TORBAY THEATRE
“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”
by Roald Dahl. Adapted by Richard George.
6-16 December 2018
AUDITION INFORMATION
AUDITION TIMES
Auditions: 2pm, Sunday 26 August at the Torbay Community Hall, 35 Watea Road, Torbay (behind the Torbay shops)
Call-backs: 7.30pm, Monday 27 August at Gate Theatre (adjacent to the Torbay Community Hall)
CREATIVE TEAM
DIRECTOR NOTES – Karl Buckley
Karl has directed this show for Torbay previously, back in 1996 and is looking to bring new ideas and energy to it. He is a very experienced director, having directed 36 shows for a range of groups including Torbay Theatre, North Shore Music Theatre, Centrestage Theatre, Mairangi Players, Company Theatre and a number of schools.
SHOW SYNOPSIS
The Candyman introduces the story – the story of Willy Wonka’s amazing chocolate factory and his incredible edible inventions. How other chocolate makers sent spies to steal Mr Wonka’s secrets, so he closed his factory!
Now Willy Wonka is running a competition – he is sending out five Golden Tickets for five lucky people to tour his chocolate factory. We meet the first four ticket-holders – Augustus Gloop, Violet Beauregarde, Veruca Salt and Mike Teavee. Then the Candyman introduces us to Charlie Bucket and his family, who live together in a small cold house and eat cabbage soup for every meal. Charlie becomes the fifth Golden Ticket winner and takes his Grandpa Joe to the factory for the tour.
The five children and their parents meet Mr Wonka and start their tour of his factory. In the incredible Chocolate Room, they discover they are not alone in the factory. Mr Wonka’s workers – the Oompa-Loompas – are lurking in the shadows and may have taken a dislike to some of the children!
As the tour moves along the Chocolate River, through the Invention Room, the Nut Room and the TV Room – one-by-one the children meet their doom, much to the delight of (and at the hands of???) the Oompa-Loomas. Until there is only one left….
PRODUCTION NOTES
The main role is obviously Willy Wonka. Once he appears, halfway through Act 1, the show very much relies on him for pace – he keeps the show ticking along. Of course, there are the five children and their parents, who are all great roles – with not a huge amount of lines – but need actors who have the ability to stay in character and react in character while action happens around them. Of the acting roles, only Willy Wonka, Charlie and Grandpa need to sing solo (everyone sings the finale together).
The key to this show however, is the Oompa-Loompas. They provide the creative and magical part of Willy Wonka’s factory. They create each scene, interact with the children (and the band!), dispose of the naughty children, sing to celebrate the child’s demise, while changing scene from one room to the next. They must have a sense of humour! Think of Minions, but with a slightly darker twist at times. There are some minor characters with lines that the OLs can do as well. What the OLs do exactly depends on who we cast in these roles and what their talents are – if they can sing, we will find solo parts for them to sing; if they can do gymnastics or acrobatics, we will find opportunities for them to do that; if you can bring a talent to the OLs, we will find a way to use it!
CHARACTERS
Gender/age are suggestions only
Small roles may also be able to be Oompa-Loompas at other times
Willy Wonka – Magical chocolate maker (solo singing), large role; M; 30+
Candyman – Narrator, large role in Act 1; M/F; 20+
Charlie – A nice boy (solo singing), large role; M; 8-14
Grandpa Joe – His optimistic grandfather (solo singing), on stage a lot but few lines; M; 50+
Mrs Bucket – His tired mother, small role; F; 30+
Mr Bucket – His unemployed father, small role; M; 30+
Grandma Josephine – His grandmother, small role; F; 50+
Grandpa George – His grandfather, small role; M; 50+
Grandma Georgina – His other grandmother, small role; F; 50+
Augustus Gloop – A greedy boy, small-medium role; M; 8-14
Mrs Gloop – His mother, small-medium role; F; 30+
Violet Beauregarde – A gum-chewer, medium role; F; 8-14
Ms Beauregarde – Her mother, divorced, medium role; F; 30+
Veruca Salt – A spoilt girl, medium role; F; 8-14
Mr Salt – Her rich father, medium role; M; 30+
Mrs Salt – Her long-suffering mother, medium role; F, 30+
Mike Teavee – A boy obsessed with video games, medium role; M; 8-14
Mr Teavee – His father, medium role; M; 30+
Mrs Teavee – His mother, medium role; F; 30+
Oompa-Loomas – The workers in the Factory; possible solo singing, dancing, acrobatics, or anything else you can think of; minor speaking roles throughout the show; M/F; 8-88
AUDITION FORMAT
The audition will be a workshop format. There is nothing you need to prepare, but you need to wear clothes suitable for movement.
When you first arrive at 2pm, we will get you to complete an audition form. The rest of the audition will be in parts and how long you stay depends on what role you would like to audition for.
Part 1 – Movement and Group singing
There will be some movement/dance to learn and we will also teach you the finale song to hear you singing as a group. For those only auditioning to be Oompa-Loompas – this is the only role of the audition you will need to do (unless you would like a solo-singing opportunity as an Oompa-Loompa, then you need to stay for Part 3).
Part 2 – Speaking and characterisation
For those auditioning for a character role (e.g. Willy Wonka; one of the children or their parents) you will be given a scene to briefly practice and perform.
Part 3 – Solo singing
For those auditioning for Willy Wonka, Charlie or Grandpa Joe (or an Oompa Loompa with solo singing), we will listen to you sing the finale song (taught in Part 1) solo.
Should we need to see some auditionees again, they will be invited to a ‘call-back’ at 7.30pm on Monday 27 August.
If you have any questions about the show or the auditions, please email the director – Karl Buckley – at karldbuckley@gmail.com