A double dose of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory:
- Details
- Created on Wednesday, 23 March 2011 09:22
- Written by Jane Zussman
Last Sunday we enjoyed the Waverly High School version, directed by Rick Redman and including middle schoolers as oompa loompas and elementary kids as the squirrels, a community wide coordination -- a big cast of great voices (Music Direction, Benjamin Knapp) -- lots of fun, Grandma Georgina and Grandpa George were very funny. Grandpa Joe had a beautiful voice and energy. Good voices and performances from all. Over now; you missed it?!
3/25-27 - The East Lansing High School version was also good, in some different ways -- put both productions together, you'd have the perfect show!? The flying was impressive at ELHS -- but I thought the imaginative effect of walking up black ramps, amid a shower of bubbles, with only their faces lit with spotlights, was an effective way to simulate floating up withOUT flying at Waverly.
The Augustus Gloop effect of being sucked up the tube and then engulfed in "chocolate" rising in the tube was another good Waverly effect -- although Augustus "floating" down the river at ELHS was good, too. Both Augustuses and their moms were funny and good singers, too. Waverly actually inflated their blueberry Violet's costume; ELHS used a "blueberry double" -- both effects worked.
The dancing at ELHS was particularly good and there was a lot of it. (Choreography Kimberly Kondrat) The "squirrels' good-nut/bad-nut machine was more effective at Waverly. Video projections and smoke were impressive high tech effects at ELHS. I loved the ELHS fence at gum-chewing Violet's house, painstakingly painted to look like a variety of gum wrappers -- and the bubble gum boat made out of pink-costumed people.
The soloists, in general, were better at Waverly, and the pace was fast, but some rushed their lines to the point of indecipherability. Waverly's Willy was cool and mysterious and aloof with an excellent singing voice. ELHS's wasn't that great a singer but was animated and quirky and charming, and it was easier to understand his lines. Both Charlies were vital cogs to each production and rightful inheritors of the Wonka top hat. Both Verucas were perfectly awful, good singers and shriekers, as well they should be. And Veruca's father at EL was excellent. Maybe I enjoyed him more because I was understanding his words for the first time. The TV boy was a TV girl at Waverly, both bratty and zoned-in on their hand-held devices -- and both TV-shrinking-machine bits worked well.
Kudos to ELHS director, Mark Shaheen and Technical director/designer Paul Bourne, Music Director Pam Nickelson.
"Which one did you like best?" I asked my 5-year old grandson.
"Both!" he replied.
Will he grow up to be the next diplomatic GLUT list reviewer???
ELHS Willy Wonka continues through March 27.
East Lansing High School
509 Burcham Drive, East Lansing
Friday, March 25th - 7:30 pm
Saturday, March 26th - 7:30 pm
Sunday, March 27th - 2:00 pm
General seating -- and it was pretty full on Wednesday, so get there early.
Adult Tickets: $10
Students: $5
