Elmbrook meets 'Willy Wonka'

Music teacher Jennifer Schwingle said the preparation for each student production she has directed the past nine years at Pilgrim Park Middle School is "an all-consuming experience."

So it is this year with "Willy Wonka," which is being performed Feb. 16 through Feb. 18 at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts.

The show is advertised as an invitation to experience "a world of pure imagination" belonging to the owner of a mysterious chocolate factory that offers "scrumptious candies and delicious chocolates."

Preparation is the key to making it work, Schwingle said.

"We start the audition process in October and November," she said. "Then we begin rehearsing in November until things get too busy around the holidays. In January, we rehearse most days, except for early release day on Thursdays. Rehearsal gets more and more involved, and we go through the most intense rehearsals the week of the show."

Coordination is essential, she said, to work with a student cast of 54, a student stage crew of 25 and an outside production company that sets up lighting and sound. It's a good thing parents are involved.

Parents organize committees to help with costumes, props, stage construction and publicity.

"For me, it's an opportunity to work with a lot of different people," Schwingle said. "We are always training new people as they get involved through their kids."

She feels fortunate to have come to Pilgrim Park just as the school began working with the Wilson Center.

"It's a great venue for the performances," Schwingle said. "It's an opportunity for the students to perform outside the school and in a professional environment."

Schwingle said "Willy Wonka" will be a deserving addition to the list of recent Pilgrim Park performances, such as "High School Musical," "Alice in Wonderland" and "Aladdin."

"There will be a lot of special effects, and the costumes are fun," she said.

If you go

WHAT: "Willy Wonka"

WHEN: 7 p.m. Feb. 16, 17 and 18

WHERE: Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, 19805 W. Capitol Drive

COST: $10, $8 for students and seniors

FOR INFO: Go to Wilson-Center.com or call (262) 781-9520 between noon and 5 p.m. weekdays or 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturdays.