REVIEW: Quince Orchard High School Presents "Willy Wonka"

's theater department presented the opening night of their spring musical, Roald Dahl's "," Friday night. This year's show, which is based on the book, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” opened to a packed house in the school's large auditorium.

There are a few differences in this rendition than in the movies, but most of the songs are the same and the plot runs through the same gambit of crazy kids acting spoiled.

Again, QO's Theater Department pulled off a great show with a veritable army of teens onstage, backstage and in the pit band. The play was directed by Kevin Witcher, who is a special employee of Montgomery County hired to direct these shows. Senior, Christopher Wolf played Willy Wonka with enough flair to fill the top hat he was wearing.

The multi-colored oompa-loompas danced in big production numbers and doubled as the ensemble in crowd scenes. The students who played Charlie's grandparents, Mariah Fletcher, Kyle Amoroso, Leah Senseney and Chase Douglas, stole the first half of the show with their perfectly cranky timing. Joe Niro was also a standout in the role of the Candy Man.

Most of the cast did a great job with their parts. Jeff Kurkjian worked the role of Mike Teavee well, and Maddy Jentsch, who played Mike's mother, Mrs. Teavee, had the audience looking twice to make sure she was actually a teenage high school student and not someone's mom onstage.

Jensen Packinanathan, who played Augustus Gloop, has an especially smooth and wonderful singing voice, but needs to work a little bit at keeping the German accent when the music starts. Some others struggled a bit with the singing, but everyone stayed on key and had fun with the songs.

The visit in Willy Wonka's factory during the second act showcased well-made sets and some imaginative technical surprises, which had the audience in awe and in stitches.

Also to be noted was the absolutely perfect pit band, conducted by Phil Proctor. At first, I thought the music was canned until I felt a drum resonate through the auditorium floor and saw that there was a live student pit band tucked under the stage.

During intermission, girls in Willy Wonka T-shirts and candy trays walked around the auditorium selling real Willy Wonka candy, which was a fun added touch.

The show received and deserved a standing ovation.

Future performances of the production are scheduled for Saturday, March 26 at 2 p.m. and at 7 p.m.; Friday, April 1 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, April 2 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.