Charlie & the Chocolate Factory - The Musical!- Page 2

[Wynbish]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 2:20pm

^Maybe not entirely in detail. Burton added a whole subplot/section about Willy's father that was not in the book.

[finebydesign]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 3:01pm

I'm a huge fan of the original book and the Wilder film. The only thing I was disappointed with in the original film (which is a masterpiece) is the exclusion of the original songs from the Oompa Loompas. I think the songs in the Burton film are Dahl lyrics set to Elfman music.

I thought this production was of the Burton film...so these would be the songs which aren't very good.

For sure, Burton tried to "do the book" but the movie was just terrible. While Wilder film strays a bit from the material it is just a wonderful piece of film and the songs are wonderful.

[rjm516]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 3:33pm

I would love to see Martin Short in this!

[Wynbish]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 3:36pm

Bill Irwin would be good

[tazber]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 3:50pm

Has anyone else ever noticed the similarity between Candy Man and No On Is Alone from Into the Woods?

I know, that's probably heresy to say on here, but I know I'm not the only one.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 4:01pm

In regards to the two films, I've always felt that the Wilder film stayed truer to the spirit of the book though it adapted quite a bit, whereas the Burton/Depp film stayed closer to the text of the book but got the tone entirely wrong. I mean, making Willy Wonka a child-hating germaphobe with repressed daddy issues? That is not the Willy Wonka I grew up loving, both from reading the book multiple times and viewing the movie multiple times.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 4:05pm

Has anyone else ever noticed the similarity between Candy Man and No On Is Alone from Into the Woods?

We're only allowed to notice that when it involves Andrew Lloyd Webber. You might have to be excommusicalcated for such a comment, taz. I'll pray for your soul.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 4:13pm

I started a thread a while ago, asking about songs that sound similar. That was one of the examples someone gave.

[tazber]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 5:41pm

I just compared them and the 1st 4 bars with lyrics are almost the same.

Candy Man
http://www.sheetmusicdirect.us/search/productDetail.do?itemId=1000031643

No One is Alone
http://www.sheetmusicdirect.us/search/productDetail.do?itemId=1000115709


But I still recognize Stephen Sondheim as the One True God, so don't excommusicalcate me.

[finebydesign]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 5:57pm

I LOVE how similar they are and how good they both are.

[Jonwo]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 7:22pm

I listened to an interview with Marc Shaiman on MusicalTalk and it's going to be mostly based on the book with elements from both films, Warner Bros owns the film and stage rights hence why they're the lead producer. I think it has the potential to be great, it is likely be a visual treat but they need great songs which isn't a problem as it's Shaiman and Wittman and also a strong cast especially for Wonka and Charlie.

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 8:41am

The entire ending of Burton's film, from the flashback to Wonka's childhood until the credits rolled, had absolutely nothing to do with the Dahl book.

I find it less faithful and less effective than the 1971 film, which also took many liberties.

EDIT: And by the way, "The Candy Man," as recorded by Sammy Davis Jr., reached #1 on the Billboard pop charts.

Updated On: 6/19/12 at 08:41 AM

[missthemountains]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 11:24am

When I was thirteen years old, at a local theatre over a hundred kids auditioned for Charlie...Chocolate Factory and I auditioned as Augustus Gloop and didn't hear back for a callback the day after I auditioned, and it turns out the director liked me so much gave me the role without seeing me come back because he liked my audition so much. This play holds a very special place in my heart because it was such a joy to be in, and is definitely one of the reasons I still decided to stay in the business.

On another note, on the whole, I prefer the 1971 (though it's so weird to think that Denise Nickerson was Violet AND Lolita in the same year) because of its music but I did like how close the 2005 was to the book, with the exception of the daddy issue thing as someone said - that was weird. If they can find a way to balance the two, they have a hit on their hands.

Someone also asked if there's been a stage version of James...Giant Peach. There has been, but it's a non-musical and it's a little poorly written if you ask me. I'd love to see someone take on the 1995 film on stage, but give it a few years and I'm sure MTI will pick it up. Roald Dahl's work seems to be really hot to adapt nowadays, with this and Matilda being the smashing success it is. I wonder what's next? The Witches?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 2:25pm

I thought there was a Giant Peach musical in development at Goodspeed with Pasek and Paul writing? No?

