WENATCHEE — A total of 958 area school children will get a golden ticket opportunity to see matinee shows of “Willy Wonka Jr.” by Stage Kids this week. This musical adaptation of Roald Dahl's fantastical tale features memorable songs from the 1971 film starring Gene Wilder, with more original songs for the stage too.
Public performances take place Thursday through Sunday at the Numerica Performing Arts Center. Tickets cost $16 for adults and $13 for students (plus fees) and can be purchased at numericapac.org.
Every kid who signs up for Stage Kids is included in a production; they do auditions to get cast as lead characters or ensemble actors. This show is double cast to give more youth an opportunity to participate.
The honorary director of “Willy Wonka Jr.” is Nellie Bruno, 12, who is in her fifth spotlight show in the past year and a half with Stage Kids. She said “rehearsals at Stage Kids normally consist of learning or reviewing your dances and getting tips on how to improve your performance. You must be able to pay attention so you can learn and perfect your part.”
Bruno described the friends she makes at rehearsals as "amazing ... always welcoming to others, kind and respectful."
Additionally, director Michelle McCormick is doing pre-show engagement activities in-classroom with the students who will be in the audience at matinees, since for many this will be their first live theater experience.
“Students will learn about the history of theater, theater etiquette and what to expect,” wrote managing director Lacey Price in an email. “They will participate in some age-appropriate activities that help them engage more deeply with core concepts of theater (“what would your face look like if you won a golden ticket?”) and content in the show (poverty/wealth, excess — the “naughty” kids in the show’s desires for more, more, more).”
As of Monday, Stage Kids has raised $1,545 from 19 people toward a fundraising goal of $2,500. These funds will go toward ticket costs for students, and any excess funds will go to the same purpose in the future (to help pay for school groups in need to see the show).
By busing in kids for the show, Stage Kids help teachers meet common core standards for theater, especially given the legislation passed this year requiring all kids get at least one hour of arts education every week. Currently, students from these schools are scheduled to attend the “Willy Wonka Jr.” matinees: Seeds Learning Center, St Paul’s Lutheran School, Pinnacles Prep, Waterville Elementary, Wenatchee Christian Homeschool Co-Op, River Academy, John Newbery Elementary, Lewis & Clark Elementary, Rock Island Elementary, Eastmont School District Life Skills Program, Wenatchee Valley Technical Center, Mission View Elementary and St. Joseph’s Catholic School.
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