?Willy Wonka? cast, crew revealed

No golden ticket is needed to catch Fairfield Area Community Theatre?s ?Willy Wonka? when it comes to the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts in June.

Roald Dahl?s timeless story of the world famous candy man and his quest to find an heir comes to life in this stage adaptation of ?Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,? which features the songs from the classic family film ?Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? starring Gene Wilder. The memorable score features ?The Candy Man,? ?Pure Imagination,? ?Oompa-Loompa? and ?I Want it Now? by Academy- and Grammy-award winners Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley.

Artistic director Scott Slechta and music director Jim Edgeton have nearly 100 community members involved in the summer production. F.A.C.T. has much experience with large cast productions, including ?Suessical: The Musical,? ?Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat? and ?Children of Eden.?

?It is great to have such wonderful involvement,? said Slechta. ?F.A.C.T. is Fairfield?s true community theater.?

The principal cast consists of Kevin Hosbond as Willy Wonka, Matt Clendineng as Candy Man, Tom Voorhees as Phineous Trout, Philip Winer as Charlie Bucket, Carol Chesnutt as Mrs. Bucket, John Grunwald as Mr. Bucket, Heidi Salmonson as Grandma Josephine, Fred Hucke as Grandpa Joe, Deborah Rubin as Grandma Georgina and Joe Phipps as Grandpa George.

Chorus characters include Shea Malloy as Jamie, Loreena Hucke as Matilda, Paige Holderbaum as Sophie, Olivia Wallerich as Dani, Carrin Corrick as Ally and Allison Krumboltz as Billie.

Other cast members are Brayden Fishel as Augustus Gloop, Suzanne Kurth as Mrs. Gloop, Kristin Burnstedt as Veruca Salt, Matt Mullenneaux as Mr. Salt, Duncan Phipps as Mike Teavee, Heather Wiges as Ms. Teavee, Claudia Sloat as Violet Beauregarde and Detra Dettmann as Mrs. Beauregarde.

The youth and adult chorus of Oompa-Loompas consists of Gracee Lisk, Aurora Spray, Ellie Brown, Mia Ellis, Jaxon Dailey, Aaron Austin, Hailey Patrick, Kali Brigham, Katherine Hull, Hannah Dettmann, Evan Wood, Chloe Campbell, Olivia Roberts, Logan Nelson, Blair Grunwald, Phoenix Haessler, Lily Brown, Rachel Funkhouser, Dayna Price, Keely Fields, Jackson Pohren, Erica Bochmann, Brooklyn Dailey, Emma Kurth, Lily McFarlin, Brenden Pool, Macy Holderbaum, Katrina Cecchini, Ryan Pate, Zachary Sisler, Joshua Sisler, Brandon Francisco, Sophie Wallerich, Samara McLain, TeAnna Simons, Hakim Blakeney, Leaanna Winn, Yasmine Fear, Madison Bainbridge, Ricardo Gaona, Wava Jarr, Claire Pettit, Delanie Vorhies, Evan Masterson, Maddi Smith, Lucia VanDijk, Madison Osborn, Lynsey Finney, Holly Harward, Paramita Nayak, Ashley Nelson and Dakota Storto.

Oompa-Loompa group leaders are Sally Griffiths, Betty Krueger, Madison Nelson, Eric Sisler, Penny Sisler, Erin Shiver, Donna Smith and Meredith Wallerich.

The squirrel is played by Evan Wood.

Jaclyn Flinspach, Coren Hucke and Caleb Mullenneaux are key grips; Joel Baumgartner is stage manager; Griffin Hammel and Ethan Newman are production staff; and production assistant is Diana Flynn.

Rachel Meyers and Emily Roth are the choreographers.

Michael Gookin photographed for the poster with design by Natasha Chang.

John Grunwald is children?s chorus director.

The costume, set design and construction, and prop crews are busy working on various elements. The costume crew has the principal costumes established, but are working to create over 80 Oompa-Loompa costumes. The set and prop crew are creating a pink, 18-feet-long candy boat and oversized candy bar and lollipops.

Shows will run at 7:30 p.m. June 16-18 and 2 p.m. June 19.