[JohnyBroadway]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 2:33pm

Pasek and Paul are developing a Giant Peach Musical. it's on their website.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 2:45pm

JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH was already done at Goodspeed back in 2010:

https://goodspeed.org/productions/2010/james-and-the-giant-peach

A close friend of mine was involved with this Graciela Daniele directed mounting. Sadly, her experience wasn't too great and I've yet to hear any details as to why. My friend will NOT talk about it.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 7/30/12 at 2:27pm

I'm bumping this because I saw a source saying that in addition to new songs, there will be some songs from the 1971 film included in the show.




Charlie and the Chocolate Factory The Musical to open at the London Palladium Updated On: 7/30/12 at 02:27 PM

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 7/30/12 at 4:15pm

There's also a website up now:

http://www.charlieandthechocolatefactory.co.uk/default.asp

There's also a rumour that it may actually now open at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane if/when Shrek closes in January. The website, however, still lists the London Palladium.

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 7/30/12 at 4:22pm

The Witches, at least in the UK, has been done on stage. It toured for years.

It would be nice if they could fit a few of the songs from the film in, it what a large majority of the audience will expect and I'm not sure you can beat Pure Imagination and I Want It Now for those characters in those moments

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 7/30/12 at 8:07pm

The additional songs written (I'm not sure if it was by Bricusse alone, or Bricusse and Newley together) for the MTI version suck anyway. Retain what was written for the film, with a nip and a tuck here and there; construct a better book that straddles the line between film and novel more carefully; it could work.

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 7/31/12 at 11:07am

I played Grandpa Joe in my 4th grade production of Charlie -- my debut on stage. I'll have to see if Mom still has the Super 8 film of my tour de force. Perhaps I can try out for the same role . . . without makeup this time!

[Outoftowner2]

Posted: 7/31/12 at 11:14am

Great news that some of the original movie songs will be part of this!

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/31/12 at 11:26am

Well, if it's a combination of new Shaiman/Whitman songs and the 1971 Bricusse/Newley songs, I'm really excited!

The original film score is by no means complete. There are only a handful of songs, and it would need a lot of fleshing out:

The Candy Man
Cheer Up, Charlie (I absolutely love this song)
I've Got a Golden Ticket
Pure Imagination
Oompa Loompa (and its reprises)
I Want It Now

That's it! There's a lot of room for expansion and embellishment.

I have to say, one of my favorite parts of the film is all the faux hysteria around the hunt for the tickets. Terrific satire, and I'll bet Shaiman and Whitman could really enhance that with a musical number or two. It could actually be a huge sequence that included songs that introduced the kids ("A Professional Gum Chewer," "Not 'Til You're Twelve, Son," that sort of thing.)

I vote for John McMartin as Grandpa Joe and Martin Short as Willy Wonka. And I'd love to hear Andrea McArdle sing "Cheer Up, Charlie."

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 7/31/12 at 11:48am

I can't say that I'm familiar with how McArdle's non-belt is as an adult, but I am not opposed to finding out. I can't think of anybody off the top of my head whom I'd like to see as Mrs. Bucket, but I think the character, at least the way she's played in the movie, has many of the same qualities I would want to see as another of Dahl's sympathetic female adults, Miss Honey in Matilda.

I do like the idea of Martin Short. I hope they keep Willy Wonka more in the line of the Gene Wilder portrayal (and I assume, if they are using parts of that film's score, they will be), which I found to be much more in the spirit of the character Dahl wrote than the child-hating germaphobe with repressed daddy issues that Depp/Burton gave us (which is why I strongly refute anyone who claims the Burton film was truer to the book; in letter yes, in spirit, no)

I do say I wouldn't mind dropping the film's Oompa Loompa song. The one part I really liked about the Burton film was using Dahl's lyrics/poetry and the music that Danny Elfman set them to for the Oompa Loompas. I think Shaiman and Whitman could do something equally as exciting for the stage.

[JohnyBroadway]

Posted: 7/31/12 at 12:06pm

With them using the songs from the 1971 film, which I'm in love with. Cheer up Charlie is so beautiful I'm already imagining an Overture for the show.

Opening mix of pure of Imagination/I've got a golden ticket.
Transition Candy man
Tansition Cheer up Charlie
Big Finish Pure Imagination

Sadly an Overture would never exist like this in shows today.