A Golden Ticket to "Willy Wonka" at Westmark

For this year's Spring Musical, Westmark's Middle and Upper School theater artists whipped up a truly sweet production of Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka. Audiences feasted on the delicious tale of the enigmatic candy manufacturer and his world-famous chocolate factory.

Based on Dahl's classic novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and featuring enchanting songs from the 1971 Gene Wilder film, as well as new songs by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, Willy Wonka at Westmark was a truly "scrumdiddlyumptious" experience. The play follows the adventures of five children who win golden tickets to tour Wonka's chocolate factory. One of the winners, Charlie Bucket, is an amiable guest, but his bratty fellow winners have a harder time following Wonka's strict rules. Soon enough, they suffer the consequences.

Will Saxton, Theater Arts Teacher and Theatrical Director, reminds us that while the story is a delight, it's also a reminder to lend grace to those who've made mistakes. "On the surface, Willy Wonka is a morality play about how bad choices lead to punitive consequences. But if you dig deeper, it's also about how the impulsive choices we make shouldn't define us," Mr. Saxton points out. "The kids in this story are not bad kids. They're just kids and shouldn't be known exclusively for the behaviors they struggle to control sometimes."

Mr. Saxton continues, "The story is also about how good choices lead to rewards. Ultimately it is about integrity—staying true to your word, telling the truth, and learning from your mistakes. Those are the lessons we learn from Charlie and Mr. Wonka."

Savor highlights from Act I of the Westmark production in the video below.