By Kathryn Olsen
The Eccles Theater is currently playing host to a new telling of an old classic in Salt Lake City, as NETworks Presentations brings Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The New Musical to life and invites audiences into the factory of world-famous chocolatier Willy Wonka. Based on the novel by Roald Dahl, this musical incorporates three of the songs penned by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley from the 1971 film adaptation and supplements these familiar tunes with music by Marc Shaiman,lyrics by Scott Wittman, and book by David Greig. The result is a hilarious and relevant tale of what matters most in the world. As a fan of both the book and its adaptations, I was lucky enough to have as my second opinion my nephew for opening night.
As the show opens, the audience is informed of the magic of candy and the joy that it brings to people of all ages. The opening song reminds that the Candy Man can make the world taste good, but this magical promise is offset by the fact that the Candy Man Willy Wonka (Cody Garcia) has burned out on the candy business. Opening a small sweets shop near his shuttered factory, he befriends a poor young boy named Charlie Bucket (William Goldsman/Kai Edgar/Coleman Simmons) who travels to town for moldy cabbage or wilted brussel sprouts to feed his family. Charlie would love to indulge himself, but has to wait until his birthday for the yearly gift of a chocolate bar. Charlie proclaims that he would give anything to visit the chocolate factory, which inspires Wonka to hold a worldwide contest for random winners to find a golden ticket in their chocolate wrappers and come to the factory for a special tour. Soon, four children and Charlie himself are confirmed as the lucky winner. What remains to be seen is whether any of them will get out in one piece and what the mysterious Grand Prize is.
Garcia, with his dry sense of humor and his lanky frame, is the source of the show’s comedy gold. He is casual when disaster strikes, overly-dramatic about the rules he has set, and prone to a bit of schadenfreude in unexpected moments. The gem of his performance, however, is his developing friendship with Charlie himself. They are both child-like and imaginative and yearn for simple miracles and Garcia is able to play up these similarities to the delight of the audience. His vocals are pure on songs such as “Pure Imagination” and “The View Up Here,” but have a definitive swing quality in “It Must Be Believed to Be Seen” and the hilariously energetic “Strike That, Reverse It.”
Goldsman’s performance brings to mind a soul that is perpetually on the verge of a happily-ever-after. Naturally affable and patient in a household full of misfortune, Goldsman radiates satisfaction and gratitude for the smallest of bright spots. While his stage presence is commendable, he is a chameleon who seems to have made it through life by his willingness to turn any scenario into the possibility of a brighter future. It takes heart and charm to beat the odds of the story and Goldsman possesses both in spades.
The same cannot be said for the remaining winners of the golden tickets, but this has nothing to do with the actors themselves. The new musical delightfully updates each of the other contenders so that Violet Beauregarde (Zakiya Baptiste) is a gum-sponsoring “Queen of Pop” with a branding to think of, Mike Teavee (Jacnier) is a hacker always trying to get a selfie, Veruca Salt (Angela Palladini) accessorizes with the skins of clubbed baby seals, and Augustus Gloop’s (Nic Mains) sausage obsession is foiled by a scanning system worthy of airport security. The parents played by Audrey Belle Adams, Scott Fuss, Branden R. Mangan, and Meagan Michelson are permissive, smothering, and micromanaging. It is an ensemble that must be considered en masse. It’s difficult to root for Baptiste, Mains, Palladini, or Jacnier, but they’re individually great. Baptiste’s personality fits perfectly with someone whose charisma makes her go viral and whose sassy dance moves probably got her a TikTok following, while Mains is both comfortable and ebullient as his mama’s boy and seems to be a very big fish in a little Austrian pond. Jacnier is obnoxiously interested in taking up as much space as possible with his priorities, endearing himself to the audience with how outlandish he is. Veruca is classified as a “bad nut” in the end, but Palladini plays her as a remarkable child whose sins began with a father who never denies her anything. The parents, meanwhile, take their cues from the demands of their children and this is quite a feat for performers who clearly stand out on their own in other contexts.
Steve McCoy is the only chaperone who stands on his own as Grandpa Joe. From his stories about takign over navigation on the Titanic and making a last stand at the Alamo to standing up for Charlie’s rights, he pis a clear role model for the young man coming into his own as the story progresses. McCoy delights with each time that he intervenes in the story. Meanwhile, Claire Leyden plays Charlie’s mother with a weary patience and quiet dignity that is a welcome change of pace.
The most momentary contributions to the story shine in their moment marvelously. Chocolate correspondents Cherry and Jerry (Nicole Hale and Collin O’Neill) take the audience on the whirlwind quest to find the golden tickets with moments of amusing connection between the two. Meanwhile, Jenna Brooke Scannelli, Nicole Zelka, and Stanton Morales appear as Charlie’s other grandparents with familiar-but-slightly-exaggerated representations of elderly family members.
Any fan of previous adaptations will be familiar with the Oompa Loompas who staff Wonka’s factory and the puppeteers behind this ensemble are both skilled and snicker-inducing. They are sometimes more pitiless than their boss, but are standout dancers and contribute moments of goofiness. The most memorable moment is when the Oompa Loompas perform a tap routine beneath a partially-raised curtain in a riff off Broadway’s 42nd Street.
Director Matt Lntz helms this production as a master of collaboration. Choreographer Alison Solomon builds off of the original choreography by Joshua Bergasse in ways that allow for each character to bring their own flair to the movement. It is appropriate that the Scenic and Costume Design is done as a seeming single entity and masterminded by Mark Thompson, as there are subtle hints about the story hidden in both. The Lighting Design by Japhy Weideman and Sound Design by Andrew Keister are as fantastical and sometimes overwhelming as the brainchild of Willy Wonky so that the audience finds itself in awe of the experience. As this work demands a great deal of musical prowess, a great deal of credit must be given to Music Director Cameron Tragesser, Music Coordinator John Mezzio, and Music Supervision by Nate Patten, who keep chorus and soloists playing skillfully off of each other. Hair and Makeup Design by Campbell Young Associates is as essential to the whimsy of the story as the costuming.
Tours of the Chocolate Factory are only being conducted until June 19, so grab as many golden tickets as you can find and hurry to the Eccles Theater to check out the view from here. It will be a night of fun for the whole family.
NETworks Presentations presents Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The New Musical; Book by David Greig; Music by Marc Shaiman, Lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman; Based on the novel by Roald Dahl
George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Theater, 131 Main Street, Salt Lake City, Utah
Jun 14-19, 2022, times vary
Tickets: $45-124
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