Director Carol Romo is bringing a world of pure imagination to the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse stage with “Willy Wonka JR.,” based on Roald Dahl’s beloved “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”
The show features 45 young performers aged 6-18 and runs Oct. 23-26 with five performances. The classic story follows Charlie Bucket, a poor boy living with his four grandparents and parents, surviving on cabbage soup whilst dreaming of visiting Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory.
When Wonka announces a contest offering five golden tickets hidden in chocolate bars, Charlie’s luck changes, and the enigmatic chocolatier offers him and his family a path out of poverty.
Tiffany Torres portrays Charlie, a role she feels a personal connection to after watching Willy Wonka in her childhood.
“I like the show because I grew up watching it,” Torres said. “I did this show before, and I really enjoyed it, and my siblings enjoyed it too, and I just really wanted to watch it.”
Danielle Bergot takes on the role of the eccentric candymaker Willy Wonka. The character serves as both narrator and puppet master, orchestrating events to teach spoiled children valuable lessons.
“He’s kind of made up this game,” Bergot explained. “He selected rooms purposefully based on the children, rooms that would tempt them. All the children except Charlie were spoiled, self-centered, they were just focused on themselves, and he told them not to do certain things. They still did them, and there were consequences.”
Beatrice Morgan plays Veruca Salt, the spoiled rich girl whose father’s nut factory workers unwrapped countless chocolate bars to find her golden ticket.
“It kind of started with me getting everything I wanted,” Morgan said of her character. “And that’s how I got the golden ticket, because I told my dad I wanted it.”
The production tackles timeless themes of gratitude and honesty.
“The moral of the story is to be grateful for what you have, because not everyone’s as fortunate as you are,” Bergot said. “Don’t take anything for granted. I mean, you can want stuff. I mean, everyone wants something. But at the same time, people are less fortunate than you.”
Romo emphasizes the importance of honesty, pointing to a pivotal scene where Charlie admits breaking a rule despite potential consequences.
“We just need more of that, we need more honesty,” she said. “Because once you start telling lies, it’s just like a thousand more lies to cope with that one lie.”
The director maintains what she calls “old-fashioned” standards while giving young performers substantial responsibility. Cast members ages 6 to teens handle costume changes, props and complex choreography.
“They pull it together, they make it their own, they help each other,” Romo said. “I set the structure and the bar that they need to reach, but they do it themselves.”
The ambitious production features elaborate costumes, vibrant sets and musical numbers. Romo promises audiences will leave impressed.
“Pretty much people leaving, they say, ‘Well, that was like a Broadway show,’”she said. “These kids deserve it. They earned it.”
Performances are scheduled for 7pm Oct. 23-24; 1pm and 6pm Oct. 25; and 2pm Oct. 26 at Morgan Hill Community Playhouse. Tickets cost $18 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under, available at tickettailor.com/events/carolromo. For more information, email th***********@***il.com.
