Los Angeles, Monday June 3rd, 2024 – The stage is set for a deliciously satirical treat with “Willy’s Candy Spectacular: A Musical Parody.” The musical from producer Richard Kraft, features a lineup of illustrious songwriters including Riki Lindhome, Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, Tova Litvin and Doug Rockwell, and Daniel Mertzlufft, each contributing their signature style to the production. On June 3rd  at 8am PST, they will debut the first 3 demo tracks from the eagerly anticipated musical comedy inspired by the viral Willy Wonka event in Glasgow on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and at willyscandyspectacular.com. 

The producers are also excited to announce that the World Premiere staged reading of the musical will debut at the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe Fest at the Pleasance King Dome from August 9th to 26th 2024.

 

The first 3 tracks are:

• Willy’s Candy Spectacular” –  A “ post-apocalyptic" opening number that traces the downfall of civilization back to the disastrous event in Glasgow. This track is the brainchild of Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, known for their work on Broadway’s “First Date” and ABC’s “Once Upon a Time.” 

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Songwriters Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner explain, “We love musicals with epic opening numbers. And we thought — what could be more epic than  singing about the end of humanity and linking our species’ demise to an underwhelming immersive experience in Scotland?”

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• “Dreamed to Dare” is penned by Daniel Mertzlufft – who launched the viral TikTok musical “Ratatouille the Musical” – and features TikTok singing sensations The Sharpe Family Singers and the actual sad Oompa Loompa actress Kirsty Paterson from the viral Wonka Experience in Glasgow (playing a character inspired on her own experiences) as the attendees prepare to enter the world of dreams (or nightmares?).

“Not many shows have such high stakes and absurd characters that we deserve a bombastic anticipatory ensemble number – but with a plot like this I couldn’t resist!” exclaims Daniel Mertzlufft.

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• “Where Dreams Go To Fly” is an uplifting number written by Emmy-award winners Doug Rockwell and Tova Litvin, capturing the unbridled optimism of the impresario behind Willy’s Candy Spectacular. Their previous works include songs for “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” and “Julie & The Phantoms.”

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“There’s such a fine line between soaring optimism and crushing defeat. In our song, we’ve tried to capture the range of emotions one goes through when creating art, even when that art is mind-numbingly awful,” said Doug Rockwell and Tova Litvin.

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Richard Kraft of Kraft-Engel Productions, the producer and director celebrated for live performances like “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert at the Hollywood Bowl” and ABC’s “The Little Mermaid” is steering this ambitious project. Kraft previously directed  “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in Concert at the Hollywood Bowl” which also starred Finn Wolfhard as Charlie and “Weird Al” Yankovic as the Oompa Loompas. 

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Says Kraft, "The process of creating a brand-new musical, which usually spans years, is being condensed into just a couple of months, with the team sharing their progress through social media.” 

 

In the coming weeks, fans can expect additional demo song releases every Sunday, including a song from Riki Lindhome based on the sad Oompa Loompa Wannabe, culminating in the debut of a staged reading of the musical at the Pleasance King Dome from August 9th to 26th 2024 during Edinburgh Fringe Fest 2024. Ticket details will be made available on the website soon. 

 

“Willy’s Candy Spectacular: A Musical Parody,” previously known as “Willy Fest: A Musical Parody,” is poised to entertain and creatively play havoc on the musical parody landscape. Stay tuned for more updates on https://willyscandyspectacular.com/ and socials.

Disclaimer: “Willy’s Candy Spectacular: A Musical Parody” is a parody production. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Wonka, Willy’s Chocolate Experience and their characters are registered trademarks and/or associated with companies including Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., House of Illuminati, Willy’s Chocolate Experience, The Ferrero Group, The Roald Dahl Story Company and Netflix, Village Roadshow Pictures, HeyDay Films and Domain Entertainment.

This production is not sponsored, endorsed by or affiliated with Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.  Illuminati, Willy’s Chocolate Experience, The Ferrero Group, The Roald Dahl Story Company, Netflix, Village Roadshow Pictures, HeyDay Films and Domain Entertainment. or any of their subsidiaries or affiliated companies and/or third party licensors. 

 

FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES

PAUL CHRISTENSEN

PAUL@PALPUBLICRELATIONS.COM

949-379-0844