Theater News

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory National Tour Announces Its Willy Wonka

The three young actors who will share the role of Charlie have also been announced.

A scene from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Broadway.
A scene from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Broadway.
(© Joan Marcus)

Casting of Willie Wonka and the three Charlies have been announced for the national tour of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which will launch next month in Buffalo, NY.

Broadway veteran Noah Weisberg (Elf) will star as Willy Wonka, with Henry Boshart (age 10), Collin Jeffery (age 11), and Rueby Wood (age 11) alternating in the title role of Charlie Bucket. Full casting will be announced at a later date.

Based on the classic Roald Dahl novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien, with music by Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award winner Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Grammy and Tony Award winners Scott Wittman and Shaiman, a book by David Greig, and choreography by Tony Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse. The production includes additional songs by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley from the 1971 Warner Bros. motion picture. It opened on April 23, 2017.

The show tells the story of Willy Wonka, world-famous inventor of the Everlasting Gobstopper, who has just made an astonishing announcement. His marvelous — and mysterious — factory is opening its gates…to a lucky few. That includes young Charlie Bucket, whose life definitely needs sweetening. He and four other golden ticket winners will embark on a mesmerizing, life-changing journey through Wonka's world of pure imagination.