With the upcoming musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, approaching, I decided to interview Willy Wonka himself, Cristan Iberra. This year is Cristan’s first year at Oakwood. He’s been in many plays in the past but never a musical. He is especially excited to have such a large cast to interact with in this musical and perform “Pure Imagination”. See the interview below for a look at Cristian’s various tips regarding theater, his opinions on different musicals, and how those musicals inspired him.
Q: What other plays or musicals have you been a part of and/or other theater experiences?
A: I have been in many other plays such as “Gout de Paris”, “Bethlehem AD”, “The Cupcake Caper”, “How Miss Finch Stole Christmas”, and many more.
Q: How have those roles influenced your current skill level?
A: Some roles I played included a lot of talking, and I would say it has greatly helped me with vocal pronunciation. Many other roles have helped me with other aspects in acting such as posture, movement, and more.
Q: What’s your favorite part of performing in musicals? Singing, acting, dancing, or a combination?
A: I have never been in a musical before, but I have enjoyed just the fact that you can act like another person and perform just as that person would.
Q: What’s your inspiration for pursuing theater?
A: My inspiration is a musical called “The Newsies” that was hosted by Christ Covenant. Not only have they inspired me to pursue theater, but also got me into the musical part of theater.
Q: Do you experience stage fright? If so, how do you handle it?
A: I constantly experience stage fright; But I usually pretend that the crowd isn’t there and view the stage as if I am really there.
Q: Any tips for anyone interested in musical theater?
A: My tips would be to always immerse yourself into your character, may it be their way of speech, their movements, their thoughts, and more.
Q: Any favorite musicals, plays, or actors?
A: My favorite musicals are The Newsies and Epic the Musical.
Q: What do you find most challenging about musical theater?
A: The most challenging part has to be expressing the emotions of a character who is the polar opposite of you.
Q: Have you read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, watched Willy Wonka or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, or seen the musical counterparts to the movies? If so, what are your thoughts and opinions on them? If you’ve seen more than one version, which is your favorite and why?
A: I have seen the movie, and I think that it’s a very creative movie that literally “defies reality”.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will be performed in the spring of 2026. If you have any other questions, I encourage you to talk to Cristan and other members of the cast.