By Rikki Lee Travolta
Walking into the beautiful Paramount Theatre in downtown Aurora, IL, I approached “Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” with neutral expectations.
I recall enjoying the children’s novel by Roald Dahl, although it was long enough ago that I don’t remember all the distinct details. I loved the 1971 film adaptation “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” starring comic genius Gene Wilder as the eccentric chocolatier. However, while I am a fan of Johnny Depp, I never saw his take on 2005 cinematic take on the character. So, I was familiar with the topic, but not an expert.
This would also be my first experience with Willy Wonka in a live theatre setting. Paramount Theatre has never disappointed. The theatre consistently provides some of Chicagoland’s best entertainment, so I had expectations that it would be a fun evening. However, nothing could prepare me for just how great Paramount’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is. It’s sweet! It’s delectable! It’s delicious! It sizzles with fun for the whole family!
So, if you just want to know if you should see “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” at Paramount Theatre, where it is playing through January 14, 2024, then the answer is a resounding and enthusiastic “Yes! Yes! Yes!” If you want to know the myriad of reasons why, read the rest of the review.
The biggest reason the professional regional premiere of the musical is so delightful is the captivating performance of Stephen Schellhardt as Willy Wonka. He is fun and magical. He doesn’t need a spotlight because he lights up the stage all on his own.
Schellhardt is one of the most versatile performers in Chicago. I’ve had the chance to see him in a variety of roles, and his diversity can only be described as incredible.
The title of the show is “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, so you can imagine how important the character of Charlie is. For the Paramount production, the role is double cast with Meena Sood and Charlie Long. On the night of review, Sood delivered a knockout performance – deserving every decibel of the enthusiastic cheers from the audience that drowned out the orchestra during the curtain call. I’m told Long is every bit as dynamic and effective in his performances.
For those unfamiliar with the story, the tale is about a young person named Charlie who despite coming from abject poverty, still finds reasons to be hopeful. Charlie’s family, although not well off in terms of finances or health, is rich in love – and that permeates their spirit. Charlie is one of five children to win a golden ticket for a private tour of Willy Wonka’s famous chocolate factory. Unbeknownst to them, they are being auditioned by Wonka to be his replacement and take over the confectionery company.
In the original book and subsequent films, Charlie is a boy. In the Paramount production, the role is adjusted to male or female depending on which young star is performing. Changing the gender of the part does not negatively affect the show in any way.
The stage adaptation features a book by David Greig, a score by Marc Shaiman, and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman. There are also selections by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley that appeared in the 1971 film including the favorites “Candy Man”, “The Oompah Loompa Song”, and the endearing “Pure Imagination”.
The stage version premiered in London in 2013, where it ran for more than three years. Changes were made when it transferred stateside to Broadway, giving it an Americanized polish that made it a success in New York and inspired two national tours.
Any time you take a story and translate it into a different medium, chances are that in order to make it work you have to be open to making changes. What works in a book may be different than what works on film, and what works on film may be different than what works on stage.
The Paramount production is directed by Trent Stork, who shows why they are a Jeff Award-winner while making a case for why another such award could be in their future. Choreographer Kasey Alonso adds just the right amount of dance and movement. Music director Kory Danielson does wonders with making all the musical notes bounce playfully in the air. Altogether, it is big and bright and a sugary sweet delight.
What I absolutely love about the Paramount Theatre production is that we learn right away that Willy Wonka has decided to seek out an heir to his candy empire, as well as the criteria he’s looking for. In fact, he tells the audience this in the opening number – brilliantly performed by Schellhardt.
Also in this stage version, Wonka discovers Charlie as the prime candidate to be his successor right away. In fact, the contest involving the golden tickets to tour the plant is not so much to find the successor, but to properly guide Charlie to their destiny.
These, and other changes, keep the spirit of Dahl’s story alive while translating it to work for the stage. It is a brilliant adaptation – just as good as any movie. In fact, although some may argue that comparing film to stage is a matter of apples to oranges; others might contend that the Paramount stage version would win such a contest hands down.
Paramount Theatre is known for giving its performers breathtaking sets to work with, and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is no exception. Embracing multimedia as a tool, the incomparable Jeffrey D. Kmiec takes scenic design to a whole new level thanks to collaboration with projection designer Paul Deziel. The set, in many ways, is another character in this show. The set, for all intents and purposes, seems to be a living thing – reflecting the magic of the world of Willy Wonka.
While Charlie Bucket and Willy Wonka are the clear focal points of the story, there are a host of supporting characters that make this tale work so well on the Paramount stage. Jaye Ladymore and Gene Weygandt, for instance, are wonderful as Charlie’s mother and Grandpa Joe.
Adding to the obscurity and humor of the story, the other Golden Ticket-winning children are all played by adults far past the age of being believable. This adds to the bigger-than-life elements of the musical. Also, many of their characteristics have been updated to reflect modern times – with one child character earning his golden ticket via computer hacking and another being a queen of social media.
The adults playing children include David Blakeman as an ever-hungry Augustus Gloop, August Forman as ultra-obnoxious hacker Mike Teavee, Devon Hayakawa as Veruca Salt who constantly demands immediate gratification with a thick Russian accent, and Tiffany T. Taylor as bubblegum-obsessed social media influencer Violet Beauregarde. They are all quirky and fun to experience.
The parents of the golden ticket winners include Heidi Kettenring as Mrs. Teavee, Jason Richards as Mr. Salt, Lorenzo Rush Jr. as Mr. Beauregarde, and Abby C. Smith as Mrs. Gloop. Charlie’s other relatives include Lydia Burke as Grandma Josephine, Nellie Shuford as Grandma Georgina, and Jared David Michael Grant as Grandpa George. None of them disappoint. In fact, like the rest of the show, they are highly enjoyable.
On the production staff, costume designer Ryan Park does wonders in outfitting the cast in highly colorful clothes ensembles. Properties designer Jesse Gaffney does a nice job as well. The lighting design by Greg Hofmann and sound design by Adam Rosenthal are excellent. Also turning in solid work are fight, stunt, and intimacy director Max Fabian and dialect coach Susan Gosdick.
Rounding out the remainder of the cast in a variety of roles are Nick Druzbanski, Allison Sill, Sara Reinecke, Terrell Armstrong, Lexie Bailey, Matty Bettencourt, Morgan DiFonzo, Evan C. Dolan, Alley Ellis, Ayana Strutz, Brian Bandura, Ben Broughton, Dakota Hughes, Michael Lunder, Jessica Minter, Ayana Strutz, and Matthew Weidenbener. And, yes, the beloved Oompah Loompas do make a colorful appearance. Druzbanski and Sill are particularly engaging as a pair of television correspondents broadcasting updates on the Golden Ticket contest.
Director Trent Stork’s brilliant “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” will be delighting audiences through January 14, 2024. With a running time of 2 hours and 30 minutes, it is just the right length for both children and adults to comfortably enjoy. If you are looking for magic this holiday season, but have had your fill of Santa and the Nutcracker, give your family a treat and make a trip to Paramount Theatre where “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” serves as an ideal winter escape.
Paramount Theatre is located at 23 E. Galena Blvd. in beautiful downtown Aurora. For tickets call the box office at (630) 896-6666 or visit www.ParamountAurora.com.
Publicity photos by Amy Nelson.
Production photos by Liz Lauren.
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