Wheaton Drama

Wheaton Drama & director Maria Bakalis are pleased to announce the cast for the 2018-2019 season opener, Roald Dahl’s WILLY WONKA. The creative team would like to thank all those who auditioned & are looking forward to getting started on this magical journey!

Willy Wonka – Ben Dooley

Candy Man – Nathan Dittemore

Phineous Trout – Adrian Hernandez

Charlie Bucket – Vander England

Mrs. Bucket – Riley Tomes

Mr. Bucket – David Korzatkowski

Grandma Josephine – Amy Infanger

Grandma Georgina – Charmaine Jones

Grandpa George – James Wheeler

Grandpa Joe – Mike Boyna

Jamie – Isabelle Clark

Matilda – Ellie Struthers

Sophie – Amalia Pfenninger

Danny – Mahitha Kosaraju

Alfie – Charis Doebler

Billie – Jake Kelley

Stacy – Hannah Kelley

Augustus Gloop – Luke Grout

Mrs. Gloop – Christine Pfenninger

Veruca Salt – Gwendolynne Royle

Mr. Salt – Andy Kanturek

Mike Teavee – Nathan Arceo

Ms. Teavee – Abby Clark

Violet Beauregard – Ella Gosain

Mr. Beauregarde – John Vinopal

Oompa Loompas

Keely Meechem

Judah Clark

Isabella Starmach

Magnolia Dietkus-Minard

Brenden Kelley

Roald Dahl’s WILLY WONKA will run Sept 14 – Oct 7, 2018 at Wheaton Drama’s Playhouse 111. Tickets are available now!

Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).
All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com

Wheaton Drama proudly announces auditions for ROALD DAHL’S WILLY WONKA on Sunday and Monday, July 22 and 23, with callbacks scheduled for Thursday, July 26. No appointments will be taken nor are they needed; auditioners will be seen in groups within the time frames shown below. Performances are scheduled September 14-October 7, 2018, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays @ 8PM; Sundays @ 3PM. Auditions & performances will take place at Wheaton Drama’s Playhouse 111, located at 111 N. Hale Street, Wheaton, IL 60187.

Audition Schedule:

Sunday, July 22:

1-2:00pm Children 7-9 years of age

2:30- 3:30pm Children 10-14 years of age

4-5:30pm Adults

Monday, July 23:

4-5:00pm Children 7-9 years of age

5:30-6:30pm Children 10-14 years of age

7-8:30pm Adults

Thursday, July 26:

6:30-8:30pm Callbacks by invitation

Audition requirements: Director Maria Bakalis is seeking to cast a group of 24 imaginative, flexible, playful adults and children. Auditions will consist of learning and singing a 16-bar music selection, not from the show, along with cold readings of short scenes, also not from the show. Children will be taught some simple movement steps. All roles are available. Please bring a recent photograph; a selfie or snapshot is fine.

Character Descriptions Available HERE

Please contact director Maria Bakalis with questions at wheatondramawonka@gmail.com.

Download Audition Forms here to complete in advance:

Wonka Audition Form Children

Wonka Audition Form Adults

Production Team:

Director: Maria Bakalis
Production Managers: Kate Quan and Katy Smith
Music Director: Bryan McCaffrey
Assistant Director: Krystyn Wells

This is a non-Equity production; there is no pay.

ROALD DAHL’S WILLY WONKA is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com

Wheaton Drama finishes off their 2017/18 Season with COMPANY; Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and Book by George Furth. Audiences have given rave reviews since the show’s opening on May 25, highlighting the musicality, acting, & heart given by each performer of the ensemble cast of  14 actors

But a show would be nothing without the vision of its director. COMPANY director Pam Turlow shared some of her thoughts about her vision, the material & her hope for audiences in a recent interview.

Speaking of her vision for the show, Turlow shared, “In [this] production, each encounter [the main character] Bobby has teaches him one more thing about relationships. We’ll see Bobby grow from a man afraid of really connecting to a man who is truly ready to be vulnerable, to give and receive love.”

Turlow chose to set the production in 1970, “at the tail end of the 60s – a decade that reshaped the world and gave us a paradigm shift about relationships.” She has collaborated with her design team & dramaturg to immerse the audience in the year 1970 through art, clothing, hair, & movement. Dramaturg Rebecca Munoz also provided background information on the era, available to audiences before & after the show in the lobby.

Turlow’s hope for audiences enjoying COMPANY is one of vulnerability & self-understanding. “If you are willing to be vulnerable, to open yourself up to things new and different and (maybe) scary,” she encourages, “you might just find that brilliant light inside.”

For more info & tickets, visit the COMPANY show page: www.wheatondrama.org/company.

A reminder to our members that the annual election of Governors will be held at our general meeting on Tuesday, May 15 at 7:30. The following slate was presented by the Nominating Committee at the April membership meeting:

Wheaton Drama, Inc. Board of Governors Proposed Slate FY 2018-19

Nominees – to take office July 1, 2018

Education – Elyse Willis (running for 2^nd term)

Secretary – Jackie Haiser (running for 1^st term)

Treasurer – Jim Van De Velde (running for 1^st term)

Facilities – Don Dumper (running for 1^st term)

Current Governors

President – Stan Austin (continuing term)

Vice President – Jay Pauer (continuing)

Sales – Barb Giblin (continuing)

Past President – Mike Boyna (continuing)

Marketing – Zach Gibson (mid-term replacement for Rob Reinalda)

As per our bylaws, there can be additional nominations made at the meeting, but any person being nominated must be present and agree to be nominated.

Questions? contact Past President Mike Boyna at pastwdipres2017@gmail.com.

Director Pam Turlow proudly announces the cast for Stephen Sondheim’s musical comedy “Company,” running May 25 to June 17.

The cast:

Bobby: Garrett Ard
Sarah: Claire Yearman
Harry: Rod Kelly
Susan: Erin Creighton
Peter: Mike Frale
Jenny: Morgan Dietkus
David: David Korzatkowski
Amy: Sara Malloy
Paul: Matt Whalen
Joanne: Christine Pfenninger
Larry: Dennis McGuire
Marta: Jessica Sheffield
Kathy: Rachel Carreras
April: Mary McCormack

Production manager is Leah Rae Witt. Musical director is Bryan McCaffrey. Choreographer is Katy Smith. Assistant director is Ben Dooley.