MVHS Play A Sweet Production

By CATHERINE ELLERTON

Moapa Valley Progress

A delightful rendition of Roald Dahl’s popular children’s novel “Charlie and The Chocolate Factory” was performed by the Moapa Valley High School Theatre Dept. last week. Many of us may know this story better as “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”

This is the tale of a Chocolate Factory that has shut down, put a lot of people out of work, opens up again and offers 5 winners of the Golden Tickets to tour through the factory.

Each of the characters in the play was well defined and developed by the young thespians. The gluttonous Augustus Gloop (Ryan Siva), the spoiled brat Veruca Salt (Sierra Reel), the gum chewing Violet Beauregarde (Sara Udall), the TV loving tough guy Mike Teavee (Anna Bush) and the gentle and caring Charlie Bucket (Payne Morrow) began a journey through the Chocolate Factory owned by Willy Wonka (Ethan Smedley).

As the journey begins through this unusual story, a Narrator (Analise Jorgensen) begins the tale and keeps it together to the end.

The sets on the whole were simple, yet functional – a door – or a simple elevator. They left plenty of room for the actor to build his/her character and to carry the story.

However The Chocolate Room and the Invention Room were quite elaborate. In each room one of the winners meets their fate as their weakness gets them into trouble.

In the Chocolate Room a movie backdrop adds to the ambiance. It is here that Augustus begins to drink out of the Chocolate River and is sucked up and away as he has dirtied the chocolate.

When the group reaches the Invention Room, Willie Wonka explains that this is where he is still working on new flavors…..using chewing gum! This intrigues Violet who grabs the gum and begins to chew a three-course meal. Soon her nose begins to turn blue and she starts to glow violet. She is rushed away as it is said they must squeeze the juice out of her.

The Nut Room is filled with miniature squirrels as they are the best at getting the nuts out of walnuts. Veruca must have a squirrel….insists on having a squirrel….runs into their room and the squirrels pull her down and away.

Finally, the group arrives at the Television Room where chocolate bars are sent ‘through the air’ and then are put back together again on the small screen. Tough guy Mike insists on doing this as he will then be on television. When he returns, he has become a miniature version of himself.

Charlie is the only one of the five winners left, spared the consequences of being a spoiled brat. As a reward for his integrity and caring for others Wonka proclaims him THE WINNER! This is when he learns that the factory will be given to him and he will become the new Willy Wonka and his family will live with him to the delight of his Grandpa Joe (Sam Jolley) who drops his cane and does a bit of fancy footwork.

Once again the hard work, diligence and talent of the MVHS Theatre Department members both on stage and back stage, provided an interesting evening to the audience.