When you’ve got more money than Croesus what do you do? Oompa-Loompa-dompady— fly in on a private jet and try to buy the chocolate factory, that’s what. Wonkavision continues with this in-depth look into the Salt Family!

Thank you for giving us some of your rehearsal time; we’ll keep it simple to start, how about names and who you’re playing?

Heather Blake: My actual name is Heather Lynn Blake. And I’m playing Olig Salt from—

You’re about to say something Russian and (for me) completely unspellable, so we’ll leave it at that and say Russian. And what is your real name, sweetheart?

Audrey Blake: Audrey Celeste Blake. And I play Veruca Salt.

Why did you two want to come out and be a part of Charlie & The Chocolate Factory?

Heather: Well we are both actors in our own rights. This is my actual daughter. And this was our first chance to act together as a family. Aren’t you excited about that?

Audrey: Yeah!

How old are you, Audrey?

Audrey: I’m nine!

Heather: She’s a very tall nine. And how long have you been performing?

Audrey: Probably since I could walk. So three?

Heather: I also started at three.

This is great! What are we having the most fun with at rehearsals so far?

Heather: This cast! This cast is just amazing. It’s creative, it’s fun.

Audrey: I’m having fun being a snot. That’s fun!

Heather: She doesn’t get to be a snot at home. So this is new for her; we’re learning this.

Audrey: I learn it from the dog. I’m learning it from Crumpet.

Heather: We have a very snotty dog. She’s an Australian Shepherd Poodle. 13 pounds, all attitude. So Audrey has modeled Veruca after that dog and it is hilarious. But my favorite thing is all of the ad-libbing, all of the background stuff that’s happening, this is a really integrated cast and it’s super fun to play with.

Audrey: I like the kids that I’ve made friends with. And I like that it’s at DOODLEHatch. I love this place. And the witch’s place is my favorite.

I love that! What was your familiarity with Wonka-lore before you came into this project?

Audrey: I had seen both movies. The old one and the new one. I didn’t read the books.

Heather: I’ve read all the books. When I was a child this was one of my favorites. But she knows the stories because of the movies. Gene Wilder is my only Wonka. Wilder is my Wonka. I can tolerate the Depp but she’s a Depp. And then there’s the new one, with Chalamet, and it’s wonderful. It’s just called Wonka.

What is your favorite candy in the whole wide world?

Heather: Oh man! My favorite candy in the whole wide world is going to be Almond Roca. Maybe Sour Patch Kids but definitely Almond Roca.

Audrey: Like for me, I’m nine years old. I’ve had nine years of candy eating. And she’s had like what— 53 years of candy eating?

Heather: In reality, you’ve only had six years of candy-eating, you didn’t start on candy until you were like three.

Audrey: Now that makes it even harder to pick! But one of my favorite things— it’s kind of a candy— but it’s chocolate covered marshmallow with sprinkles. I gotta tell you, I hated it? But then the minute that I finished it, I was like “okay I want it again.”

What’s your favorite chocolate bar?

Heather: You are asking hard questions. It’s gotta be the Ritter hazelnut with dark chocolate.

Audrey: Wonka Whipplescrumptious Fudgemallow Delight.

Girl said that without missing a beat!

Heather: I didn’t even know that she knew that!

What is the song in this show that is just bringing you the most joy?

Heather: It was new for me to film— I hadn’t done filming since I was a teenager. And we filmed our “Veruca Says” and I really loved doing the filming of “Veruca Says.” For the live ones, gosh, it’s probably “Strike That, Reverse It!”

Audrey: “You Got Whacha Want.” I love that song.

What has been your biggest challenge working on this show so far?

Heather: So as we die, we come off and we do the Oompa Loompa songs. And the songs in this are incredibly challenging. Every song in this is a patter song except for the mom’s song in the first act, “Pure Imagination” and “Candyman” they’re all very, very fast. I’m used to having a patter song somewhere in a show, but for most of an entire show? The entire pace is so strong and so fast. We’re moving. We’re moving a lot. So getting that cadence of the song with the staging and everything and hitting it exactly right so we’re not running into each other— but it’s a really talented cast so it’s coming off pretty good. But it’s really challenging?

