Two New West actors have starring roles in an upcoming production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
CTORA Theatre is producing Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Norman & Annette Rothstein Theatre in Vancouver from Oct. 11 to 27. Quinlan McDonald plays Charlie and Sanders Whiting portrays Grandpa Joe.
Led by the young dreamer Charlie Bucket and four other lucky Golden Ticket winners, audiences will embark on a journey that includes chocolate waterfalls, mischievous Oompa-Loompas, and more surprises.
Quinlan, who stars as Charlie, said he has loved meeting new people who love performing and theatre as much as he does.
“This experience has been one of the most exciting things that I have ever done, getting to learn all these cool songs and steps and most of all getting to perform on stage for the audience and share my love for performing with them,” he said.
A Grade 7 student in the Self Design Online Learning Community, Quinlan said he’s grateful for the opportunity to perform in his first production with CTORA.
“Audiences can expect a great show with lots of amazing performers, and I know that everyone watching is going to thoroughly enjoy the show,” he said. “Just watching everyone working on their scenes in rehearsal is a truly spectacular experience.”
Quinlan studies guitar, piano and voice at the VSO School of Music, trains in ballet, tap, acting and musical theatre at the Richmond Academy of Dance, and is a member of the Vancouver Bach Youth Choir. He has received standout awards in several competitions for his song and dance solos as well as merit- based scholarships for his music and dance studies.
Whiting is thrilled to portray Grandpa Joe in the upcoming production.
“I'm excited about the audience meeting Willy Wonka, Charlie, Grandpa Joe and the rest of the zany characters,” he said in a statement to the Record. “They're wild and unpredictable as only Roald Dahl can make them. Every night is exciting and a tiny bit mysterious for me because every audience gives back a different energy to the actors on stage. It's thrilling to experience the story with a new audience each night in-person and in real time as only theatre can do. It's why it feels like a privilege to be an actor.”
Whiting is confident theatregoers will be charmed by the excellent casting in this show. He said the producers have brought together a wonderful creative team of directors, and designers who will make the show look, sound and feel wonderful.
“I especially love that Roald Dahl's stories have a somewhat dangerous feel about them, a bit like Grimm's fairy tales,” he said. “I think children and children-at-heart will love feeling a bit of risk in their stories. I also love Dahl's focus on individual creativity in the story, how all of us can create something out of nothing.”
Whiting’s many career credits include Herr Schultz in Cabaret (Raincity Theatre), Sparky in Forever Plaid (Arts Club Theatre), Gaffer Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings (Mirvish) and Fritz in Freaks: A Circus Tale with Music (National Arts Centre). He has been nominated for Vancouver’s Jessie and Ovation awards and won one statue with the cast of Forever Plaid.
Written by Dahl, a British author, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a 1964 children’s novel. The story made it to the big screen in 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (starring Gene Wilder as chocolatier Willy Wonka) and in 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (starring Johnny Depp).
"Our production takes a lot of inspiration from the book and its original illustrations,” director Mark Carter said in a news release. “This relatively new musical beautifully blends the familiar story and classic songs like Candy Man and Pure Imagination with fresh, clever musical numbers. Whether you're experiencing the story for the first time or revisiting an old friend, there’s something for everyone in this production."
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory takes to the stage from Friday, Oct. 11 until Sunday, Oct. 27 (no shows Oct. 14 to 16 or 21 to 23). More information about showtimes (evening and matinee performance) and tickets ($38 to $68 plus service fees) can be found online.
The Norman & Annette Rothstein Theatre is located at 950 West 41st Ave. in Vancouver.
