CYT works sweet magic to bring ‘Wonka’ to stage

When Christian Youth Theater Spokane raises the curtain on its production of “Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka,” “it will rival the movies,” promises director Paul Baldwin.

“We’ve held back on nothing,” he said. There will be musical numbers, dance numbers, the works.

The cast features 74 children, ranging in age from 8 to 18 – including about 40 Oompa Loompas, Baldwin said. Another 15 to 20 children work behind the scenes.

The show has a big challenge: “Most people are familiar with the movie version where you can get away with a lot of special effects,” Baldwin said.

“We’ve kind of had to take an approach that would be something like Willy Wonka would take,” he said.

Using a bit of stage magic and drawing on audience imagination, the show will duplicate the fates of the four ticket winners who don’t follow the rules – one child will turn into a giant blueberry, another will shrink.

And the Oompa Loompas will pop up in unexpected places.

Baldwin said it’s one of CYT Spokane’s youngest casts ever with many children who were new to acting. So, in six weeks he’s not only taught them the show, he’s had to teach acting basics.

“They’ve done a fantastic job,” he said.

Kimberly Lusk

When: 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Feb. 28 and March 1; 3 p.m. Saturday and March 1; 2 p.m. March 2

Where: Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague Ave.

Tickets: $12, $11 for children 12 and younger, availalble through TicketsWest outlets, (800) 325-SEAT or www.ticketswest.com

Info: www.cytspokane.com/