Alhambra’s 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' Reimagines Wonder, Whimsy and Wackiness in a Candy-Coated Spectacle

If you think you know Willy Wonka, think again. At Alhambra Theatre & Dining, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a wild, whimsical ride that delivers the spectacle and charm you’d expect from Roald Dahl’s classic, but with its own fresh spin. Director Shain Stroff’s artistry shines in his leadership, guiding a team of creative minds that transforms Roald Dahl’s classic into a full-blown theatrical treat that is heartfelt, hilarious and delightfully off-kilter.

Just like in the films, Wonka offers the chance for a handful of lucky winners to peek behind the scenes of his chocolate empire, swinging open the factory gates to a world of candied dreams and cautionary tales. But in a clever twist, this Wonka opens a candy store near Charlie’s home to find out what people think about him, simultaneously giving him the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Charlie’s character and imagination. The change adds warmth and familiarity, making Wonka less a distant, enigmatic figure and more a quirky neighbor with a flair for the bizarre.

Jonathan Van Dyke’s Wonka is the engine of this sweet-toothed machine: silly, sarcastic and unflaggingly strange. He offers just enough wackiness to keep kids on their toes, balanced by a hint of sinister slyness that draws laughs from grown-ups, too. Van Dyke’s interpretation adds a pinch of vulnerability, making Wonka feel at once fresh and familiar, with his own unique blend of delight and danger.

As Charlie, Jake Ayres is quietly remarkable, balancing grit and hope. His performance captures a kid shaped by hardship but still radiating warmth, innocence and an unshakeable kindness. Even as he shows a hard-won resilience, there’s an unspoiled wonder in his eyes that makes Charlie instantly lovable. The relationship with Bob O’Hara’s Grandpa Joe is the emotional heart of the show, and their chemistry shines brightest on “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket” — with a little help from a beautifully blended ensemble. O’Hara is pitch-perfect, his voice and warm comic timing grounding even the wildest moments.

The rest of Charlie’s family — Grandpa George (Luke Collins), Grandma Josephine (Emily Morgan) and Grandma Georgina (Melanie Corallo) — become a chorus of cartoonish, delightful caricatures, their timing crisp and their humor on point. Elizabeth D’Aiuto’s Mrs. Bucket is another highlight, her clear and lovely vocals cutting through the theater in her beautifully bittersweet solo on “If Your Father Were Here.”

The golden ticket winners and their families get their own moments of chaos and charm. Playing Augustus and Mrs. Gloop, Collin Galvin is gleefully gluttonous while Cathy Maxwell Finke delivers a perfectly hilarious Bavarian performance. Together, they’re so simultaneously spot-on and equally over the top you’d half expect them to start leading a polka in EPCOT’s Biergarten.

Madison Kalyan’s Veruca Salt refuses to be sidelined (and honestly, who’s going to tell her she’s not the star?) belting her way through the brassy, Broadway-style “When Veruca Says” with gleeful entitlement. Mr. Salt might be a pushover for his daughter, but David Diehl’s voice is commanding, matching her energy and, in a standout moment, nailing a high note that resonates throughout the theater.

Anthony Mincey brings boundless pride and energy to Mr. Beauregarde, as his daughter’s ultimate hype man. The result is a standout “The Queen of Pop,” where Luwam Yikuno’s Violet shines with incredible vocals and a fierce determination — not as a brat, but as a hard-working, admirable competitor who claims the spotlight by earning it.

Blake Kalyan’s Mike Teavee and Faith Alfieri’s Mrs. Teavee deliver a sharp satire of screen-addicted families, playfully nodding to modern anxieties about technology.

The rest of the supporting cast dives headfirst into the show’s cartoonish energy. Micah Webster-Bass as Mrs. Green is an explosion of energy every time she storms onstage, making her performance a highlight of the show. As the scoop-hungry news reporters covering the confectionary contest, Sarah Riley Dickey and Logan Enyedi bring Cherry Sundae and Jerry Jubilee to life as a dynamic comic duo — think Pokémon’s Team Rocket with a sharper sense of style.

The real secret recipe here is found in the ensemble. Under Cathy Murphy Giddens’ musical direction, harmonies are tight, punchy and buoyant, especially in group numbers where the cast shines as one polished, irresistible unit. Some numbers even start with cast members scattered throughout the theater, far from each other and unable to rely on proximity to stay on pitch, yet every voice lands confidently. The result is a chorus that feels crisp, polished and electric.

The Oompa Loompas get a clever makeover, with inventive costuming by Camala Pitts and Dorinda Quiles that gives them a fresh appearance and steers clear of the cringe that many stage productions of Charlie and Wonka lean into. The Oompa Loompas’ choreography is another standout, with Erick Ariel Sureda’s inventive moves making each appearance a visual treat.

Visually, the production is a confection. David Dionne delivers several highly memorable set pieces that wow on their own, while Johnny Pettegrew’s lighting transforms the space with every candy-coated twist and turn, bathing the stage in playful hues — bleak and sepia for the Buckets one moment, a psychedelic swirl for Wonka’s world the next. Their combined talents shine during “Pure Imagination,” and later through the second act, where the cast glides through the audience as the scenery shifts behind them. It’s a simple bit of stage magic, but one that leaves the audience buzzing.

If the show occasionally dips into sensory overload, it’s by design — this is a world where the rules of logic dissolve in a chocolate river. But beneath the technicolor spectacle, Alhambra’s production keeps its heart front and center. By the time Charlie’s decency wins out, the moral is clear but never cloying.

For families, Dahl devotees or anyone with a sweet tooth for spectacle, Alhambra Theatre & Dining’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a winning ticket.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory runs Thursday, June 26 through Sunday, August 17 at the Alhambra Theatre.

For more information, full cast and crew credits and links to tickets, visit the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory page here on JaxPlays.