"Willy Wonka JR." begins in the magical chocolate factory of Willy Wonka, the greatest candy maker of all time. Facing retirement, Wonka searches for a successor. The impoverished Charlie Bucket dreams of winning a Golden Ticket hidden in Wonka's chocolate bars. Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde, and Mike Teavee find the first four tickets. Charlie's family encourages him to "think positive," but when he doesn't find a ticket on his birthday, they offer a final candy bar with no success.

Two weeks later, Charlie finds the last Golden Ticket and chooses Grandpa Joe as his companion. The duo joins the factory tour, witnessing misadventures as other ticket winners succumb to temptation and disobedience. In the end, Charlie, despite a momentary lapse in following rules, proves his character to Wonka. The real prize isn't a lifetime supply of chocolate but the ownership of the factory. Charlie becomes Wonka's heir, concluding the story with a joyful "Finale."

Ticket Prices:

Online
Adult: $18
Child (17 & under): $13
Senior Citizen: $13
 

At the door
Adult: $20
Child (17 & under): $15
Senior Citizen: $15

Mission

Mainstage Center for the Arts creates a vibrant, nurturing environment for both youth and adults, using the performing arts as a catalyst for personal expression and growth. Our goal is to enhance the quality of life in the South Jersey community.

Vision

Mainstage Center for the Arts envisions a future where:

• Creative expression is a valued component of education for both youth and adults.
• The performing arts are a source of community pride.
• Opportunities abound for everyone to engage with the arts, whether as an audience member, participant, or career aspirant.
• Mainstage is recognized as a premier regional hub for artistic programs and services.

History

Mainstage Center for the Arts is dedicated to providing South Jersey youth with enriching arts experiences that foster positive social interactions, self-worth, community involvement, exposure to professional arts, recognition of talents, and career opportunities in the arts. We celebrate the arts with passion and commitment.

Founded in 1989 by Edward P. Fiscella, Jr., a teacher at Glen Landing Middle School in Gloucester Township, Mainstage began as a response to his students' desire for a summer theater program. With support from co-founder Joseph Bretschneider, the Gloucester Township Board of Education, and the Department of Recreation, Fiscella established the Summer Stage program, modeled after the successful program in Upper Darby, PA, where he had worked for 10 years.

The success of Summer Stage led to demands for year-round arts programming. In 1994, Mainstage Center for the Arts was incorporated as the Gloucester Township Center for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Recognizing our growing regional impact, we rebranded as Mainstage Center for the Arts in 1997. We then rented a studio at 100 South Black Horse Pike in Blackwood, NJ, and began offering classes in dance, voice, and acting. Without a theater of our own, we formed partnerships with local schools and institutions to access performance venues.

Today, Mainstage programs reach over 50,000 people annually and directly serve over 1,200 children through classes and workshops. Our educational outreach and in-school assemblies extend our impact to an even larger audience, sometimes reaching 2,000 children per program.

We are honored to be recognized by our community as one of the best performing arts centers in South Jersey, having won this accolade from Courier Post readers for five consecutive years. In 1998, we were a finalist in the Philadelphia Arts & Business Partnership Awards, being the only South Jersey organization nominated for our partnership with McGettigan Partners.

Mainstage is funded by public and private grants, corporate sponsorships, private memberships, and individual contributions, with significant support from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

We are dedicated to enriching our community through the arts. Come and join us in celebrating the arts at Mainstage!