A world premiere staged reading of Willy's Candy Spectacular: A Musical Parody is set to play Edinburgh Festival Fringe August 9-26. Based on the viral underwhelming Willy Wonka experience in Glasgow, Scotland, the new musical will be staged at the Pleasance King Dome. Watch John Stamos perform the opening number in the video above.
Willy's Candy Spectacular features a lineup of songwriters including Riki Lindhome, Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner (First Date), Tova Litvin and Doug Rockwell (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series), and Daniel Mertzlufft (Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical).
Previously titled Willy Fest, a musical parody, the project was unveiled earlier this year, shortly after the event on which its based became a viral sensation.
“We love musicals with epic opening numbers," Zachary and Weiner, who penned the first song, said in a statement. "And we thought—what could be more epic than John Stamos singing about the end of humanity and linking our species’ demise to an underwhelming immersive experience in Scotland?"
The Glasgow "Willy's Chocolate Experience" blew up on social media in late February, when families expecting an "immersive experience" based on Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and the 2023 prequel film Wonka were greeted by halfhearted candy decorations, flimsy backdrops, and a menacing masked character named "The Unknown" (with no connection to the films). Parents reported their kids leaving in tears, police were called, and photos of the whole fiasco spread like wildfire on social platforms.
Get a first listen to two more songs from Willy's Candy Spectacular in the videos below; including "Dreamed to Dare" written by Daniel Mertzlufft, featuring The Sharpe Family Singers and Kirsty Paterson, who played an Oompa Loompa in the original Glasgow experience; and "Where Dreams Go to Fly," written by Doug Rockwell and Tova Litvin.
In the weeks leading up to the staged readings, the production will release additional demo songs each Sunday.
Willy's Candy Spectacular is produced by Richard Kraft.
Visit WillysCandySpectacular.com.
