You pop that gum one more time— wait…that’s a different musical. Sorry- too much sugar for a second there. Wonkavision is right on time with another in-depth look at a parent-kid duo— this time it’s The Beauregarde Family!

Thank you for giving us a few of your rehearsal minutes, let’s get the ball rolling with who you are and who you’re playing, shall we?

Gage Wright: My name is Gage Wright and I play Eugene Beauregarde.

He has a first name?

Gage: Apparently. And it’s Eugene.

Lovely. And who are you?

Francesca DeBella: My name is Francesca DeBella and I play Violet Beauregarde.

What made you want to come out and be a part of Charlie & The Chocolate Factory?

Gage: Really I just wanted to work with Ed (Director Ed Higgins) and Grant (Producer/Costumer Grant Myers) again. They’re good guys, they put on a great show. It’s a really fun time. And Paul (playing Willy Wonka, Paul Norfolk) is amazing.

Why did you want to come out and be a part of this?

Francesca: Honestly? My mom said, “There’s a Willy Wonka theatre thing, do you want to do it?” And I said sure because I like doing theatre, I like singing and acting, and I love hearing all the cool sound effects.

What are you finding to be the most fun about this rehearsal process so far?

Gage: I think it’s just a goofy show. The fact that this show leans a little more towards the book and is a little less whimsical and we’re all realizing that together has made for a really fun time. And you know, getting to this weirdo right here* that’s been pretty cool.

Francesca: I love high-fiving you.

Gage: And yet you haven’t done a single high-five once.

You two are great, cracking me up! What are you finding to be the most fun so far, Francesca?

Francesca: Well, I find it fun seeing people who aren’t their characters having to act in character! I love being around all the props and costumes and just being part of this whimsical journey!

You have an amazing vocabulary, how old are you?

Francesca: Almost 12.

What was your familiarity with Wonka-lore coming into this project?

Gage: For me, I read through Charlie & The Chocolate Factory and The Great Glass Elevator. I loved the Roald Dahl books so much that the spines fell apart on my books.

Those poor books!

Francesca: Put them in a binder.

I like this kid. Francesca, what did you know about Willy Wonka or Charlie coming into this?

Francesca: So I had seen the Gene Wilder version, not the Johnny Depp one. I had read through some of the book. I didn’t get past the factory because I forgot to read the rest of it. But I knew other stuff about it. I knew about the actors on the set— not personally, but I knew that the foam in the bubble room? They got diseased from that. I know the behind-the-scenes trivia. I love behind the scenes trivia. And I know that Wonka meme— the Gene Wilder one where he’s just ‘blink-blink.’ And I know he ate a plastic teacup and had to spit it out after every take, he hated it, but he had to pretend to like it.

You are a treasure trove of information! I love this. Now what is your favorite candy in the whole wide world?

Gage: Oh Swedish Fish. I know it’s boring. But Swedish Fish. What can I say?

Francesca: I like Whatchamacallit Bars and Caramellos. And just Cadbury stuff in general.

What is your favorite chocolate bar?

Gage: Favorite…I gotta go for that Swiss dark chocolate. Super expensive but so worth it.

And I know you just said Whatchamacallit, but is there any candy bar aside from that one that’s your favorite?

Francesca: Any one that I don’t have to pay for.

She’s a smart cookie. What has been your biggest challenge working on this show so far?

Gage: I think it’s been— we here as a family are a little bit on the backfoot as a family. Two of the families are actually mother and child. And The Gloops, the child is an adult man. So we’re having to connect through this and figure out— she’s gotta look at my weird mug— and I’m old enough to have a child but she is not my child so it’s been an interesting time.

Got it. Francesca?

Francesca: I think he’s like 32.

Gage: She’s actually really close. I’m 30.

Oh my goodness. Francesca, what has been your biggest challenge?

Francesca: The biggest challenge for me has really been juggling this on top of school. Like today? I’m here doing this but tomorrow I have a giant test. And that’s usually what happens a lot. I’m studying lines when I’m supposed to be doing other stuff. And I tell my mom I’m busy studying my lines instead of doing the other stuff.

You are absolutely adorable. What is the song in the show that brings you the most joy, that you’re having the most fun with?

Gage: I think it has to be the Gloop song. The yodels— they get me every time. Every time.

Francesca: I also agree. I like them yodeling. I like hearing them yodel and I love the joy, seeing it in his face while he’s dancing with his mom. They’re just dancing! And they’re in their costumes yodeling! I love it!

What is the worst candy in the world that if you never have to put it in your mouth again you’d be very happy?

Gage: It’s those weird strawberry kisses. I think I just had a bad experience with them? But those strawberry-filled kisses. They’re not— they don’t— yuck.

What about you, Francesca?

Francesca: Chocolate covered bugs.

Alrighty then. Why not? I definitely said Necco Wafers. My sister used to eat them by the sleeve. I think they taste like chalk. Those and conversation hearts. Yuck! Who wants to eat chalk?

Gage: I used to sit there with TUMS and eat them like candy.

That explains a lot! Oh my! Why do you want people to come out and see Charlie & The Chocolate Factory at Stand Up For…Theatre?

Gage: It’s just a whimsical and fun time. It’s a great way to enjoy life. You get to see her blow up. You get to see an amazing effect of— well all the effects. They’re all really great and it’s a great time.

Awesome. Francesca? Why do you want people to come out and see it?

Francesca: Because I like learning how many people my mom knows.

What is the one food that chocolate does not belong on?

Gage: Brussel Sprouts!

Francesca: My feet. But definitely my brother’s feet.

Oh. My goodness. Alrighty then! Moving on! What is your favorite candy flavor when it comes to taffys and jelly beans and things like that?

Gage: Blue-raspberry.

Francesca: I like pina colada but I like chocolate and vanilla.

If your candy could give you a superpower or magic power like the Fizzy Lifting Drinks, what magical power or superpower would that candy be giving you?

Gage: I would get a time-stopping gum. While I’m chewing it, time can pause. But when I stop chewing it, that’s when time restarts.

Francesca: Probably someone that’s not me but looks exactly like me and who is as smart as me to go to school for me. But people don’t see me. I’m invisible while they are doing my school stuff so I don’t have to go school and I can be at home and chill.

So invisible doppelganger candy. I love that. I think I want both that and the time-stopping gum. Sign me up! If you could write your own golden ticket for this show and be any character in the show, doesn’t matter if it’s age appropriate, what gender, whether you can sing it or not, who would you want to be?

Gage: Augustus. He has some of the richest lines and he’s written the most childlike and it’s wonderful that the actor playing him is actually the ‘oldest’ child.

Francesca: Maybe the reporters because they’re hilarious! One of their lines is “Wow! Looks like a loser to me!” and they say that to Charlie! I love the writing in this show.

If you have to sum up your entire experience working on Charlie & The Chocolate Factory here at Stand Up For…Theatre, using just one word, which word would you use?

Gage: Wild.

Francesca: Either crazy of overwhelming. If you’ve seen this place you know exactly what I mean. Everything in here is art. It’s so lovely. And there’s a thousand different things happening every single day and also the set is made of real candy.  

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.

*for the record they high-fived when Gage called Francesca a weirdo.

Follow along with all the Wonkavision Golden Ticket interviews…

Chris Pence as the chief Oompa Loompa

Lucy Blumberg & Aaron Pinter as The Gloops