JR Blogger Chris Enjoys Willy Wonka

Junior Blogger, Chris Eppley, tells us all about his Willy Wonka experience.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Friday, January 12, 2018 1n San Francisco the Children’s Theater had the play “Willy Wonka” playing. This performance had great service before the play, after the play, and during the 15 minute intermission. Right before the performance “Willy Wonka” herself came out and pointed out the emergency exits and gave credit to all the companies that helped to make the play possible. The characters were enthusiastic, funny, creative, exciting, sad at some times and happy at other times. The cast was talking to the audience. An oompa loopa puppet high-fived a little girl in the audience.  

The boring parts of the movie and book were changed into songs.

The cast “twisted it up” a bit. Willy Wonka, the Candy Man, poor guy, Grandma Georgina, and Phineous Trout were played by Mary Gibboney. Charlie Bucket by Juan Castro. Oompa loompa #1, Mrs. Bucket, and Mrs. Gloop by pauli N. Amornkul. Oompa loompa #2, Veruca Salt, Matilda, Grandma Josephina, and Ms. Teavee by LeighAnn Cannon. Mike Teavee, Mr. Bucket, and Mr. Salt by Kailah Cayou. Agustus Gloop, Grampa Joe, James, and Mrs. Beauregarde by Paul Loper. Violet Beauregarde and Grandpa George by Chelsea Wellot.

A four year old named Maya says”So good.” Other audience members like the simple set, the part of Wonka retiring, just the show itself, the music, characters, and singing. Also, for the adults there are some jokes involving the card game “Gin.” There are famous names used like Edgar Allan Poe. For an exciting part of the play there are “BUBBLES!” (Veruca Salt quote)

Interviews with Agustus and Violet:

Chris: How long did you practice?

Agustus: 5 weeks.

Violet: 5 weeks.

Chris: What were your favorite parts?

Agustus: My number “I Eat More!”

Violet: Working with Oompa Loompas and pretending to lick Charlie’s hand.

Chris: Anything you just want to say that’s not in the other questions?

Augustus: Since there weren’t many people who had screens who weren’t rich at the time the play was based on it’s a good experience to go to a play, not a movie.

Violet: The cast worked well together overcoming things like our original Wonka calling in sick at the last minute.

Chris: Your original Wonka was sick?

Violet: Yes the original Wonka was a man. This Wonka is a woman.

Chris: I couldn’t even tell she didn’t get as much practice as the rest of you guys!

Violet: Yep. That’s why she’s called Madam Wonka in this production.

Chris: Instead of Mister Wonka.

Violet: Yep.

Chris: Thanks Agustus. Thanks Violet. Bye.

BACT Junior Blog: Elephant and Piggie, We are in a play!

Here's another post from our Junior Blogger, Sophie Knipp!

The best plays based on books always. . . 

have humor, audience interaction, span many ages, a strong and talented cast, fun music, and keep true to the message of the books. Well, I would say that the BACT production of Elephant and Piggie playing in Sunnyvale has all of that!

Gerald the Elephant, played by Alan Coyne, was fun to watch as he and his best friend Piggie went to a party, had ice cream, played together, and put on a play within a play with their 3 friends, the Squirelles, 3 pretty, rodent singing divas.

In Act 2 Gerald, Piggie, and the Squirelles interact with the audience. They lead us in dance moves, singing, and clapping to the beat - making the audience feel part of the play. Adults and kids of all ages joined in the fun! 

The music was very silly - dramatic, exciting, sad, and funny. Very funny! Elephant’s surprise dramatic solo in Act 1 was one of the standout performances in the show. 

The cast was very very strong. It was amazing how talented they were. Their voices, their dance moves, and their acting was fantastic!

The set was a simple but creative design that had a backdrop that looked like the different pages of the Mo Willems books. The costumes were also very simple but creative. Instead of animal costumes, the actors looked like normal people, but with pieces that looked like the animal they were playing. 

The message of the show is “that true friends can get you through anything”, said Alan Coyne. Just like the books, Elephant and Piggie get through obstacles together as friends, solving problems and finding solutions.

BACT’s production of Elephant and Piggie, We Are In A Play was overall very enthusiastic and fantastic to watch! The next show I will be blogging about is BACT’s Beautiful Oops. Stay tuned! 

The Very Hungry Caterpillar: An Enjoyable Show for Children

Check out our Jr. Blogger Kara's thoughts on the Very Hungry Caterpillar Show!

On Friday, I got to see the student matinee show of The Very Hungry Caterpillar put on by the Bay Area Children’s Theatre and inspired by Eric Carle’s books.  This play includes the books, The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse, The Very Lonely Firefly, Mister Seahorse, and of course, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The characters are life-size puppets controlled by puppeteers who use bars and their bodies to make them walk and talk.   The puppets themselves are colorful, majestic, and bright, especially the seahorse from Mister Seahorse.  The polka-dotted donkey puppet from The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse was neat because the colors were fun and the actors did a good job making him dance around.  I laughed when they played hide-and-seek.  It was like magic.  

The set was made up of moving set pieces that looked like trees, seaweed and lots of other things.  Also, the background would change color depending on what was going on in the scene.  The music and sound effects were captivating.  All this helped make the story come alive.  They had a narrator to help the characters tell the story; it really helped portray Eric Carle’s books well.

My favorite story was The Lonely Firefly.  It was about a Firefly looking for some friends to play with.  At first, he finds a lamp, a candle and a flashlight, but he can’t find any other fireflies to play.  Finally he finds his firefly friends and they joyfully dance around in the night.  I loved this production because it retold the story just like the book would.  I enjoyed the show immensely. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a show that young children would enjoy.