Theater News

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Musical Sets Broadway Timeline

Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman’s tuner, inspired by the Roald Dahl story, will make its New York debut.

Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical will arrive on Broadway in 2017.
Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical will arrive on Broadway in 2017.
(© David Gordon)

Three-time Tony winner Jack O'Brien (Hairspray) will helm the upcoming Broadway mounting of the hit West End musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The production, which will feature choreography by Tony nominee Josh Bergasse (On the Town), will officially open in spring 2017. Casting, dates, design team, and a Broadway theater will be announced in the coming months.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will reunite O'Brien with his Tony-winning Hairspray scribes, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, who pen the score for this stage adaptation of the popular children's novel by Roald Dahl. The book is written by David Greig. The musical tells the story of Charlie Bucket, a poor young man who finds a golden ticket that allows him to visit the mysterious chocolate factory of the even more mysterious Willy Wonka.

In addition to Shaiman and Wittman's new score, the musical will utilize classic songs from the beloved film, written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley.

The West End mounting, which opened in June 2013 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane and will end its run in January 2017, is directed by Sam Mendes, with choreography by Peter Darling. The pair will not move with the show for the Broadway engagement owing to scheduling conflicts.

Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, Langley Park Productions, and Neal Street Productions produce the Broadway mounting.