The first musical to ever be performed in the new Hillsboro High School auditorium will take the stage this Friday, Saturday and Sunday when the HHS Performing Arts present “Willy Wonka”.
”When deciding on the very first musical presented in the new auditorium, Mrs. Jacky and I wanted to present a big show involving students of all ages,” said Jenna Horick, who co-directs the musical with Laura Jackey and her husband, Jeff Horick. “‘Willy Wonka’ seemed like such a bright and whimsical show, full of color and magic. We also wanted to do something that was familiar to most viewers. Several of the songs that we will be performing are songs that most of us grew up with, young and old.”
Those songs include “The Candy Man”, “Pure Imagination”, “I Want it Now!”, “Oompa Loompa” and “Think Positive”.
The curtain opens at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. The house opens at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Online tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults. Tickets are available at the door for $7 for students and $12 adults. If anyone needs help purchasing tickets, email Jenna Horick at [email protected] or Jacky at [email protected].
Roald Dahl’s “Willy Wonka” follows enigmatic candy manufacturer Willy Wonka as he stages a contest by hiding golden tickets in five of his scrumptious candy bars. Whomever comes up with these tickets will win a free tour of the Wonka factory, as well as a lifetime supply of candy. Four of the five winning children are insufferable brats, but the fifth is a likeable young lad named Charlie Bucket, who takes the tour in the company of his equally amiable grandfather. The children must learn to follow Mr. Wonka’s rules in the factory… or suffer the consequences, Horick said.
The musical has a total of 75 cast and crew members, including 17 elementary students. Some of the main characters include Willy Wonka/Candy Man portrayed by Duncan Pickering-Polstra, Charlie Bucket played by Grady Horick, Mr. Bucket by Travis Ross, Mrs. Bucket by Madalyn Ross, Grandpa Joe by Jonah Leeth, Augustus Gloop by Rudy Thomsen, Mike Teavee by Jackson Newton, Veruca Salt by Riley Griffin, Violet Beauregard by Sarah Gabel, Mrs. Gloop by Savannah Price, Mrs. Teavee by Molly Smith, Mrs. Beauregard by Logan Savage and Mr. Salt by Mikhail Jerkovac.
Hillsboro senior Sammy Parker leads a 10-member stage crew.
“We are beyond excited to be in our new theatre,” Horick said. “Everything is so exquisite and grand. And I’m not just talking about the 800-capacity seating. The production room has given us an amazing work space to design and build our huge set. The greenroom and costume rooms behind the stage have made it so much easier to organize and house our props and costumes. The cast will be able to prepare for the shows in this space much more comfortably. It is an honor for Hillsboro City Schools to have this theatre and we are looking forward to producing all different kinds of performances here in the future.”
Horick said the play would not be possible without the help of parents and volunteers.
”Sandy Cruea is our seamstress and does amazing work. Joe Jacky, Jeff Horick and Mark Holmes have worked tirelessly on the set and special effects,”she said. “New to the volunteer crew are teachers Janice Snyder and Beth Denton. These two ladies have worked daily and nightly on all the candy decorations and giant mushrooms that you will see in our set. Laura Pickering-Polstra voluntarily takes care of the program and some of the promotion of the show. The amazing artwork that you will see on the set was designed by me and the students.”
The Hillsboro Art Club will be hosting concessions in the cafeteria and lobby.
“You don’t want to miss out on the chance of winning a golden ticket in a chocolate bar,” Horick said.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.
