CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY Opens Its Doors In Sydney Tomorrow

The spectacular new musical Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory begins on stage tomorrow, 5 January, at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney, ahead of the official Opening Night on Friday 11 January. With January shows nearly sold out including extra school holiday matinee performances added due to huge demand, best availability for tickets is February and March performances.

Playing only in Sydney, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has delighted audiences in London, New York and across the US. Now it's Australia's turn to fall in love again with Roald Dahl's delicious tale.

Four boys share the role of Charlie Bucket in this production, Oliver Alkhair (11 years of age, from Panania), Tommy Blair (11, Engadine), Xion Jarvis (9, Burwood Heights) and Ryan Yeates (13, Canada Bay). Willy Wonka, the most amazing, fantastic, extraordinary chocolate maker the world has ever seen, is played by Paul Slade Smith. Ninety and a half year old Grandpa Joe is played by Australian show business royalty Tony Sheldon, while Lucy Maunder plays the role of Mrs Bucket.

Jake Fehily and Octavia Barron Martin play Augustus Gloop and Mrs Gloop, Karina Russell and Stephen Anderson are Veruca Salt and Mr Salt, Monette McKay is Violet Beauregard with Madison McKoy as Mr Beauregard, and Harrison Riley and Jayde Westaby play Mike Teavee and his mother Mrs Teavee.

Completing the wonderfully talented cast are Johanna Allen, Sheridan Anderson, Hayden Baum, Kanen Breen, Bayley Edmends, Bronte Florian, Todd Goddard, Madison Green, David Hammond, Sasha Lian-Diniz, Aaron Lynch, Jordan Malone, Kassie Martin, Phoenix Mendoza, Adam Noviello, Glen Oliver, Danielle O'Malley, Jackson Reedman, Emma Russell, Taylor Scanlan, Thalia Smith and Quentin Warren.

Producers John Frost, Craig Donnell, Warner Bros Theatre Ventures, Langley Park Productions and Neal Street Productions are thrilled with that their magical production is opening in Sydney. "With the original Broadway creative team of legendary director Jack O'Brien and choreographer Joshua Bergasse guiding our gloriously talented bunch of performers, we know that Australia is going to be delighted by this miraculous production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," they said. "The world fell in love with Roald Dahl's bewitching tale when the book was released, then filmgoers adored the 1971 film with Gene Wilder. Now audiences will be enchanted with the story once again on stage."

"This is such a wonderful story for generations to share," added John Frost. "Parents love sharing their favourite Willy Wonka film from their childhood with the whole family, and grandparents love taking their grandkids. We have an amazing cast bringing this story to life."

Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said the NSW Government is proud to have secured the Australian premiere of this production for Sydney. "This musical is expected to delight audiences of all ages but also inject $37 million into our State's economy and turbocharge jobs in the arts, restaurant, café, retail and hotel sectors," Mr Marshall said.

"We look forward to welcoming more than 76,000 overnight visitors to Sydney with their golden ticket for this musical sensation and trust they enjoy the exclusive performance and everything our renowned Harbour City has to offer."

Step inside a world of pure imagination. Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the perfect recipe for a delectable treat: songs from the original film including "Pure Imagination", "The Candy Man" and "I've Got a Golden Ticket", alongside a toe-tapping and ear-tickling new score from the songwriters of Hairspray.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is perhaps Roald Dahl's best-known story and has proved to be one of the most enduring children's books of all time. The story of Charlie Bucket, the five Golden Tickets, the Oompa-Loompas and the amazing Willy Wonka has become firmly embedded in our culture since it was first published in 1964. Conservative estimates suggest the original book has sold over 20 million copies worldwide; it is now available in 61 languages.

Roald Dahl began working on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 1961, but its origins can be traced all the way back to Dahl's own childhood. In his autobiography, Boy, he tells us how, while at school in England, he and his fellow Repton students were engaged as 'taste testers' for a chocolate company - something that seems to have started him thinking about chocolate factories and inventing rooms long before Mr Wonka was on the scene. But when he came to write Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the story went through several drafts until the story as we now know it was released in 1964.

Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory features direction by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien, music by Grammy, Emmy and Tony Award winner Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Grammy and Tony Award winners Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, a book by Artistic Director of Edinburgh's Royal Lyceum theatre David Greig, choreography by Tony Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse, and includes additional songs by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley from the 1971 Warner Bros motion picture. Scenic and costume design is by five-time Tony Award nominee Mark Thompson, lighting design by four-time Tony Award nominee Japhy Weideman, sound design by Andrew Keister, projection design by Jeff Sugg, puppet and illusion design by Obie and Drama Desk Award winner Basil Twist, and music supervision by Nicholas Skilbeck.

Now it's Australia's chance to experience the wonders of Wonka like never before - get ready for the Oompa-Loompas, incredible inventions, the great glass elevator and more, more, more at this everlasting showstopper!

CharlieTheMusical.com.au

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