06/20/2026
A Letter From Our Leaders
Welcome to W***y Wonka Kids!
When we selected this production, we were immediately drawn to the exciting world of Wonka: chocolate rivers, giant inventing rooms, fizzy lifting drinks, magical machines, and candies beyond our wildest dreams. These spaces and creations were so much fun, and we knew our young performers would love playing in and with them on stage.
Then we remembered a unique feature of our First Act program: we don’t use real sets.
When we created the First Act program in 2023, we spent a great deal of time thinking about what would make it a meaningful first step into theatre.
For many of our kids, this is their very first experience on stage, and juggling performance with major technical elements is a challenge for adults, let alone little ones. Rather than relying on elaborate scenery, we designed First Act to intentionally focus on the foundational skills of performance - without sets, without quick changes, and without “the tough stuff” standing in their way. We save all of that for Junior Stage.
But for W***y Wonka Kids, elaborate scenery is essential….so how would we create the world of the play without it? Simple. We would ask our actors to imagine it.
Over the past several months, we have watched this cast transform small gestures into stories, empty stages into whimsical places, and special effects from creativity, commitment, and connection with one another.
In a world filled with instant entertainment and endless distraction through material items, we asked our kids to imagine…and that is exactly what they did.
As you watch the performance, we invite you to experience the factory through their eyes - pay special attention to the everlasting gobstopper scene to see if you can catch some of the creativity there, specifically. You may not see every machine exactly as you pictured it when you first saw the movie, but this is truly the magic of theatre. The most extraordinary special effect has always been “pure imagination”.
Thank you for joining us in support of our team, our mission, and our wonderful kids!
With gratitude,
Jillian Gesualdi & Jess Mayette
Co-Founders & Owners
