Secure your golden tickets, theater lovers, moreso if chocolate is your favorite sweet treat! Hit Broadway musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory makes its Manila premiere this July, with multi-awarded Filipina singer and actress Karylle joining the cast as Mrs. Bucket.
Not only is Karylle Philippine showbiz royalty, but she has shown a wide range as an actress, working in both stage and screen. Her body of work in Philippine musical theater over the past two decades is nothing short of impressive, starring in iconic productions such as The Sound of Music as Baroness Elsa von Schraeder, West Side Story as Maria, The Little Mermaid, Seussical, Cinderella, and the original Filipino musical Rama Hari. She was most recently seen in Repertory Philippines' staged reading of Private Lives. Her performances have earned critical acclaim and recognition from major award-giving bodies, including the Aliw Awards. Karylle has also ventured into the world of podcasts with K's Drama, which features casual conversations her peers in the entertainment world.
Based on Roald Dahl’s beloved children's novel, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory follows young Charlie Bucket’s golden-ticket adventure into the magical world of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. From chocolate rivers to nut-sorting squirrels and mischievous Oompa-Loompas, the musical will be a dazzling fantasy for everyone from everywhere. The new production delivers on an immersive experience with eye-popping visuals, larger-than-life characters, and cutting edge hologauze 3D technology. Renowned Las Vegas magic and illusion designer Tim Clothier, who was tasked with transforming Willy Wonka’s fantastical factory into a world where the impossible feels possible says "Willy Wonka is the king of imagination, and being able to design new stage wizardry for that character is a dream come true.”
It also weighs heavy on nostalgia, with iconic songs such as Pure Imagination, The Candy Man, and I’ve Got a Golden Ticket, alongside with original music by Grammy® and Tony Award® winners Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.
Karylle joins the eccentric and imaginative Bucket family, played by an immensely talented international cast that features Oliver T. Wong and Cohen Toukatly alternating as the central character of Charlie Bucket, Steve McCoy as Grandpa Joe, Mychal Phillips as Grandma Josephine, and Michael Dalke as Grandpa George.
The Broadway production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory premiered in 2017, and ran for over 300 performances, followed by a North American tour through 2022. The show also opened on London’s West End, and went on to win two Olivier Awards. The ongoing global tour is scheduled to tour parts of Asia, the Middle East and India.
Following its sold-out run at Shanghai Culture Square in November of last year, GMG Productions, along with Broadway International Group and Broadway Asia, brings the musical to Manila for a limited run from July 8 to 26, 2026 at the Theatre At Solaire. Tickets will be available via TicketWorld.