Willy Wonka comes to Clarke

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FACTORY BOUND: Among the more than 60 Clarke students who are involved in the upcoming musical, Willy Wonka, are, front row, Joe Lampe; second row, Alex Stickels, Mitch Lampe and Stacie Kjellsen; third row, Kimberly Eddy, Walker Adams, Trevor Pitts and Dustin May; back row, Lance Henrichs, Mackenzie Thomas and Laura Swartz. (S-T photo by Matt Pfiffner)

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Anyone with a sweet tooth won’t want to miss this year’s musical production at Clarke Community High School.

The Clarke drama and music departments will be presenting “Willy Wonka” Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. both evenings.

Just recently turned into a musical show, the story is based on the 1964 Roald Dahl novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It was later turned into the 1971 film, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, which starred Gene Wilder as the title character. In 2005, another version of the flim was released with Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka.

“It’s more of the Gene Wilder movie, but with updates,” Clarke drama instructor Don May said. “It’s more current, but more like the original and more like the book.

“We wanted to do this three or four years back, but it wasn’t available. Not until the last year did it become available as a full show.”

Wilder and Depp weren’t available for Clarke’s production, but playing the role of Wonka will be Clarke senior Joe Lampe. His younger brother, Mitch Lampe, plays Charlie Bucket, a poor boy living with his parents (Katie Nelson and Gage Beers) and four grandparents (played by siblings Kylar and Kalli McCann and David and Dustin May) in a tiny house.

The world learns that the chocolate maker, Willy Wonka, has hidden five Golden Tickets in his Wonka Bars. The finders of these special tickets will be given a full tour of his candy factory.

Soon, four of the tickets are found by Augustus Gloop (Trevor Pitts); Veruca Salt (Stacie Kjellsen) Violet Beauregarde (Alex Stickels); and Mike Teavee (Walker Adams). On the day of the tour, Charlie finds his ticket.

People familiar with the films will recognize the fates that await the children in the factory and all of the characters, including the chocolate-making Oompa Loompas.

May said one of the challenges in making Willy Wonka work is the special effects needed.

There will be a sumo suit used for Violet’s transformation into a blueberry and Charlie and Grandpa Joe will be lifted into the air with wire when they drink the Fizzy Lifting Drink.
There are also a lot of colorful set pieces for the factory.

“There’s a lot of big scenery. We don’t have any permanent sets, but there’s a lot of scenery,” May said.

Of the 66 students involved in the production, May said many of them have seen one or both movie versions, but that some came in unaware.

“I’ve run into some people who haven’t seen either version, which amazes me,” he said. “There are some songs in this that aren’t in the original movie. A lot of people don’t even remember the movie being a musical.”

Along with May, also directing the production are Brad Lampe (orchestra pit), Ann March (vocals) and Jessica Shifflett (dance choreography).

Tickets are available in the high school office and May said tickets should also be available the night of both performances.

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