The Candy Man and Oompa-Loompas come to Kendall for annual musical

Photos by Tom Rivers

KENDALL – Mike Hallowell starred as Willy Wonka in Kendall’s production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on Friday and Saturday.

He is shown singing the “Golden Age of Chocolate” with the Oompa-Loompas, which work in his chocolate factory. Wonka announces that he is retiring and he must choose a new successor.

Kayla Minster is in the role of Charlie Bucket and she comforts her father, Ryan Gaesser after he was laid off from his job at the toothpaste factor. Charlie sings “Think Positive” and encourages her dad to not give up.

Charlie lives in an impoverished with four bedridden grandparents. From left include Grandpa George (Sammy Conte), Grandma Georgina (Kierra Davenport), Grandma Josephine (Brooke Rodas) and Grandpa Joe (Karter May).

Grandpa Joe predicts Charlie will one day be working in the Wonka factory.

These kids hold lollipops while performing “The Candy Man.”

The Candy Man (Mike Hallowell) greets the children and sells them Wonka bars. Charlie is the only kid too poor to afford a candy bar. She helps The Candy Man and is given a lollipop and a newspaper. Charlie takes the newspaper home and finds out Wonka has a contest with five golden tickets hidden in candy bars. The winners get a tour of his factory and lifetime supply of chocolate.

Augustus Gloop (Noah Morehouse), an over-sized German boy who loves to eat, gets the first golden ticket. He sings, “I Eat More!” and tries to sample the desserts.

Phineous Trout (Emma O’Neill), a reporter, interviews the very spoiled Veruca Salt (Adrianna Schiavone) who has the second golden ticket. Her father Mr. Salt (Lucas Wachtel), owner of a very successful nut company, made his factory workers open hundreds of thousands of candy bars in search of the ticket.

Violet Beauregarde (Elli Baker) gets the third golden ticket. She is abrasive and loves to chew gum. She is joined in the interview by her mother, right, played by Irelynn Maloney.

Maddie Teavee, played by Madison Hults, finds the fourth golden ticket. Teavee loves video games and cell phones. Riley Passer plays her mother, Ms. Teavee.

Grandpa Joe (Karter May) is delighted when Charlie wins the fifth and final golden ticket. Charlie invites Grandpa Joe to join her on the trip to the chocolate factory and grandpa is so happy he gets out of bed for the first time in years, singing “(I’ve) Got a Golden Ticket.”

In the factory tour, the group gets whittled down after failing temptations until the final person is left. That is the one Wonka wants to take over his factory.