I can’t imagine a better way to spend an evening at the theater then by visiting the magical and make-believe world of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. And that exactly what I got to do last week. I admit that I often go into Broadway shows associated with beloved movies of my childhood with some hesitation. When a film is such an impactful and magical part of your childhood, the idea of damaging any part of that memory is jarring.
Buy broadway is its own kind of magic and the moment Charlie found his Golden Ticket I was no longer a 41 year old women worried about work, and deadlines, and bills. Instead I was a 10 year old girl dreaming of chocolate rivers and marshmallow flowers.
David Greig’s book paired with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman (inspired by the magic of the original Roald Dahl novel) Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a feast for the imagination. Noah Weisberg’s Willy Wonka plays homage to Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka while injecting a fresh modern touch to the iconic chocolatier. The infamous Oompa Loompas are magically brought to life by the genius of puppeteer Basil Twist.
The production adds a new twist by updating the some of the other iconic characters. Mike Teavee (Daniel Quadrino) a gamer addicted to his screen while Veruca Salt (local actress Jessica Cohen) a ballet diva. Violet Beauregarde (Brynn Williams) a pop princess and Instagram influencer. The cherry on top of the cast of course is Henry Boshart’s Charlie bucket.
It seems fitting that this song, one of the iconic moments in the film and the musical, is also a song that truly captures the magic of the theater in itself… “There is no life I know to compare with pure imagination. Living there, you’ll be free, If you truly wish to be…”
Make it a point to escape reality for a few hours by visiting this magical world yourself. Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory blew into San Francisco last week and runs through May 12 at San Francisco’s legendary Golden Gate Theatre. Don’t miss it!
“We’ll begin with a spin, traveling in the world of my creation. What we’ll see will defy explanation.”
