Oompa Loompa doompadee doo. I’ve got another puzzle for you. What musical is the North Peace Cultural Centre currently hosting?
If you guessed Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, you’d be right.
There’s no to time to wait around for this Golden Ticket.
The North Peace Secondary School production opened with two rousing performances this past weekend. The fun performance by a very excited cast and company continues at the end of the week with performances this Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, each at 7 p.m.
“I can’t contain my excitement,” said Sarah Lyons who plays Veruca Salt, before the opening night performance.
The cast and crew of 72 have been working six days a week since the third week of September to improve their act.
Director Melissa Paakkonen and musical director David Price lead the energetic company.
“This is my first time doing this here but I’ve been in theatre for 18 years,” said Paakkonen, recently of Prince George. “It’s nice having a family show for Christmas.”
The atmosphere backstage before last Friday’s opening night performance was one of excitement. The players and stage hands, most of whom had already been involved in one or more productions, cracked jokes, sang and danced and didn’t show any outward signs of nervousness.
“We just blast the radio when we’re getting dressed up and get everybody pyshced,” said Trystan Macleod, Grade 11, who plays the surprisingly spry Grandpa Joe.
Other key members of the cast are acting veteran Donald Truscott, Grade 12,who plays Willy Wonka and two spirited Grade 10’s, Aaron Duke as Charlie Bucket and the aforementioned Ms. Lyons as Veruca Salt.
