Directed by Sam Mendes, the musical premiered in the West End at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in June 2013 and ran for 3 years and 7 months before closing on 7 January 2017.
[4][5][6] Officially confirmed on 18 June 2012, producers announced that the show would play the London Palladium beginning in May 2013, with tickets going on sale in October 2012, before the venue was later changed to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
[13] Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was scheduled to begin previews on 17 May 2013, at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, before holding its official opening night on 25 June 2013.
[19][20] Shortly after opening night the show's producers extended booking period through May 2014,[21] with a further extension to November 2014, after ticket sales of approximately 300,000 through October 2013.
[31] On 9 May 2016, producers announced that the show would open at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre starring Christian Borle as Willy Wonka, Jake Ryan Flynn, Ryan Foust, and Ryan Sell as Charlie Bucket, John Rubinstein as Grandpa Joe, Emily Padgett as Mrs. Bucket, Jackie Hoffman as Mrs. Teavee, Kathy Fitzgerald as Mrs. Gloop, Alan H. Green as Mr. Beauregarde, Trista Dollison as Violet Beauregarde, Ben Crawford as Mr. Salt, Mike Wartella as Mike Teavee, Emma Pfaeffle as Veruca Salt, and F. Michael Haynie as Augustus Gloop.
[34] Reviews of the production were mixed to negative, with some critics citing poor staging and restructuring of the story as primary issues.
[37] The 1st National Tour of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory premiered on 21 September 2018 in Buffalo, New York at Shea's Performing Arts Center.
The show starred Noah Weisberg as Willy Wonka, James Young as Grandpa Joe and Amanda Rose as Mrs. Bucket, with the role of Charlie being alternated between Henry Boshart, Collin Jeffery and Rueby Wood.
In Sydney, the role of Charlie was shared between Tommy Blair, Ryan Yates, Xion Jarvis and Oliver Alkhair.
[42] The show was initially scheduled to head to Brisbane in March 2020 at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The musical had its UK regional premiere at the Leeds Playhouse on 18 November 2022 until 28 January 2023 in a new production directed by James Brining and designed by Simon Higlett.
The first non-English production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory opened on 8 November 2019 at La Fabbrica del Vapore in Milan, Italy.
[45] The production starred Christian Ginepro as Willy Wonka, with the role of Charlie shared between Gregorio Jeesee Cattaneo, Alessandro Notari, and Alberto Salve.
[47] Fridtjof Stensæth Josefsen portrayed Willy Wonka, while Ole Opsal Stavrum and Peter Andreas Hjellnes Moseng shared the role of Charlie.
In November 2019, Alexandre Piot announced that a French production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory would open in Paris on 23 September 2020 at the Théâtre du Gymnase Marie Bell,[49] with Arnaud Denissel in the role of Willy Wonka.
In June 2020, Deep Bridge announced a Flemish production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Nordin De Moor as Willy Wonka.
[52] A Spanish production ran form 22 September 2022 to 9 April 2023 at Espacio Ibercaja Delicias in Madrid, with Edu Soto as Willy Wonka.
A Japanese production opened on 9 October 2023 at the Imperial Theatre in Tokyo, with Koichi Domoto from KinKi Kids as Willy Wonka, Alisa Mizuki as Mrs. Bucket, Kumiko Mori and Honoka Suzuki as Mrs. Gloop, Yūji Kishi as Mr. Salt, Kazumasa Koura as Mr. Beauregarde, Mao Ayabuki as Mrs. Teavee and Kazuki Kosakai as Grandpa Joe.
On 2 October 2023, it was announced a Swedish production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will premiere in September 2024 at the Gothenburg opera house.
††† Not included in the Original London Cast Recording † Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse, Music by Anthony Newley for the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
[35] Despite the enormous overhaul to both the book and score from the London production, critics noted that the storytelling was still choppy and relied too heavily on humor.
Criticism was also drawn to the decision to cast adults as the Golden Ticket winners instead of children, as well as the lackluster sets redesigned for Broadway.
Critic Tim Byrne found the original music "bland and unremarkable" likewise the sets and costumes, but praised the performances of Paul Slade Smith and Tony Sheldon, and the "ingenious" puppetry of the Oompa Loompas.