Each performance at Alhambra Theatre & Dining is unique, but some happen to capture the imagination and attention of the audience more than others.
That is exactly the feel that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which held its gala night on June 26 and will grace the Alhambra stage through August 17, was able to create.
Every aspect of the production seemed to hit the target from the casting to the behind-the-scenes work done with the stage designs and costume creations.
Jonathan Van Dyke and Jake Ayres stole the show with their renditions of “Willy Wonka” and “Charlie Bucket,” respectively.
The two shared an impeccable timing and seemed to really feed off each other which personality to their characters and allowed the audience to relate from the opening to the final scene.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a well-known tale with characters that are wacky and full of life, but it is still up to the performers to get the most out of the roles and bring those characters to life.
That job is even more challenging when the audience is so familiar with the characters as they are with those in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, however, each of the performers proved up to that challenge and will make even the most diehard Willy Wonka fans smile and stand up in applause after witnessing the musical.
Part of the summer tradition at the Alhambra is to have a production that can involve children with a passion for acting and offer the opportunity be part of a show and get acting experience and a production to their name.
Collin Galvin made his third appearance on the Alhambra stage as “Augustus Gloop,” while Madison (Veruca Salt) and Blake Kalyan (Mike Teavee) both returned to the theatre after performing together in A Christmas Story the Musical last year.
It was the first professional production that Luwam Yikuno took part in as she played the role of “Violet Beauregarde.”
The play had a quick pace to it, but each scene flowed and added to the plot as a whole, and one of the things that stood out was the intricate layouts both through lighting and props.
This included the “Oompa-Loompas,” and the creativity involved with them, which led to a roar throughout the theatre when they were first introduced as they were definitely a fan favorite.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a show the entire family can enjoy while sharing some laughs and sparking their imagination within.
