This year’s fifth-sixth grade Columbus Middle School come back play was planned to be “big,” said Director Stephanie Bourek-Hoyt.
There may not be a play bigger than “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Between Oompa Loompas, the Bucket family sharing one large bed and the zany chocolate factory owned by the equally madcap Willy Wonka there’s a lot of fun to be had in the classic story.
“This was a play that I looked at a couple of years ago,” Bourek-Hoyt said. “I perused it as a possibility but I thought I’m going to have to make some changes but I can make it work. When I put feelers out there to the kids, they were all like, ‘Yes! That sounds wonderful!’”
Community members are invited to attend the show at 7 p.m., Friday, and 2 p.m., Saturday, at CMS Nantkes Theatre, 2200 26th St. Tickets cost $5 for adults; $3 for students.
For anyone unfamiliar with the play, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is based on Roald Dahl’s book published in 1964. It is about a young boy, Charlie Bucket, and four other children – Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde, Mike Teevee and Augustus Gloop – finding golden tickets to enter and tour the eccentric Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.
The novel has been adapted into a movie twice with the first being “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” starring Gene Wilder in 1971 and the second “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” with Johnny Depp in 2005.
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For some students, the production was the first time they were able to see the 1971 classic. Sixth-grader Israel Kibalyn – who plays Charlie Bucket – said while he was aware of the movie, he hadn’t seen either film version until a few weeks ago. He added he liked the classic movie and enjoys playing Charlie.
“He’s this fun kid,” Kibalyn said of his character. “He’s poor. He’s tired but he always has energy and he’s kind and caring.”
This was not only the first week for dress rehearsal but the initial time the students were on the stage, Bourek-Hoyt said. The middle schoolers were practicing in her classroom before this week as the stage was used for some concerts, she added.
“This is our first week with sets, props and costumes,” Bourek-Hoyt said.
Meanwhile, the fifth- and sixth-grade play is in its fifth year, Bourek-Hoyt said, adding it’s “a milestone.” Although a production didn’t happen in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic, the students did reader’s theater where they read scripts instead.
Bourek-Hoyt said with the show, she hopes she can teach the students about stage presence as they probably haven’t had much experience beforehand. Additionally, their involvement in the show can help them understand teamwork and develop friendships, she added.
“They’ll get to meet kids who they may not have known or didn’t know they had something in common with,” Bourek-Hoyt said.
