From grandparents to small children, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a story known. The book was released in 1964, the movie followed seven years later, then a remake in 2005. This weekend Nolte Academy will visit the classic characters again.

The Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, 1301 Fifth St., will host Willy Wonka: The Musical Friday through Jan. 24.

Willy Wonka tells the story of a chocolate factory owner who places five golden tickets in candy bars. The winners of those five tickets and a family member are granted access into his secretive chocolate factory.

“[Willy Wonka] is sort of a breakaway from the normal, Disney-type musicals,” said Leslie Nolte, the director and owner of Nolte Academy. “We want to give as many people as we can the chance to participate, so Willy Wonka was kind of wonderful.”

Rehearsals began early in November.

“It’s a short time frame,” Nolte said. “That proved a little bit difficult this time around … a really good challenge is that many of our students and cast members are multitalented, so we have to play the game of sharing time with all of the things that they do.”

University of Iowa senior Frankie Rose, who plays the title character, has enjoyed working on the show because it has allowed him to focus on an aspect in theater in which he has not had a lot of experience.

“I’m not really a singer, but I’ve always liked singing, so I’ve really enjoyed being able to work closely on my singing,” he said.

Rose said he believes people will enjoy this show because of its familiarity.

“You’ll get to re-experience a story that’s so well-known, and it’s different from the movie,” he said. “So, while everyone knows about it, there are some different things that I’m not sure everyone will know coming into it. There are a lot of surprises, plus, it’s just a really fun show with music that everyone knows, as well as some music that maybe not everyone has heard.”

The show will, hopefully, leave the audience on a positive note, Nolte said.

“[The audience members] are going to have so much fun,” she said. “They’ll laugh, I hope the hair raises on their arms as it does mine, and I think they’ll leave the theater feeling like that two hours was a wild ride, and it leaves them hopeful.”

THEATER
*Willy Wonka: The Musical*
Where: Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, 1301 Fifth St.
When: 7 p.m. Friday, and 2 & 7p.m. Saturday, and 2 & 6 p.m. Jan. 24