Karylle Stars as Mrs. Bucket in Manila Staging of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'

GMG Productions, which previously brought us Les Misérables: World Tour Spectacular and Dear Evan Hansen, just announced that Filipino artist Karylle is joining the Manila premiere of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It opens in July at The Theatre at Solaire.

A singer and an actress, Karylle made her musical theater debut in the Trumpets production of The Little Mermaid in 2000. She went on to star in iconic productions such as Seussical (2007) as Cat in the Hat, West Side Story (2008) as Maria, Rama Hari (2012 and 2023) as Sita, Cinderella (2013), Carousel (2022) as Julie Jordan, The Sound of Music (2023) as Baroness Elsa von Schraeder), Little Shop of Horrors (2024) as Audrey, and many more.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, based on the novel by Roald Dahl, follows young Charlie Bucket’s golden-ticket adventure into the mysterious and magical world of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. It features music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, book by David Greig.

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. This Global Tour is scheduled to tour for two to three years in Asia, the Middle East, and India in leading cities around the world, including Manila, Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Haikou, Taipei, and Seoul.

For the Manila leg, Karylle joins the eccentric and imaginative Bucket family, featuring Oliver T. Wong and Cohen Toukatly alternating in the role of the hopeful young dreamer Charlie Bucket,  Steve McCoy as Grandpa Joe, Mychal Phillips as Grandma Josephine, and Michael Dalke as Grandpa George.

“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.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory runs from July 8 to 26, 2026, at The Theatre at Solaire, 1 Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Tambo, Paranaque. Ticket prices range from P1,500 to P6,800. Available through Ticketworld.

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