Roald Dahl’s celebrated tale of Charlie Bucket and the eccentric confectioner, Willy Wonka, was reworked for the stage in 2013 with a new book and score from David Greig, Marc Shaiman, and Scott Wittman.
When young Charlie wins a golden ticket to the mysterious Wonka Chocolate Factory, it's the chance of a lifetime to feast on the sweets and chocolates that have always been right under his nose but unaffordable for the Bucket family. Could it also be his family’s route out of poverty? Along with the other winners--Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde, Mike Teavee, and Augustus Gloop--Charlie is swept inside of the mysterious factory with his Grandpa Joe. Inside, the winners encounter a magical world full of amazement, innovation, sugary treats, and, of course, Oompa-Loompas. But as the winners begin to let their greed and selfish nature's get the better of them, it seems that everything is not as sweet as it seems. Finally, Charlie is the last child standing--the only child not to have succumbed to the sweet temptations of Willy Wonka’s magical world. His humble, loyal nature has not gone unnoticed by Mr. Wonka, and Charlie’s reward is more than he could ever have dreamed.
Editor’s Note: The show was reworked in 2017 for its Broadway premiere and this guide is based on this version of the musical, which has since been adopted across the world.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory guide sections
