this cast.” Fourshee’s main challenge has been to design and provide the scenery and set pieces for 21 scenes in this two-hour production.
Participation in this musical has been a family experience for many in the cast and crew. Numerous combinations of children, parents, grandparents, siblings and spouses are working together to bring this fun-filled show to Trigg County audiences.
For examples, Nine-year-old Zach McIntosh shines in one of the lead roles as Charlie Bucket. His father Rob appears in the role of Mr. Salt, and brother Caleb is one of the spotlight operators. Brothers, Alex and Anthony Campbell from Fredonia are standouts in their roles of Willy Wonka and Augustus Gloop. Husband and wife, Dean and Amber Jackson, are onstage with daughters, Leiren and Emma. Grandmother and granddaughter combos include Claudia and Jordan Jones, and Frankie Brown and Kirsten Kline.
Director Portia Ezell said, “Actually, after working so closely together with cast and crew for a month and a half, we all become like one big family. It amazes me every year how we can come together and present such quality, family entertainment for our community. We have so many talented people in our area, and it is an important mission for SKIT and the Janice Mason Art Museum to be able to offer an opportunity to showcase some of that talent. We have an amazing cast and crew working on Willy Wonka, and I’m sure the audience will have as much fun with this show as we are having.”
The musical “Willy Wonka” is based on Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and features the songs from the original 1971 film. Theatre goers will recognize such classics as “Pure Imagination,” “The Candy Man,” “Cheer Up, Charlie,” “I’ve Got A Golden Ticket,” and more.
In Act I the audience will follow eccentric candy maker, Willy Wonka, through a worldwide search to find his replacement when he retires. Five lucky children find a “golden ticket,” which wins them the opportunity to tour Wonka’s fantastic chocolate factory.
Any child who can obey the rules will be given a lifetime supply of chocolate, and the grand prize winner will become Wonka’s successor. The resulting tour in Act II is a colorful, fanciful romp through the factory and a lesson in consequences for those who are selfish, greedy, and rude.
There will be three additional evening performances on July 11, 17 and 18 at 7:00 PM and a matinee on Sunday, July 12 at 2:00 PM. All performances will take place in the Trigg County High School’s Little Theatre. Ticket prices are $5 for adults and $3 for everyone under 12.
Advanced tickets are for sale at Janice Mason Art Museum, Eldora’s Books, Etc. and the Trigg County High School Board’s Central Office. Business Manager Martha Davis stated that this year there is a ticket committee in place to sell advanced tickets so she suggested buying tickets early.
There is no guarantee that there will be tickets available at the door for each performance. In past years there have been nights that were sellouts, and some people had to be turned away.
(Information for this staff report was submitted by Director Portia Ezell.)
