Benjamin Belsey (10 years of age, from Point Cook), Elijah Slavinskis (10, Ashburton), Edgar Stirling (10, St Kilda), Lenny Thomas (12, Bonbeach) and Lachlan Young (13, Camberwell) will play the role of Charlie Bucket in Melbourne edition of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the Musicial, based on the 1961 Roald Dahl story, debuted in London in 2013 and ran for three years and 7 months. The Broadway production in New York ran for nine months over 2017 and 2018.
Other stars of the Australian cast are Paul Slade Smith (My Fair Lady/Wicked) as Willy Wonka. Tony Sheldon (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) is cast as Grandpa Joe. Jake Fehily and Octavia Barron Martin play Augustus Gloop and Mrs Gloop, Karina Russell and Stephen Anderson are Veruca Salt and Mr Salt, Jayme-Lee Hanekom plays Violet Beauregard with Madison McKoy as Mr Beauregard, and Harrison Riley and Jayde Westaby are Mike Teavee and his mother Mrs Teavee.
The producers are thrilled with their brilliant child cast. “We have found five gloriously talented local boys to perform opposite the rest of the fantastic cast in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” they said. “The world fell in love with Roald Dahl’s bewitching tale when the book was released, then filmgoers adored the 1971 film with Gene Wilder. Now this fabulous cast will enchant Melbourne audiences with the story once again on stage.”
Completing the cast are Johanna Allen, Sheridan Anderson, Hayden Baum, Kanen Breen, Bayley Edmends, Bronte Florian, Todd Goddard, Madison Green, David Hammond, Sasha Lian-Diniz, Aaron Lynch, Jordan Malone, Kassie Martin, Phoenix Mendoza, Joseph Naim, Adam Noviello, Glen Oliver, Danielle O’Malley, Jackson Reedman, Emma Russell, Taylor Scanlan and Thalia Smith.
SEASON DETAILS: MELBOURNE
Venue Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne
Season From 9 August
Performance Times Wed-Sat 7.30pm, Matinees Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm and 6pm
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