Willy Wonka Jr. is a Sweet Family Treat

Article by Jennifer Schneider
Photos by Sonce Landa

Based on the beloved classic Gene Wilder film, Willy Wonka Jr. is one of the sweetest shows of all. Performances run February 16-26 at Prairie Lakes Community Center, 515 E. Thacker St. in Des Plaines.

“What l love most about the show is that everyone can relate to it,” says Berit Nehlsen, Assistant Director for the production. “It is a good story about everyday life situations, with a little bit of something magical, too.”

An eccentric and brilliant candymaker, Willy Wonka, sends people scrambling through chocolate bars in search of five golden tickets to tour his mystical factory. The winners and their guardians, including down-to-earth Charlie Bucket, enter a realm of imagination like no other, full of Oompah-Loompas, chocolate rivers, wacky inventions, and edible masterpieces at every turn. The guests of the charming chocolatier don’t know that he has an ulterior motive … finding a child worth to be the heir to his chocolate fortune.

“I grew up with this movie, like everyone probably did,” says Joe Gattuso, who is playing Willy Wonka in the show. “It is such a big part of movie culture. The stage show is a slightly different way of telling the story.”

Spotlight Youth Theater is known for its high-quality performances of family friendly entertainment. All of the non-profit organization’s full musical theater productions are performed entirely by students ages 8-18.

Nehlsen says that Spotlight’s excellence stems from setting high expectations. “Our children live up to what we ask of them. It is more than an organization, it is a community, a family, and it gives kids a place to belong that they might not find any place else.”

“This is my last show,” says Gattuso, who is 18, “And it is my 10-year anniversary. Spotlight has been like a second home for me. It allows me to have friends outside school – I met my best friends here. It has become a second family, a second home that I would not have otherwise had.”

Gattuso says that people will enjoy this version of Willy Wonka thanks in part to the actors. Some performers are taking a slightly different spin on the way the characters have been traditionally played. This version of the story (based on Roald Dahl’s book that was made into the 1971 movie), has many songs the audience are familiar with, like Candyman and Pure Imagination, but it also includes new songs. The show will feel much different than watching the movie.

“Willy Wonka Jr. will speak to everyone in the audience,” says Nehlsen. “If you are a parent, or you are a kid, it will be fun to come and experience it, laugh, and then maybe say, ‘ahhh, I do that sometimes.’ It will be entertaining, but there will also be moments to think about.”

There is a lot to live up to with this production of Willy Wonka, since so many people know and love the story. Audience members expect to see what they know and love. “I think we can pull it off,” says Gattuso. “We have a lot of talented people who are really excellent in their roles.”

This tale of the candymaker and unlimited possibilities is sure to delight sweet tooths both young and old. The show is guaranteed to be fun for the whole family. To purchase tickets, call 847-516-2298 or visit www.spotlight.org. Tickets are $11-$14 presale, + $2 at the door, and group, child, and senior prices available. The Prairie Lakes Theater seats only 300, so shows sell out very quickly, especially the second weekend.