Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (musical) recently closed Broadway version (instead of the West End one) and will feature only 4 child actors who will alternate the role of Charlie. The remainder of the "child" characters will be played adult actors. On 13 October the primary cast was announced and includes U.S. actor Paul Slade Smith (who played Grandpa George in the original cast of Charlie on Broadway) as Willy Wonka alongside Australian actors Tony Sheldon as Grandpa Joe and Lucy Maunder as Mrs Bucket. The role of Charlie will be shared between Tommy Blair, Ryan Yates, Xion Jarvis and Oliver Alkhair.. The play opens with
The Willy Wonka Candy Company – then owned by Sunmark Corporation – was acquired by Nestlé. Nestlé sells sweets and chocolate under the Willy Wonka brand name in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Africa, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Panama, Dominican Republic and the Middle East. In mid-2015 the Willy Wonka brand name was dropped by Nestlé, in favour of special "throwback" packaging before eventually renaming the entire brand as "Nestlé Candy Shop". Candies previously made by the Willy Wonka brand are now under the Nestlé brand naming, excluding the Wonka brand name