By Elke Porter | Westcoast German News | July 4, 2025
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Last night, my 19-year-old daughter and I attended the opening night of Theatre Under the Stars’ production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the beautiful Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park. What a perfect way to kick off another summer season of outdoor theatre in Vancouver!
Getting there was a breeze—the venue is conveniently located right in front of the Stanley Park Pavilion in Stanley Park, fairly close to the bus loop, so we took public transit without any hassle. The evening started with a warm welcome from Indigenous performers, highlighting the Coastal Wolf Pack—a traditional Coast Salish performance group of over 25 family members from various communities. Although only two members performed—one focusing on drumming and welcoming, and the other on dancing—their presence was powerful and meaningful, celebrating their heritage and land. Their participation set a respectful and joyful tone for the evening.
I have to admit, I was pretty excited about this production. Growing up, Roald Dahl’s book was one of my absolute favorites—I still remember reading it as part of my elementary school’s “Super Reader Program” back in the 1970s, where I plowed through at least 50 books just to earn that coveted T-shirt. With such a deep connection to the story, I was curious to see how they’d bring all that magic to life on the outdoor stage.
Right from the start, I wondered how they’d pull off all the fantastical elements in an outdoor theatre setting. Well, I shouldn’t have worried. The production team did an incredible job with the lighting, sound effects, and staging. The “great glass elevator” was a particular highlight—suspended what looked like 20 feet above the stage, creating this amazing illusion that it was actually floating. It was one of those moments where simple creativity trumps big-budget effects. And watching it all unfold under the open sky, with darkness gradually falling by intermission, added such a magical atmosphere you just can’t get in an indoor theatre.
The music was fantastic too. Marc Shaiman’s score, with lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman (the duo behind Hairspray), really honored the classic songs from the 1971 film while adding some fresh numbers. Hearing “The Candy Man,” “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket,” and “Pure Imagination” again brought back so many memories. The newer songs fit right in, especially “A Letter From Charlie Bucket”—such a sweet scene where Charlie writes to Wonka about his invention ideas.
Charlie Bucket was absolutely the heart of the show, and Henry Sudds delivered a performance that was both touching and technically impressive. This young performer from Tsawwassen has been honing his craft since age eight, primarily with Delta Youth Theatre, and it shows. He’s a dedicated singer, actor, and musical theatre performer who trains with Leblanc Acting School and Delta Community Music School. Throughout the entire production, Sudds maintained that perfect balance of wide-eyed wonder and genuine goodness that makes Charlie so lovable. His voice was clear and strong, and he brought such authenticity to the role that you couldn’t help but root for him from start to finish.
Angus Silva, as Augustus Gloop was pure comedic gold, playing up that Bavarian German charm to perfection. The production really went all-in on the Bavarian stereotypes—from lederhosen to bratwurst to yodeling, they packed it all into his scenes! His “More of Him to Love” number was hilarious, with references to traditional German foods like strudel and pretzel pie, plus the classic “Gesundheit!” The actor really committed to the gluttonous character’s obsession with food, and the physical comedy was spot-on. He managed to make Augustus both ridiculous and somehow endearing at the same time, embracing every cliché with such enthusiasm that it became genuinely entertaining rather than offensive.
Veruca Salt was absolutely spot-on as the screaming, demanding brat as interpreted by the talented Mana Nakamura. Dressed like a little ballerina, she embodied every spoiled child’s tantrum perfectly. Her “When Veruca Says” number had the audience both laughing and cringing—you could practically feel parents in the audience recognizing their own kids’ worst moments. The actress really captured that exhausting energy of a child who’s never been told “no,” made even worse by her scary Russian mom who clearly enabled every demanding whim. The dynamic between mother and daughter was both hilarious and horrifying.
