Published 2011-12-13T16:11:00Z”/>
Brittany Comas
Oompa Loompas and candy-loving kids filled the Blue Room Theatre this weekend, and they’ll do the same next weekend as well.
Roald Dahl’s “Willy Wonka Jr.” was brought to stage by a cast of children, as well as Butte College student Thomas Billheimer, who played Willy Wonka.
The play, directed by Loki Miller, is a stage adaptation of the classic movie “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”
Even those unfamiliar will grow to adore the candy- crazy man with the golden ticket syndrome. “We’ve got kids flying all over the stage, there are 30 song and dance numbers, there’s smoke, there’s mirrors, there are lights, there’s candy,” Miller said. “It’s a super fun time.”
The children and parents in the audience were amused when Willy Wonka threw candy around the theater for the audience to enjoy. Even in the small, intimate setting of the Blue Room Theatre, the fog machines, twinkling lights and colorful attire created a divine mixture of pure imagination.
The most impressive parts of the play were the child actors. If they flubbed a line, the audience couldn’t tell, and the talent shone throughout the theater.
Even Grandpa Joe, ironically played by a young girl, was believable and in character throughout the production.
“Willy Wonka would be nothing without his Oompa Loompas,” Billheimer said. “The candy man would be nothing without his candy kids, and these kids astound me every day.”
Krista Yamashita, Chico State alumna and Blue Room Theatre office manager, enjoyed the performance, even while attending to her official duties.
“The show has just evolved into this great show,” she said. “Every time they perform it’s something different.”
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<strong>Brittany Comas can be reached at
</strong><em>[email protected]</em>
