‘Willy Wonka’ to be performed by Summer Youth Theatre at MHS

Pat Auckerman/Staff photographer The Oompa Loompa actors rehearse a dance routine in the Summer Youth Theatre's production of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" at Middletown High School Tuesday, June 30, 2009.

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By Eric Robinette, Staff Writer 6:50 PM Saturday, July 4, 2009

Summer Youth Theatre is in the midst of rehearsing “Willy Wonka” featuring the Oompa-Loompas, but it’s the slogan from the story with the Munchkins that resonates most this year: There’s no place like home.

For the first time in three years, Summer Youth Theatre has returned to its birthplace at Middletown High School, which will host is July 23-26 production of “Willy Wonka.”

The company was forced to leave the high school after a levy failed, and the school could not keep its doors open for the group. Summer Youth Theatre moved to Dave Finkelman Auditorium at Miami University Middletown.

Before former Superintendent Steve Price left the district, the Summer Youth Theatre board asked him if they could move back to the high school, and Price gave the OK, said Kim Minor, a longtime associate of the group.

“Oh it’s great. We don’t have to pay $6,000 to rent Finkelman,” said Mike Hamlin, the vice president of Summer Youth Theatre.

Summer Youth Theatre enjoyed working with Finkelman, but because the theater had to share the facility, it couldn’t get into the auditorium until much closer to opening day.

“There wasn’t enough room to separate everyone. Everybody was doing everything on top of each other,” Minor said.

On top of that, audiences tended to look smaller at the larger Finkelman.

“For ‘Children of Eden,’ we had 250 people in there, and it looked like we had nobody,” Minor said.

Some audience members said they would prefer to be back at the high school, because it was easier to access, she added.

For the first time, Summer Youth Theatre has turned to Wright State University’s theater program, bringing in students and graduates to help the kids meet the technical challenges “Willy Wonka “ presents, with its many special effects.

“The biggest challenge is helping them properly put on a show of this size, so we’re just making sure everything runs smoothly backstage,” said Brian Cox, the technical director of the show and a Wright State graduate.

The director of the show this year is Mike Pruett. This is his first time directing for Summer Youth Theatre, but the Franklin High School graduate was in two shows as a student in the early 1980s, he said.

Tickets for the show can be purchased at the Middletown Arts Center, 130 N. Verity Parkway.

How to go

WHAT: “Willy Wonka” by Summer Youth Theatre

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. July 23, 24, 25. 2:30 p.m. July 26

WHERE: Middletown High School, 601 N. Breiel Blvd.

COST: Presale $8. Children $5. At the door $10. Tickets available at the Middletown Arts Center.

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