Saline Area Players start rehearsals for Willy Wonka

The Saline Area Players are in full swing preparing for their spring production of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka.  The show will be performed April 19-21 at the Ellen A Ewing Performing Arts Center at Saline HS.  Auditions took place in January and rehearsals started last week.  The cast is excited about the show… I heard one cast member come out of the second rehearsal saying “this is so much fun!”

The cast includes Timothy Brayman as Willy Wonka, Benjamin Faulkner as Charlie, and Laszlo Gunderud as Grandpa Joe. Augustus Gloop and Mrs. Gloop are played by Henry Kiley and Krissa Rumsey.  Veruca and Mr. Salt are being played by Hannah Burkhart and Pat Collins.  Stephen Muzzi plays Mike TeaVee and his mother is being played by Wendy Fritz.  Olivianna Calmes and Patti Ringe play Violet and Mrs. Beauregarde.  Other cast include MacKenzie Berndt, Bonnie Black, Francesca Brayman, Christopher Calmes, Levi Calmes, Stephen Calmes, Tess Carichner, Naomi Cotner, Drew Eccleston, Lucy Fischer, Danny Godell, Cynthia Grammatico, Adelaide Gregor, James Gregor, John Paul Gregor, Tommy Hamann, Richard Hamann,  Libbey Hansen, Cydney Heed, Katie Holmes, Emma King, MacKenna Kofahl, Fred Lupton, Maggie Lupton, Annette Manuell, Emily Manuell, Mary McCall, Ian McGhee, Alexia Miller, Daniel Muzzi, Danielle Primeau, Maddie Ringe, Ella Rumsey, Josie Rumsey, Erica Simpson, Brian Trippel, Shunamara Trippel, Erian Williams, Audrey Wolfe, and Beverly Wolfe.

Along with an enthusiastic cast, the Players also need enthusiastic helpers.  It is a huge production and requires lots of people to take care of the tasks.  We are looking for help with the following:

• Set Building – day or eves
• Set Painting – you do not have to have special skills, but if you do, that’s a plus
• Specialty painters
• Working on the set crew, which means you have to be available the week of April 15-21.  We need 5-6 crew members plus two very strong people.
• Sewing help

 We are also in need of some rather quirky items:

• Large fog machines
• Giant lollipops or other candy
• Cans of paint in bright colors

 If you are interested in helping out or you happen to have any of the items mentioned, please contact president@salineareaplayers.org.  We’d love to have you involved.  Doing community theater is a really fun way to get to know other people, have some laughs, and feel like you’re part of a worthwhile project.  Details about ordering tickets are coming soon at the SAP website: www.salineareaplayers.org