Salem youth theater to present ‘Willy Wonka Jr.’

Staff report

SALEM

Salem Community Theatre’s youth theater will present “Willy Wonka Jr.: The Musical,” a customized version of the Roald Dahl story designed for young actors and actresses, this weekend and next.

Curtain times for the family show will be at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and again March 22 and 23; and at 2 p.m. Sunday and March 24.

Tickets are $14 ($10 for seniors, $8 for students 17 and under, and $5 for children 5 and under). Call the box office at 330-332-9688.

Special daytime “outreach” performances are scheduled for school students at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. March 20. The theater is at 490 E. State St., downtown Salem.

With a score by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, the musical follows enigmatic candy manufacturer Willy Wonka, who stages a contest by hiding five golden tickets in his candy bars. Whoever comes up with the tickets wins a free tour of the Wonka factory and a lifetime supply of candy.

Four of the five winning children are brats, but the fifth is a likable young boy named Charlie Bucket, who takes the tour with his equally amiable grandfather.

The children must follow Mr. Wonka’s rules in the factory or suffer the consequences.

Director Patricia Fagan has assembled a cast of more than 40 young actors and singers from a three-county area for this production, featuring Bethany Kholos in her first leading role as Willy Wonka. Also featured in the cast are Will Kinser as Charlie Bucket, Jacob Nash as the Candy Man, Ethan Griffith and Sidney Dailey as Mr. and Mrs. Bucket, respectively, and Michael McKenna as Grandpa Joe.

Added to the mix are the Candy Kids, Squirrels, Chefs and the famous Oompa Loompas.