Christian Borle to Lead Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to Broadway
(© David Gordon)
Two-time Tony winner Christian Borle (Something Rotten!) will star as iconic chocolatier Willy Wonka in the upcoming Broadway premiere of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The musical will begin performances in March 2017 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, currently home to Finding Neverland.
As previously announced, the production will be helmed by three-time Tony winner Jack O'Brien, with choreography by Tony nominee Joshua Bergasse. Songs are written by Tony winners Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, who collaborated with O'Brien on the musicals Hairspray and Catch Me If You Can. Based on the children's novel by Dahl, the show features a book by David Grieg which tells the story of young Charlie, 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.
The musical, which originated in London's West End under the direction of Sam Mendes, will feature sets and costumes by Mark Thompson, lighting by Japhy Weideman, puppet design by Basil Twist, and orchestrations by Doug Besterman.
Borle currently appears as William Shakespeare in Something Rotten!, and he will be seen this fall in the upcoming Broadway production of William Finn and James Lapine's Falsettos.
