Karylle secures her 'golden ticket' for 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The Musical'

Actress, singer, and TV host Karylle has officially joined the cast of the Manila staging of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The Musical," GMG Productions announced on Monday.

Her involvement was first teased in a social media post last Friday, which showed only a partial glimpse of her smile and facial features. Despite the limited reveal, many viewers quickly speculated that it was Karylle in the teaser.

The full reveal came with a promotional video, where she appears holding chocolate, the iconic Wonka Bar. In the clip, she walks into frame and says, “C’mon Charlie! Don’t you want to make a wish.”

Karylle will portray Mrs. Bucket, the mother of Charlie. She will be joined by Oliver Wong and Cohen Toukatly, who will alternate as Charlie, along with Daniel Plimpton as Willy Wonka, Steve McCoy as Grandpa Joe, Mychal Phillips as Grandma Josephine, and Michael Dalke as Grandpa George.

This marks another return to musical theater for Karylle, who has shown strong stage performances over the past two decades. Her theater credits include “The Little Mermaid,” “Seussical,” “Cinderella,” “The Sound of Music,” “West Side Story,” and “Rama Hari,” where she received critical acclaim.

Recently, Karylle was recognized as Best Lead Actress in a Musical at the 37th Aliw Awards for her role as Audrey in the 2024 musical “Little Shop of Horrors.”

Based on Roald Dahl’s classic novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory follows young Charlie Bucket, a boy from a less-fortunate family who wins a golden ticket that grants him entry into Willy Wonka's mysterious chocolate factory. The musical adaptation first premiered at London’s Theatre Royal in 2013.

The Philippine run will be staged from July 8 to July 26, 2026 at The Theatre at Solaire in Parañaque.