Nominated for seven Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Musical, the production won two Olivier Awards for Best Costume Design and Best Lighting Design. Based on the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory written by Roald Dahl, the musical is a showstopper.
In the show, the audience follows the story of young Charlie Bucket and chocolate genus Willy Wonka. When Charlie finds out about a contest made by Willy Wonka for a prize of a tour of his factory and a lifetime supply of chocolate, the only thing he wants is to win it. Unfortunately his family doesn’t have the money to buy a chocolate bar that has one of 5 golden tickets in it. From all over the world Charlie hears about the lucky kids getting their golden ticket. By “luck” Charlie gets gifted a chocolate bar with a golden ticket in it just in time. After a very eventful tour of Wonka’s factory, Charlie wins the prize of a lifetime.
With popular hits like “The Candy Man”, “Pure Imagination”, and “Oompa Lompa” the version The Oakwood School is doing is almost identical to the version that was performed on Broadway and The West End. “It’s colorful, it’s magical, following the senses of make believe,” Mr. Whaley, the music director for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, shares. The wide variety of characters spanning from Willy Wonka to a Golden Ticket winner or parent to an Oompa Lompa makes Charlie and the Chocolate Factory a great show for anyone to audition for. Whether you’ve been in a professional show or never stepped foot on a stage before, you will have a blast. Even if you don’t like to sing or act alone, you will find a role that suits you perfectly.
Theater is a place where you can be yourself and find a great support group. “School theater [gave me a] sense of community, very much feeling like I belonged to something that was greater than I was.” Mr. Whaley says. “It gives you confidence to be in front of a crowd, that’s for certain.” Ms. Smith, the director of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory adds. School theater also gives students a creative outlet that they might not get otherwise. It allows them to let go and find themselves through the beautiful art of theater.
It’s totally normal to be hesitant or feel nervous to audition, but there’s no need to be. Everyone in theater and especially the people in theater at Oakwood are so kind and judgment free. For a lot of people ,theater is a place to forget about all the nervousness.
“Acting is about being something different. So your character or your person you’re auditioning [for], they don’t necessarily have your problems. It’s more of an escape, so use it.” Mr. Whaley suggests.
Plus you never know if you have an incredible talent for musical theater if you never try. Take Ms. Smith’s advice; “You’re not going to know how much fun it is until you do it, and most everyone who actually does sign up has a great time.”
Are you ready to audition for The Oakwood School’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Sign up and grab an audition packet in Mr. Whaley’s Choir room or outside of Ms. Smith’s room!
Audition Board outside of Ms. Smith’s Room