Secure your golden tickets, Manila—Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is coming this July. The global hit Broadway musical is making its highly anticipated Manila premiere at The Theatre at Solaire from July 8 to July 26, 2026, with Filipino multi-award-winning performer Karylle starring as the loving and resilient Mrs. Bucket.
Photos: GMG Productions, Yingzhou
Karylle is widely recognized for her celebrated work in Philippine musical theatre, having starred in iconic productions such as The Sound of Music (Baroness Elsa von Schraeder), West Side Story (Maria), The Little Mermaid (Princess Sapphire), Seussical (the Cat in the Hat), Cinderella (Cinderella), and the original Filipino musical Rama Hari (Sita). Her performances have earned critical acclaim and recognition from major award-giving bodies, including the Aliw Awards.
Karylle joins the eccentric and imaginative Bucket family, featuring Oliver T. Wong and Cohen Toukatly alternating as the hopeful young dreamer Charlie Bucket, Steve McCoy as Grandpa Joe, Mychal Phillips as Grandma Josephine, and Michael Dalke as Grandpa George.
Based on Roald Dahl’s globally beloved novel of the same name, the musical follows young Charlie Bucket’s golden-ticket adventure into the mysterious and magical world of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. From chocolate rivers to nut-sorting squirrels and mischievous Oompa-Loompas, the musical dazzles with eye-popping visuals, larger-than-life characters, immersive delight for the audience, and toe-tapping music.
The musical features iconic songs from the classic 1971 film, including “Pure Imagination,” “The Candy Man,” and “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket,” along with original music by Grammy® and Tony Award® winners Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray, Mary Poppins Returns).
Photo: Yingzhou
“Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a dazzling fantasy for everyone from everywhere. This new production features miraculous special effects and cutting-edge hologauze 3D technology based on advanced magic principles. We are so excited to share the breathtaking world of this beloved Broadway musical about the power of imagination, and the art of invention with Manila audiences in this spectacular new immersive production from an all-Broadway creative team,” Simone Genatt and Marc Routh, producers and co-owners of Broadway International Group and Broadway Asia, said in a joint statement.
The Broadway production premiered in 2017, running for over 300 performances, followed by a four-year North American tour through 2022. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory also ran on London’s West End, where the production received two Olivier Awards.
The musical features music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, and a book by David Greig. Songs from the motion picture are by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley.
Photos: Yingzhou
The global tour features direction by Matt Lenz, choreography by Alison Solomon, and musical supervision by Nate Patten and Greg Jarrett, and includes original direction and choreography by four-time Tony Award® winning director Jack O’Brien and Joshua Bergasse, respectively.
Theatergoers can also expect an award-winning Broadway creative, design, and production team: Mark Thompson, set and costume design; Christine Peters, tour scenic design; Jeff Sugg, projections design; Rory Beaton, lighting design; Mike Thacker for Orbital Sound, sound design; Basil Twist, puppet design; and Las Vegas magic and illusion designer Tim Clothier for illusions. Orchestrations are by Doug Besterman, while musical arrangements are by Marc Shaiman. Casting is by Paul Hardt Casting. Joseph Longthorne serves as general manager and Tayn Yeo as associate manager for Broadway Asia International.
Photo: GMG Productions
Simone Genatt, Marc Routh, Broadway International Group, and Broadway Asia are producing, along with co-producers HY Culture Company, Doug Meyer Productions, Bergamot Front Row Fund, and Willette Klausner. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is presented in special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI) and Broadway Asia Company.
The global tour is scheduled to run for two to three years in Asia, the Middle East, and India, visiting leading cities around the world, including Manila, Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Haikou, Taipei, and Seoul.
Tickets will be available via TicketWorld. For global tour updates, follow @charlieglobaltour on Instagram. For more information, please visit Broadway Asia.
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