Aurora’s Paramount Theatre Presents Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory November 8, 2023-January 14, 2024

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Enter a world of pure imagination when Aurora’s Paramount Theatre presents the Professional Regional Premiere of  Roald Dahl's  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory  directed by Jeff Award-winner Trent Stork,  November 8, 2023-January 14, 2024

(front, from left) Mike Teavee (August Forman), Charlie Bucket (Meena Sood), (back) Veruca Salt (Devon Hayakawa), Augustus Gloop (David Blakeman) and Violet Beauregarde (Tiffany T. Taylor) are the five lucky winners of a golden ticket in Paramount Theatre’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. (Sood alternates performances as Charlie Bucket with Charlie Long.) All Advance Photos by Amy Nelson

Oompa Loompas, oodles of fun and other surprises await audiences!

Stephen Schellhardt plays Willy Wonka  Here at ChiIL Mama, we adore Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory books, and the movie adaptations, so we can't wait to see what magic Paramount Theatre brings with this stage version. Paramount is a top favorite of ours for good reason and this regional premiere is sure to be an epic production and a fabulous experiential gift for the holidays. All ages are sure to adore this chocolate covered morality tale. We can't wait to catch it! Step behind the gates and discover the magic that awaits when Aurora’s Paramount Theatre presents the Professional Regional Premiere of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, November 8, 2023-January 14, 2024. Follow young Charlie Bucket, his Grandpa Joe and four more Golden Ticket winners on a private tour of eccentric “Candy Man” Willy Wonka’s magical and mysterious chocolate factory. Who will win the lifetime supply of chocolate? Experience their life-changing journey through a world of “Pure Imagination," revealed with Wonka’s army of curious Oompa-Loompas.

Meena Sood plays Charlie Bucket in Paramount Theatre’s Professional Regional Premiere of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. (Sood alternates performances as Charlie Bucket with Charlie Long.)

Meena Sood (left) plays Charlie Bucket and Stephen Schellhardt is Willy Wonka Trent Stork, Paramount’s Artistic Producer and Casting Director, and winner, Jeff Award, Director-Musical-Large, for Paramount’s Kinky Boots in 2022, and their design team are planning a high-energy, technicolor production performed on a dazzling set designed by Jeffrey D. Kmiec, with choreography by Kasey Alfonso, music direction by Kory Danielson and costumes by Ryan Park.  Before audiences even step into the theater and see the amazing set, Paramount’s Grand Gallery will be fully decked out for the holidays, anchored by a two-story, Willy Wonka-themed Christmas tree, the perfect backdrop for pre-show holiday season selfies.

Charlie Bucket (Charlie Long) wins a golden ticket

Charlie Long (left) plays Charlie Bucket and Stephen Schellhardt is Willy Wonka   Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is your golden ticket for a scrumdiddlyumptious holiday outing for the whole family at Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. Single tickets, $28-$79, are on sale now, or save with a Paramount Theatre three-play Broadway Series subscription package.  For tickets, subscriptions and information, visit paramountaurora.com or call (630) 896-6666.  For the latest updates, visit paramountaurora.com, follow @paramountaurora on Facebook and Instagram, and Paramount Theatre on LinkedIn.

Meena Sood (left) and Charlie Long alternate in the role of Charlie Bucket in Paramount Theatre’s  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

David Blakeman plays Augustus Gloop in  Paramount Theatre’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

Tiffany T. Taylor plays Violet Beauregarde in  Paramount Theatre’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  

Devon Hayakawa plays Veruca Salt in  Paramount Theatre’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.   Welcome to a world of pure imagination: Paramount’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is based on the beloved 1964 children’s novel of the same name by Roald Dahl. The musical features an original score composed by Marc Shaiman with lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray) and a book by David Greig.

August Forman plays Mike Teavee in Paramount Theatre’s  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory also pays homage to the original score by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley including favorites like "Candy Man," "I've Got a Golden Ticket," "Oompa Loompa Song" and "Pure Imagination."  The musical premiered on London’s West End in 2013 where it ran for more than three years and earned seven Laurence Olivier Award nominations, including Best New Musical. It premiered on Broadway in 2017, ran for nine months, and was followed by two national tours. 

Paramount Theatre’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory stars (top, from left) Charlie Long and Meena Soodalternating as Charlie Bucket, (middle, from left) Stephen Schellhardt as Willy Wonka, Gene Weygandt as Grandpa Joe, David Blakeman as Augustus Gloop, Abby C. Smith as Mrs. Gloop, Devon Hayakawa as Veruca Salt, Jason Richards as Mr. Salt, (bottom, from left) August Forman as Mike Teavee, Heidi Kettenring as Mrs. Teavee, Tiffany T. Taylor as Violet Beauregarde, Lorenzo Rush Jr. as Mr. Beauregarde and Jaye Ladymore as Mrs. Bucket.  For Paramount’s Professional Regional Premiere, two super talented child performers - Charlie Long and Meena Sood - will alternate in the role of Charlie Bucket. Long played Kurt last season in Paramount’s The Sound of Music and rocked out as Billy and in the ensemble of School of Rock. Sood made her Paramount debut last spring in School of Rock as Shonelle, and she stepped into the role of class factotum Summer Hathaway for several performances. Meet the cast! Paramount Theatre’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory features everyone’s favorite Wonka characters including (front, from left) Veruca Salt (Devon Hayakawa), Charlie Bucket (Charlie Long), Violet Beauregarde (Tiffany T. Taylor), (back) Augustus Gloop (David Blakeman), Willy Wonka (Stephen Schellhardt) and Mike Teavee (August Forman). All Advance Photos by Amy Nelson Paramount’s principal cast for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory includes Stephen Schellhardt as Willy Wonka, Gene Weygandt as Grandpa Joe, David Blakeman as Augustus Gloop, Abby C. Smith as Mrs. Gloop, Devon Hayakawa as Veruca Salt, Jason Richards as Mr. Salt, August Formanas Mike Teavee, Heidi Kettenring as Mrs. Teavee, Tiffany T. Taylor as Violet Beauregarde, Lorenzo Rush Jr. as Mr. Beauregarde and Jaye Ladymore as Mrs. Bucket.  Ensemble members are Terrell Armstrong, Lexie Bailey, Brian Bandura, Matthew Bettencourt, Ben Broughton, Lydia Burke, Morgan DiFonzo, Evan C. Dolan, Nick Druzbanski, Alley Ellis, Jared David Michael Grant, Dakota Hughes, Michael Lunder, Jessica Minter, Sara Reinecke, Nellie Shuford, Allison Sill, Ayana Strutz and Matthew Weidenbener. 

Trent Stork Director Trent Stork, Paramount’s Artistic Producer and Casting Director, won their first Jeff Award, Director-Musical-Large, for Paramount’s Kinky Boots in 2022. Stork also helmed last season’s blockbuster productions ofSchool of Rock, and Into the Woods with co-director Jim Corti.  Stork’s production team includes Kasey Alfonso, choreographer; Kory Danielson, music director, conductor and music supervisor; Jeffrey D. Kmiec, scenic designer; Ryan Park, costume designer; Greg Hofmann, lighting designer; Adam Rosenthal, sound designer; Paul Deziel, projection designer; Jesse Gaffney, prop designer; Ethan Deppe, electronic music designer; Max Fabian, fight and intimacy director; Susan Gosdick, dialect coach; Vertigo, flying effects; Amanda Raquel Martinez Charlie and the Chocolate Factory runs  November 8, 2023-January 14, 2024 at  Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd.  in downtown Aurora. Tickets: paramountaurora.com or (630) 896-6666