Reed Students Audition

For ‘Willy Wonka’

By Eliza Hallabeck

Over the course of four days at Reed Intermediate School, more than 160 students tried their best to get a golden ticket into this year’s school musical, Willy Wonka, based on Roald Dahl’s novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Students from both fifth and sixth grade signed up to try out for the play. During each of the four days of auditions, students lined up in the school’s cafeteria and sat down in order by numbers that had been assigned to them.

After taking their individual turns singing, students were allowed to either wait and watch or quietly leave and be picked up by parents. Callbacks are scheduled to happen a week after auditions, and all postings for new information will appear on the door to the drama room in the school.

“Let’s try and be respectful of those who are up here singing,” said Gina Swanson, teacher at the school and the director for the play.

One by one students stood up to sing before their peers. The first student who tried out on Tuesday, January 6, sang “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing.”

Students who receive callbacks will be handed packets from their teachers and asked to prepare script and music from the play, including “I’ve Got A Golden Ticket,” before the callbacks begin.

Rehearsals will take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 2:45 pm once students have received their roles.

The performances for Willy Wonka at Reed Intermediate are scheduled for Friday, May 15, at 7 pm, and Saturday, May 16, at 6 pm.