Four lucky Charlies!

 

Four very lucky boys have been chosen to play the role of Charlie in the spectacular new musical Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which will play in Sydney at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre from 5 January, 2019.

Oliver Alkhair (11 years of age, from Panania), Tommy Blair (11, Engadine), Xion Jarvis (9, Burwood Heights) and Ryan Yeates (13, Canada Bay) will share the role of Charlie Bucket. Charlie lives with his mother and his four grandparents in a little wooden house near a great town, and is the final child to find a Golden Ticket.
 
Willy Wonka, the most amazing, fantastic, extraordinary chocolate maker the world has ever seen, will be played by Paul Slade Smith. Slade Smith is currently appearing in the Broadway revival of My Fair Lady at Lincoln Center, and was part of the original Broadway cast of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, appearing as Grandpa George. Previously he performed in Finding Neverland on Broadway, and took over the roles of Charles Frohman and Captain Hook from Kelsey Grammer. He has also appeared in Wicked as Doctor Dillamond and The Phantom of the Opera.
 
Ninety and a half year old Grandpa Joe, an enthusiastic storyteller and eternal optimist, will be played by Australian show business royalty Tony Sheldon. In the role of Mrs Bucket, a kind, caring mother and a woman of few words, will be Lucy Maunder.

They join the previously announced cast members, including Jake Fehily and Octavia Barron Martin as Augustus Gloop and Mrs Gloop, Karina Russell and Stephen Anderson as Veruca Salt and Mr Salt, Jayme-Lee Hanekom and Madison McKoy as Violet Beauregard and Mr Beauregard, and Harrison Riley and Jayde Westaby as Mike Teavee and his mother Mrs Teavee.

Completing the wonderfully talented 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, Adam Noviello, Glen Oliver, Danielle O'Malley, Jackson Reedman, Emma Russell, Taylor Scanlan and Thalia Smith.

Producers John Frost, Craig Donnell, Warner Bros Theatre Ventures, Langley Park Productions and Neal Street Productions say they are thrilled with their talented cast.

See the video here to see the boys' delighted reaction when they heard the news they had been chosen.

Pictured (from left) Tommy Blair, Ryan Yeates, Lucy Maunder, Oliver Alkhair and Xion Jarvis. Photo: Peter Brew-Bevan.