'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' musical makes Philippine debut this July

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MANILA, Philippines — Get your golden tickets ready because Willy Wonka is bringing his candy to the Philippines.

The musical "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" based on the popular book by Roald Dahl is set for its Manila premiere later this year when it runs at the Theatre at Solaire.

The production opened on the West End in 2013, won two Olivier Awards, and closed in January 2017 before getting reworked for a nine-month stint on Broadway.

A three-year Global Tour kicked off last October in China's Dongguan International Arts Festival and the following month had a sold-out run at Shanghai Culture Square.

The upcoming production is a collaboration between Broadway International Group and Broadway Asia, in association with HY Culture Fund, Doug Meyer, AMA Group, GMG Productions, UnionBank of the Philippines, Bergamot Front Row Fund and Willette Klausner.

It closely follows the plot of Dahl's book, where young Charlie Bucket wins one of five golden tickets guaranteeing him entry to the mysterious Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.

The magical and whimsical factory has everything from chocolate rivers and nut-sorting squirrels to mischievous Oompa-Loompas, all of which pop off on stage with toe-tapping music and larger-than-life characters.

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Original music by Grammy and Tony winners Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman is accompanied by "Pure Imagination," "The Candy Man" and "I've Got a Golden Ticket" — songs that featured in a 1971 film adaptation that starred Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka.

Producers Simone Genatt and Marc Routh, co-owners of Broadway International Group and Broadway Asia, described the production in a joint statement as "a dazzling fantasy for everyone from everywhere," noting its use of special effects and cutting-edge hologauze 3D technology.

"We are so excited to share the breathtaking world of this beloved Broadway musical about the power of imagination," they added.

Renowned Las Vegas magic and illusion designer Tim Clothier is also part of the team aiding in the stage design, "Willy Wonka is the king of imagination, and being able to design new stage wizardry for that character is a dream come true."

Apart from Manila, the Global Tour will also have stops in Hong Kong, Singapore, Hainan, Taipei, Seoul, plus cities in India and the Middle East.

"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" will run at the Theatre at Solaire from July 8 to 26, 2026.

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