Charlie to the Lunt-Fontanne- Page 4

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/22/16 at 7:32pm

Those TV set pieces are huge! Where is that pic taken? Is the theater attached to a warehouse? How would they possibly story all that at the Lunt? 

Also, that all sounds terrible. Why not use the "I've got a golden ticket" melody, introduced them all, and get on with it. The songs need to progress the action. 

Does Wonka get the 11 o'clock number?!

[Oak2]

Posted: 8/22/16 at 7:59pm

RippedMan - From what it sounds like from the cast recording and reports I heard, the 11 O'Clock Number in the London production is Pure Imagination from the 1971 movie - the only song from the movies that's in the London one, and moved to that place in the story (when Wonka is showing Charlie what he's won) instead of in the Chocolate Room.

Also I don't mind giving each of the kids their own song. I feel it's important to show how awful they are and establish them all so it means mroe in the 2nd act when they all meet their fates. I admit I seem to be in the minority of that opinion, but I think the story works fine with the 1st act introducing all the kids, and ending with them entering the Factory, and Act 2 being the actual factory and all the kids' downfalls. 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/22/16 at 8:14pm

I'll be fine if they reduce the introduction of the kids to a single song/montage rather than giving them all individual songs like they have on the cast album. I'll also echo the sentiment above about not wanting to sit through endless reprises of the Oompa-Loompa song from the movie. I won't mind if they incorporate more songs from the movie but honestly I'd be fine never hearing the Oompa-Loompa song ever again. I like "Pure Imagination" for the glass elevator scene but there's no reason that couldn't be a reprise and the song could also be sung in the chocolate room as in the film. "Simply Second Nature" isn't all that interesting and the same goes for "Don'cha Pinch Me Charlie" which can obviously be substituted with "I've Got a Golden Ticket." This is a tough one. Hopefully they've made some good changes and not just mucked it up even more.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 8/22/16 at 8:47pm

They can totally do away with "If Your Mother Were Here." It just stops the momentum of the show.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 8/22/16 at 8:51pm

I never understood why the added pure imagination when they wrote simply second nature which is basically a carbon copy(I also think it's better) and it's in the place where pure imagination is in the movie.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/22/16 at 8:54pm

If they did introduce all the kids in one opening number - which I think would help the momentum - then where would the act break be?

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 8/22/16 at 8:57pm

Wildcard said: "They can totally do away with "If Your Mother Were Here." It just stops the momentum of the show."

Really? That was the only song in the show I actually liked. It's a simply beautiful melody with a very touching meaning. I can understand how it stops the action a bit, but it shows Charlie comes from a loving home and his parents are trying their best to provide. 

I may be biased since it replaces the only song from the film I utterly despise and skip every time on my dvd, "Cheer Up, Charlie."

[Oak2]

Posted: 8/22/16 at 8:58pm

call_me_jorge - I had read somewhere, but I forget where, that Pure Imagination was only in the West End version because some higher-ups insisted on it.

Also, it seems that Pure Imagination will be back in the Chocolate Room. A new song called "The View from Here" has been written for the Glass Elevator scene, but they confirmed Pure Imagination WILL be in the Broadway musical (as well as "Candy Man", as I hoped, so that will probably be the opening number for Broadway. Still hope "I've Got a Golden Ticket" returns as well!"

Oh, and it's also been implied that the Oompa Loompas may be puppets in the Broadway version? They mention a "famed puppeteer" when talking about them, anyway.

Source for the above info: http://www.ew.com/article/2016/08/08/willy-wonka-charlie-and-chocolate-factory-broadway-show-teasers

Updated On: 8/22/16 at 08:58 PM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 8/22/16 at 9:30pm

Well that sucks, I hope they find a way to keep simply second nature. I really thin it's beautiful. It's the best song in the show. Rippedman, my guess would be after where strike that reverse it is.

[Tag]

Posted: 8/22/16 at 9:43pm

Oh, and it's also been implied that the Oompa Loompas may be puppets in the Broadway version? They mention a "famed puppeteer" when talking about them, anyway.

That's too bad.  The Oompa Loompas in the West End version are so well done.

[somechrysanthemumtea]

Posted: 8/22/16 at 9:53pm

Saw the show in London. The sets were fantastic, except the Chocolate Fountain Room - that was a bit disapppointing! Songs were largely forgettable, there were squirrels that looked very realistic!

 

Pure Imagination was a beautiful moment in the show. Really fit well. Excited to see what changes are made!

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 8/22/16 at 9:56pm

I hate to say it, but I'm losing faith for this show if there's already so much hullabaloo over creative choices and the like. I will be devastated if this show winds up badly—I am so, so rooting for it to be a triumph.  

[Oak2]

Posted: 8/22/16 at 10:01pm

Tag - How are the Oompa Loompas done in the West End version? I've only heard the OBC, so I'm not familiar with most of the visual presentations of it. 

[Oak2]

Posted: 8/22/16 at 10:01pm

Tag - How are the Oompa Loompas done in the West End version? I've only heard the OBC, so I'm not familiar with most of the visual presentations of it. 

[Tag]

Posted: 8/22/16 at 10:04pm

They are played by the adult ensemble, but the costumes and trickery used is really special.  Google image search "Charlie musical oomph loompa" to see examples.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 8/23/16 at 2:20am

BroadwayConcierge said: "I hate to say it, but I'm losing faith for this show if there's already so much hullabaloo over creative choices and the like. I will be devastated if this show winds up badly—I am so, so rooting for it to be a triumph.  

 

"

Prepare to be devastated, they need to throw away the score, script , staging and start from strach, to make this work 

[brian1973]

Posted: 8/23/16 at 2:43am

 

Erm , that IS what they are doing. It's a N E W version...

 

 

rosscoe(au) said: "BroadwayConcierge said: "I hate to say it, but I'm losing faith for this show if there's already so much hullabaloo over creative choices and the like. I will be devastated if this show winds up badly—I am so, so rooting for it to be a triumph.  

 

"

Prepare to be devastated, they need to throw away the score, script , staging and start from strach, to make this work 

 

"

 

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 8/23/16 at 2:58am

Thanks brian1973, i missed the press release that said they where throwing everything out, staging script songs, in that case I might be interested in seeing it again.

[BarnabyTucker]

Posted: 10/13/16 at 9:13am

According to the show's Wikipedia page:

Ken Marks is Grandpa Joe

Kathy Fitzgerald is Mrs. Gloop

Alan H. Green is Mr. Beauregarde

and Monett McKay is Violet Beauregarde

Is there any validity to this? Maybe this was the lab/workshop's casting?

If it's true, it seems like they are going through with having adults play the kids.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_and_the_Chocolate_Factory_(musical)

[freewilma]

Posted: 10/13/16 at 11:38am

Alan H Green is currently in Freaky Friday at Signature in DC right now. The show is scheduled to move to La Jolla in January...but the cast hasn't been announced as yet. Since Freaky Friday reportedly doesn't have Broadway aspirations, it would make sense that he might not continue and move to Charlie. 

[InnerMonologue]

Posted: 10/13/16 at 1:57pm

Yes, the recent lab productions used adults as the kids (per Jack O'Brien's new concept), with the exception of Charlie. Additional of note casting: Lisa O'Hare was Mrs. Bucket, Jackie Hoffman was Mrs. Teavee, F. Michael Haynie was Augustus, and actually Trista Dollison was Violet.

Updated On: 10/13/16 at 01:57 PM

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 10/16/16 at 9:59am

I've been looking at tickets for weekend dates in April/May and I'm wondering if they're really selling this well of if they're holding a bunch of seats backs? I'm assuming it's selling well since tickets went on sale a while ago.