Willy Wonka / Candy Man
Willy Wonka is an enigmatic character, mysterious, mischievous, and charismatic all at once. The role can be played in many ways, from gentle and whimsical to strange and unpredictable. Cast a fantastic actor and singer who can be funny, serious, and switch between the two quickly. Wonka may double as the Candy Man, which helps reinforce that Wonka has been quietly guiding the Golden Ticket contest from the beginning.
Charlie Bucket
Charlie Bucket is the emotional heart of the musical. The actor playing Charlie should have an unchanged voice, plenty of sincerity, and strong stage presence. Charlie is in nearly every scene, so cast a performer who can carry a large role with warmth, honesty, and enthusiasm.
Grandpa Joe
Grandpa Joe is the grandfather we all wish we had when we were Charlie’s age. He is caring, patient, sweet, and always reminds Charlie to look on the bright side. Cast an actor who is kind, funny, and able to create a strong duo with Charlie. The role sings a bit, but acting is most important.
Mr. Bucket
Mr. Bucket is a natural nurturer with a nice voice. He performs “Think Positive” with Charlie and can double as an Oompa-Loompa in the second half of the show.
Mrs. Bucket
Mrs. Bucket is loving and supportive, with a warm presence and a nice voice. She sings “Cheer Up, Charlie” with Mr. Bucket and Grandpa Joe and can double as an Oompa-Loompa in the second half of the show.
The Candy Man Kids
The Candy Man Kids sing “The Candy Man,” and their numbers may be expanded to include as many performers as your program allows. These roles are a great way to involve younger students or a full class. You can also assign individual names so students feel like they have named roles instead of generic ensemble parts.
Grandpa George
Charlie’s grandparents are mainly non-singing character roles. Cast performers with strong comic timing, interesting personalities, and solid acting skills. These actors can double as Oompa-Loompas in the second half of the show.
Grandma Georgina
Grandma Georgina is one of Charlie’s grandparents and works well for a performer with personality, comic timing, and expressive acting. This role can double as an Oompa-Loompa later in the show.
Grandma Josephina
Grandma Josephina is another of Charlie’s grandparents, mainly a non-singing character role. Cast a student who can create a funny, memorable presence from a smaller role.
Phineous Trout
Phineous Trout is the reporter who announces the Golden Ticket winners throughout the show. The role requires some singing, so cast a performer with a strong announcer’s voice and good stage presence.
Oompa-Loompa Chorus
The Oompa-Loompa Chorus, including Oompa-Loompas 1–5, can be as small as a handful of performers or as large as your stage can accommodate. Consider casting younger performers as Oompa-Loompas and supporting them with older students who can help lead the group.
Mrs. Gloop
Mrs. Gloop is Augustus’ mother, who has overindulged her son with food. She sings “I Eat More,” one of the more difficult songs in the score for young performers. Cast a character actress who is willing to take bold acting and singing risks.
Mrs. Beauregarde
Mrs. Beauregarde is Violet’s mother and a teacher of geography who has invested in therapy for her gum-chewing daughter with less than stellar results. The role is virtually non-singing. Her accent and energy should pair well with Violet’s so they feel like a strong comic team.
Mr. Salt
Mr. Salt’s solution to most problems is to buy his way out. He is often portrayed as upper class, sometimes with a British accent, though the accent is not required. The important thing is that Veruca and Mr. Salt feel like they come from the same world. He sings very little, and the role can also be played by a female actor playing male.
Violet Beauregarde
Violet is a gum chewer extraordinaire and should stand in sharp contrast to Veruca Salt. She sings “Chew It” with Willy Wonka, which can be a standout number for the right voice. Cast a strong singer and actor who can make bold character choices.
Mike Teavee
Mike Teavee is addicted to television, video games, the Internet, and every mind-numbing technological device. Mike is bratty, loud, and obnoxious, and does not understand the word “no.” Mike and Ms. Teavee sing “I See It All On TV.”
James
James is Charlie’s friend from school. He has a few lines and sings the introduction of “The Candy Man” with Matilda and Charlie. This is a great role for a newer performer.
Chorus of Cooks
The Chorus of Cooks is an optional chorus that appears during “I Eat More,” presenting Augustus with a smorgasbord of food choices. You can double the Candy Man Kids and Oompa-Loompa Chorus or cast a single class of students for this section.
Augustus Gloop
Augustus is the overachieving eater. Augustus can be played by a boy or a girl acting as a boy. The song “I Eat More” is on the difficult side, but it benefits from character and confidence more than a polished sound.
Ms. Teavee
Ms. Teavee is inspired by classic television moms. She is perfectly put together and a bit vacant. She sings “I See It All On TV,” but does not require a polished voice.
Veruca Salt
Veruca is wealthy, class-conscious, and completely spoiled. Her solo “I Want It Now” is deceptively tricky and comes late in the show, so cast a strong singer and actor who can make bold choices. Veruca should contrast clearly with Violet Beauregarde.
Matilda
Matilda is another schoolmate of Charlie’s, but she is a bit of a bully. She has a few lines and sings the introduction of “The Candy Man” with James and Charlie.
Squirrels
The Squirrels are non-speaking, non-singing roles, and you can cast as many as necessary. This is a great part for beginning actors.