Violet Beauregarde was brilliantly modernized for today’s world, played by Elle Hanson. I loved how they made her an aspiring influencer with 50,000 Twitter followers and her own YouTube channel, constantly being filmed by her social media-obsessed father (David Johnston). Her “Queen of Pop” song was so current it hurt—and every time they sang about being the “Queen of Pop,” both she and her father would strike a pose with their right arms raised! The whole dynamic with her dad pulling out the selfie stick and encouraging her to pose for the camera was both hilarious and painfully relevant. They even planned to open a Bubble Gum Boutique in California next year! The song cleverly explained her constant gum-chewing habit too, suggesting her parents hoped it would slow down her mile-a-minute talking. It was a clever update that made the character feel fresh and contemporary while keeping the essence of Dahl’s original creation.
Mike Teavee was where the production really went dark, and Callum Templeton handled the challenging role with impressive skill. This Vancouver-born, Tsawwassen-raised performer is making his TUTS debut, and what a debut it is! Currently studying voice with Tracy Neff at Delta Community Music School, Templeton brought a complex edge to Mike that was both disturbing and darkly funny. The character was literally on a leash while his mother fed him pills, highlighting contemporary issues around screen addiction and overmedication of children. Mike even delivered what felt like a political statement about winning his golden ticket “the American way” by hacking Wonka’s system—breaking rules to get the job done. Meanwhile, his mother dealt with her difficult son by ensuring she always had a steady supply of “mommy juice” on hand. Despite the heavy subject matter, Templeton managed to make it work within the show’s whimsical tone—no small feat for a young performer.
Willy Wonka himself deserves a huge shout-out! Peter Ricardo brought such charisma and energy to the iconic role. This Australian performer, who earned his Bachelor of Musical Theatre from the APO Arts Academy in Melbourne in 2015, has clearly found his calling on the Vancouver stage. At 6’3″ with an athletic build and impressive range of skills—from singing and voice acting to circus arts—Ricardo commanded the stage with perfect Wonka whimsy. His Australian background actually added an interesting twist to the character, and his experience in voice work really showed in how he delivered Wonka’s memorable lines. You could tell he was having as much fun as the audience was!
The Oompa Loompas honestly nearly stole the entire show, in my opinion. Their energy was infectious, and every time they appeared for one of their moral-lesson songs (“Auf Wiedersehen Augustus Gloop,” “Juicy!” and the rest), the whole theatre lit up. They brought such joy and exuberance to the production that you couldn’t help but smile every time they appeared on stage. There was one in particular who would stay behind and just point “stage left”—a small detail that added to their comic charm.
Photo ©Emily Cooper – Peter Ricardo (Willy Wonka) with the Oompa Loompas
The Malkin Bowl setting was absolute perfection for this experience. There’s something truly special about outdoor theatre—feeling the evening breeze, watching the sky darken as the story unfolds, and being surrounded by the natural beauty of Stanley Park. Just a quick reminder: this event happens rain or shine, so come prepared! Umbrellas are not permitted to be held during the performance because they can obstruct visibility for others, but don’t worry—the venue will hand out free ponchos if the weather turns wet.
TUTS always does a great job with their concessions, offering hot and cold food, hot chocolate, coffee, tea, and a wine and beer bar. The only small disappointment was that my daughter was inspired by Charlie’s description of delicious chocolates and wanted to buy some during intermission — but unfortunately, there was no chocolate available for sale. A missed opportunity, but hopefully next time!
If you’re looking for a magical summer evening out, definitely catch this production. TUTS runs two different musicals on alternating nights throughout July and August, with shows starting at 8 p.m. (or 7 p.m. on fireworks nights). The duration is about 2 hours with a 15-20 minute intermission. Remember to dress in layers—outdoor Vancouver evenings can get cool—and bring a sense of adventure and curiosity for a memorable night under the stars.
This production truly captured the wonder and whimsy of Dahl’s world while giving it a fresh, contemporary spin. Charlie’s character, with his bravery and gratitude, stood out as a lesson for us all. The warmth portrayed by the Bucket family made the story even more heartwarming. Under the open sky in Stanley Park, the magic of Charlie and his world felt more alive than ever—a perfect summer night in Vancouver.
VancouverTheatre #OutdoorPerformances #CoastalWolfPack #CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory #StanleyParkEvents #FamilyEntertainment #WestcoastGermanNews #ElkePorter
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