Audrey: My biggest challenge is staying still. Like today— I didn’t go to school because I was sick and now I’m not sick but I didn’t have recess today because I wasn’t in school so I haven’t been able to move my little heart out!

You are precious!

Heather: Isn’t she fun?

Oh my goodness, yes! Now, what is the worst candy in the whole wide world that if you never had to put it in your mouth again you’d be a-okay with that?

Heather: Marshmallow. All things marshmallow. The only way I will ever eat a marshmallow is if it’s on a s’more. And that sucker has to be BURNED. If it’s burnt to a crisp, fine. Otherwise, no way.

Audrey: There was this one candy that we got at Disneyland. And I tell you? That candy made me sick the whole day!

Heather: She actually got the stomach flu…but she associates it with this candy.

I totally understand. I can remember being about her age, maybe eight? Or even seven? We went to Dutch Wonderland and I apparently had the stomach flu— but had also eaten a chocolate fudgescicle and refused to believe that it wasn’t the fudgescicle— so I totally get it.

Audrey: I never get sick. I thought I was dying! I don’t remember what candy it was but it was pineapple light-saber with the sour-patch kid dust? I hated it so much we threw it out. And the next morning I woke up banging on the door, “My stomach hurts! Help me!”

Heather: I think it was like the third time in her life that she’d ever been sick. It was an event.

What is the one food you should never put chocolate on?

Heather: Is there anything that shouldn’t put chocolate on? I guess I would not put chocolate and horseradish together because I don’t care for horseradish and I love dark chocolate. But I will say cayenne pepper and dark chocolate is amazing.

Chocolate and spice are really lovely. I agree.

Audrey: I think the candy that doesn’t go with chocolate is Sour Patch Kids or gummies.

What is your favorite candy flaor?

Audrey: Anything that is white chocolate. If it’s a plain Hershey’s kiss? I will throw it in the trash.

Heather: I think for me it is citrus Jelly Bellies. I love all those citrus flavors in Jelly Bellies.

If you could write yourself a Golden Ticket and play anyone in the whole show, regardless of age, gender, whether you can sing it or not, who would you want to be?

Audrey: Veruca Salt, who I am. Or maybe Mike Teevee.

Heather: I’d love to be Grandpa Joe. He would be a blast.

Why do we want people to come out and see Charlie & The Chocolate Factory here at Stand Up For…Theatre?

Heather: This cast is magical. It really is. It’s just a great show. And what they’re doing with the edible set is genius. People should really come and see it— even if you’re not a musical theatre person, come see this show, this one might just make you a musical theatre person, honestly. It’s just really fun.

Audrey: One, Ed (Director Ed Higgins) wants people to. And two, it’s a show. And if nobody comes out then basically we’re doing it for the invisible man. What are those people going to do? Some people are cued on claps— we need the claps, so we need the people!

Heather: Support local theatre. Support local theatre!

Audrey: Plus we’ve done all this hard work and if nobody’s there then we did all this hard work for nothing. So please come see all our hard work!

Absolutely! If you could have a magical power from candy, like the Fizzy Lifting Drinks, what would your magical candy power be?

Audrey: Probably to be more annoying.

Heather: Super annoying! Oh boy! Mine would be flying, for sure.

Annoying Taffy and Flying Toffee. Got it. If you had to sum up your experience here working on Charlie & The Chocolate Factory at Stand Up For…Theatre using just one word, which word would you use?

Heather: Fantastic!

Audrey: Mine, mine, all mine!

Charlie & The Chocolate Factory plays through June 13^th, 14^th, and 15^th 2025 with Stand Up For…Theatre at DoodleHATCH— 8775 Cloudleap Court in Columbia, MD. Tickets are only available for purchase at the door— cash, card, checks all accepted.

Follow along with all the Wonkavision Golden Ticket interviews…

Chris Pence as the chief Oompa Loompa

Lucy Blumberg & Aaron Pinter as The Gloops

Gage Wright & Francesca DeBella as The Beauregardes