Fri, 05/24/2024 - 10:30am

KEVIN BURNHAM

The Oompa Loompas. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Scout Martin as Willy Wonka. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

The Pure Imagination Dancers, from left, Imij Armstead, Samantha Colby, Jessie Ullo and Fiona Bishop. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Mr. and Mrs. Bucket (Collin Cantillo and Kayla Watts). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Charlie’s family, from left, Grandpa George (Ian Michaud), Grandma Georgiana (Corinne Rogers), Great-Grandma Josephine (Lina Minzer) and Grandma Jo (Imij Armstead). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

The Candyman Kids wait for the Candyman. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

The Candyman (Scout Martin) meets Charlie (Sloan Nelson). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Mrs. Gloop (Jessie Ullo) holds the golden ticket recovered by her son Augustus (Gannon Inman) and is interviewed by Phineous Trout (Lucie Hollon). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Veruca (Violet Baldwin) and her dad Mr. Salt (Finn Sullivan). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Charlie (Sloan Nelson) tells her dad Mr. Bucket (Collin Cantillo) to “think positive.” KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Phineous Trout (Lucie Hollon) interviews golden ticket holders Violet (Kyleigh Cole) and Mrs. Beauregarde (Samantha Colby). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Ms. Teavee (Fiona Bishop) and her son Mike (Oscar Mirabile) with Phineous Trout (Lucie Hollon). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Charlie (Sloan Nelson) gets the fifth golden ticket. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

One the many graphics on the background screen shows Violet (Kyleigh Cole) turning into a blueberry. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Willy Wonka (Scout Martin) tells Charlie (Sloan Nelson) and Grandma Jo (Imij Armstead) that he is turning over the ownership of the chocolate factory to Charlie. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

The Oompa Loompas. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Scout Martin as Willy Wonka. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

The Pure Imagination Dancers, from left, Imij Armstead, Samantha Colby, Jessie Ullo and Fiona Bishop. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Mr. and Mrs. Bucket (Collin Cantillo and Kayla Watts). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Charlie’s family, from left, Grandpa George (Ian Michaud), Grandma Georgiana (Corinne Rogers), Great-Grandma Josephine (Lina Minzer) and Grandma Jo (Imij Armstead). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

The Candyman Kids wait for the Candyman. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

The Candyman (Scout Martin) meets Charlie (Sloan Nelson). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Mrs. Gloop (Jessie Ullo) holds the golden ticket recovered by her son Augustus (Gannon Inman) and is interviewed by Phineous Trout (Lucie Hollon). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Veruca (Violet Baldwin) and her dad Mr. Salt (Finn Sullivan). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Charlie (Sloan Nelson) tells her dad Mr. Bucket (Collin Cantillo) to “think positive.” KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Phineous Trout (Lucie Hollon) interviews golden ticket holders Violet (Kyleigh Cole) and Mrs. Beauregarde (Samantha Colby). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Ms. Teavee (Fiona Bishop) and her son Mike (Oscar Mirabile) with Phineous Trout (Lucie Hollon). KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Charlie (Sloan Nelson) gets the fifth golden ticket. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

One the many graphics on the background screen shows Violet (Kyleigh Cole) turning into a blueberry. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Willy Wonka (Scout Martin) tells Charlie (Sloan Nelson) and Grandma Jo (Imij Armstead) that he is turning over the ownership of the chocolate factory to Charlie. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Boothbay Region YMCA Y-Arts group performed a rollicking and rousing rendition of “Roal Dahl’s Willy Wonka JR.” on Thursday, May 23 at Lincoln Theater in Damariscotta – the first of two performances with the second set for Friday, May 24.

Fifty-two young actors and actresses – with nearly half of them cast as the memorable Oompa Loompas – put on a fun show with 18 songs highlighting the story.

The three lead performers were Scout Martin as Willy Wonka, Sloan Nelson as Charlie Bucket and Imij Armstead as Grandma Jo. Charlie’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bucket, were played by Collin Cantillo and Kayla Watts. Grandma Jo, and other members of Charlie’s family, Grandpa George (Ian Michaud), Great-Grandma Josephine (Lina Minzer) and Grandma Georgiana (Corinne Rogers) provided some hilarious moments – especially the gruff outbursts by Grandpa George.

The four other duos who got to tour Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory by finding a golden ticket included Mrs. Gloop (Jessie Ullo) and son Augustus (Gannon Inman), Mr. Salt (Finn Sullivan) and daughter Veruca (Violet Baldwin), Mrs Beauregarde (Samantha Colby) and daughter Violet (Kyleigh Cole), and Ms. Teavee (Fiona Bishop) and son Mike (Oscar Mirabile). The golden ticket winners were introduced by reporter Phineous Trout (Lucie Hollon).

As explained by Music Theater International on its website – for those who have never seen the original 1971 movie – “Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka JR. follows enigmatic candy manufacturer Willy Wonka as he stages a contest by hiding golden tickets in five of his scrumptious candy bars. Whomever comes up with these tickets will win a free tour of the Wonka factory, as well as a lifetime supply of candy. Four of the five winning children are insufferable brats, but the fifth is a likeable young lad named Charlie Bucket, who takes the tour in the company of his equally amiable grandfather. The children must learn to follow Mr. Wonka's rules in the factory – or suffer the consequences.”

The Y-Arts group was once again directed and choreographed by Emily Mirabile. Other major credits were attributed to Damon Leibert, technical director at Lincoln Theater; Spencer Pottle and Ford Harris, spotlight operators; and Nick Mirabile, digital editor, whose work on the background effects on the screen were appreciated by the audience – it was a packed theater on Thursday.