A very quiet Willy Wonka rehearsal.

Let me ask a question, “Who can take a sunrise / Sprinkle it with dew / Cover it in chocolate / And a miracle or two?” The candy man, Willy Wonka can! And you will have the opportunity to witness the miracles of Wonka and his little orange underlings at The State Theatre. The Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild presents Willy Wonka (adapted from Roald Dahl’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), the timeless story about the famous candy man and his mission to find a successor to his chocolate throne. Included are all of the memorable songs from the classic 1971 adaptation starring Gene Wilder like (I’ve Got A) Golden Ticket and Pure Imagination. Veteran Theatre Guild director Max Athorn along with a variety of helpers, including costumer Kaysee Schmidt, will be breathing life into Wonka (played by Alex Krukowski) and Charlie Bucket (played by Taylor Alexis Peterson) along with a supporting cast of 24 Oompa-Loompas, brat Veruca Salt, gum chewer Violet Beauregarde, TV addict Mike Teavee, and eater Augustus Gloop. And although Wonka has been illustrated in a darker light, or Tim Burton-ed in recent film adaptations, let’s remember he is the one who saved the Oompa-Loompas from the Wangdoodles, Hornswogglers, Snozzwangers, and rotten Vermicious Knids and gave young Charlie an empire built on sugar, cocoa, and singing. Put simply, Wonka is the dream fulfiller. “Don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted,” Wonka said. “He lived happily ever after."

Willy Wonka • June 26-28 • State Theatre, 316 Eau Claire St. • 7:30pm on June 26-27, 1:30pm on June 27-28 • $16 adults, $8 kids under 18 • all ages • 832-7529 • www.cvtg.org