Michael Ball to star in CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

Michael Ball returns to the London stage in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

A brand-new production of CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, the musical, based on the much-loved story by Roald Dahl, will open at the London Coliseum for a strictly limited run from 4 June 2027 until 18 September 2027 starring Michael Ball. At certain performances the role of Willy Wonka will be played by the alternate, to be announced in due course.

The musical will feature the much-loved songs Pure Imagination, The Candy Man and I’ve Got a Golden Ticket from the classic 1971 film WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley.

They join the musical’s original score by Marc Shaiman, with lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and book by David Greig. Based on the novel by Roald Dahl and the Warner Bros. film. The production will be directed by Curve Artistic Director, Nikolai Foster.

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

Join Charlie Bucket on the adventure of a lifetime when he finds a golden ticket and discovers a world of wonder behind closed doors. Step through the factory gates into a spectacular world where chocolate rivers flow, Oompa-Loompas sing, inventions defy imagination and every room holds a delicious surprise.

Alongside Grandpa Joe, Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde and Mike Teavee, Charlie discovers that nothing is quite as it seems inside Wonka’s extraordinary factory.

MICHAEL BALL

Michael Ball is one of Britain’s best-loved entertainers, a double Olivier Award-winning musical theatre star, Grammy-nominated recording artist and acclaimed radio and television presenter. Over a career spanning more than 40 years, he has become one of the UK’s leading figures in musical theatre, earning critical acclaim on both the West End and Broadway.

His theatre credits include Edna Turnblad in Hairspray (London Coliseum/English National Opera and Original West End Cast), Javert in Les Misérables – The Staged Concert (Gielgud Theatre and UK & Australia Arena Tour), Anatoly in Chess (London Coliseum/English National Opera), Mack in Mack and Mabel (Chichester Festival Theatre and UK Tour), the title role in Sweeney Todd (Adelphi Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre), for which he won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical, The Woman in White (Palace Theatre and Broadway), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (London Palladium), The Phantom of the Opera, Passion and restaging of Aspects of Love (West End & Broadway), and creating the role of Marius in the original West End production of Les Misérables. He also won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance as Edna Turnblad in the original West End production of Hairspray (Shaftesbury Theatre).

CREATIVE TEAM

Directed by Nikolai Foster
Choreography by Ebony Molina
Set Design by Leslie Travers
Costume design by Katrina Lindsey
Lighting design by Ben Cracknell
Sound design by Adam Fisher
Video design by George Reeve
Wigs, hair and make-up design by Campbell Young Associates
Illusion design by Chris Fisher
Puppet design by Rachael Canning
Prop supervision by Marcus Hall Props
Musical supervision by Stephen Brooker
Orchestration adaptations by George Dyer
Musical direction by Isaac McCullough
Casting by Olivia Laydon for Jill Green Casting
Associate direction by Jordan Isaac
Associate sound design by Ollie Durrant
Associate choreography by Dale White

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory plays at the London Coliseum 4 June – 18 September 2027

Preview performances: Friday 4 June 2027 – Saturday 12 June 2027

Performances: Tuesday – Saturday 7pm, Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday 2pm

For more information and tickets visit charliethemusical.com

ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES

Captioned Performance – Wednesday 23 June 7pm
Signed Performance – Wednesday 14 July 7pm
Audio Described Performance – Tuesday 7 September 7pm

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