Get Your Golden Ticket!

This year, March 12-14, Masterman is performing Willy Wonka, a musical version of the classic Roald Dahl story that was created to suit school productions. Some students have complained that the play is too simple, and that every year they are given increasingly “middle-school esque” scripts to perform. However, challenges are nothing new to Masterman’s musical crew: cast and crew members rely on creativity and ingenuity to work beyond a small budget. “Even though it’s a shorter show, it gives us more time to produce something of good quality,” says Jannah Aboud (12-1). “The parents are also a lot of help, they work so hard: Jacob Kleeman’s mom put the costumes together for this year, and she put in just as much effort as she did for the costumes in Shrek.” The set for Willy Wonka Jr. is reportedly planned to be particularly complex, with multiple “locations” and moving parts. According to stage manager Jeanie Zhang (12-4), viewers should look forward to a candy landscape heavy with magical elements: “We’re going to have a different set-up this year, and use the space effectively to illustrate how huge and winding the Wonka factory is on our limited stage.”

Musicals are one of the best opportunities for Masterman artists to showcase their talents: performances attract large crowds, encourage both middle and high school participation, and artists can find representation in every aspect of production. Jannah appreciates how no one gets cut in Masterman plays, providing curious students a