Stuart Wilson Theatrical Educator

About the show

​

Willy Wonka Jr. is a short but sweet retelling of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. The condensed show's runtime is about 75 minutes. Jam packed with songs, nearly the entire show is underscored. The entirety of Act I is spent meeting the golden ticket winners selected to go on Willy Wonka's tour of his chocolate factory. Act II takes place within the facotry as the tour commences and the various kids are tested against the various rooms in the facotry.

​

Marlowe Middle School used the Performing Arts Center at Huntely High School to stage their production of Willy Wonka Jr. The cast consisted of about fifty students who were often all onstage at once. The main hook of the scenic design was to place almost all of Act I donwstage of a midstage black, traveler curtain, so that more time and energy could be spent creating the chocolate factory in Act II. The major reveal of Willy Wonk standing in front of the factory gates, followed by the magical tour of the facorty was a major cornerstone behind the design. Other major scenic elements included a moving cotton candy boat that seated nine actors, an oversized chocolate TV set, and a working invention machine complete with media changes and strobing lights.

​

I was repsonsible for all technical elements of this production including set design and construction, technical direction, lighting and sound design, and livestream video recording.