With golden tickets in hand, hundreds of Jasperites flooded into the high school gym last week to get an exclusive tour of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.
The tour, led by Sydney Kirychuk, as Wonka, brought the audience from room to room, and in each room, one naughty golden ticket holder was tempted and lost.
First was Augustus Gloop—played by Laramee Desjardins. Young Gloop is a child who at home is allowed to eat whatever he pleases, so once in the chocolate room—despite Wonka’s warnings—he dives right in, only to find himself stuck in the fast-hardening treat.
Next it was Violet Beauregarde—played by Sadie Howe. Beauregarde is a gum chewing feign, who pops a piece of the inventing room’s gum into her mouth. It’s only a matter of minutes before the lip-smacking brat discovers the recipe hasn’t yet been perfected and she’s turned into a giant blueberry.
By now you’d think the remaining children would’ve learned, but Veruca Salt—played by both Cheyenne Henderson and Elena Kellis—proved that assumption wrong. In the nut room, Salt demands that Wonka give her a squirrel and an Oompa Loompa to take home.
“I want it now,” she screams.
But before she gets her wish, the squirrels throw her into the incinerator—along with the rest of the bad nuts.
Mike Teavee—played by Stella MacMahon—comes next. This little fella is obsessed with screens, taking no time to connect with the three-dimensional world. So once in the television room, Teavee is quick to engage, immediately flicking a switch, transporting himself from one screen to the next. But once on the other side, he discovers he’s no longer himself, rather he’s the size of a Ken doll.
With four down, only one child remains: Charlie Bucket—played by Casey Salanski.
But, although seemingly innocent, Bucket went off track, as well. While in the Fizzy Lifting Drink room, he and his Grandpa Joe—played by Kiana Boisvert—each took a sip.
Although the duo lived to tell the tale, and seemed to get away with it, Bucket couldn’t live with his deceit and confessed to Wonka at the end of the tour. And with that, the famous chocolatier becomes ecstatic, informing Bucket that the factory is now his to run.
Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a story known by most, but the Jasper Junior/Senior High School drama students made it their own. They took on their roles and moulded them into quirky, fun characters that sprung from the stage, rousing laughter and much applause from their audiences, May 14 and 15.
Some of the highlights include Boisvert singing “Cheer Up Charlie” in her impeccable Grandpa Joe voice; Henderson’s scream, which rattled through the gym; Megan Warren’s hilarious German accent as Mrs. Gloop; and Brett Hefner’s amazing squirrel impression.
Ticket sales from the two performances brought in $4,200 that will go toward future productions.
Nicole Veerman
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